10:35 P.M. Hurricane, storm surge warnings issued; Bay schools CLOSED

Sept. 01--PANAMA CITY -- Tropical Depression 9 has strengthened into Tropical Storm Hermine, the National Hurricane Center reported early Wednesday afternoon.

The storm is forecast to come ashore between Mexico Beach and Taylor County early Friday morning, but impacts will be felt in the Florida Panhandle by Thursday afternoon.

10:35 p.m. CDT update:

The National Hurricane Center's latest forecast calls for Tropical Storm Hermine to strengthen into a weak hurricane -- with winds of 75 mph -- before coming ashore by early Friday morning, and a hurricane warning was issued from Mexico Beach to the Suwannee River, but weakening to 70 mph as the center moves ashore.

At 10 p.m. CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Hermine was located about 295 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, with winds of 60 mph -- and gusting higher. The storm was moving north-northeast at 10 mph.

There is a 50 to 60 percent chance of tropical storm-force winds -- at least 39 mph, with higher gusts -- in Bay County late Thursday and early Friday. Gulf and Franklin counties have even higher chances of seeing tropical storm-force winds; Gulf and Franklin counties, which could see hurricane-force gusts, have a 70 and 80 percent chance, respectively.

8:55 p.m. update:

The National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center expanded the tropical storm warning to include more of the Florida Panhandle.

Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Walton and Washington counties are under a tropical storm warning, and Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf and South Walton counties are under a hurricane watch.

A storm surge warning also was issued -- from Indian Pass in Gulf County to Spring Hill. (Storm surge watches and warnings are in the testing phase this year, but the National Hurricane Center makes them available to the public.)

A warning indicates there is a chance of life-threatening storm surge somewhere in the specified area within about 36 hours.

7:15 p.m. update:

Walton County has issued a Local State of Emergency, issuing a mandatory evacuation for all locations within an evacuation zone beginning at 7 a.m. Thursday.

Walton County Emergency Management also will open an evacuation shelter for the general population and those with special medical needs. The shelter, opening at 7 a.m. Thursday, will be at Freeport High School, 12615 U.S. 331 Business in Freeport. The shelter will not accept pets, other than service animals, and other arrangements should be made.

Walton County schools also will be closed Thursday and Friday, and extracurricular activities canceled. Government offices will remain open.

Public Works is offering sandbags -- up to 25 per household -- from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Blue Mountain Pit, 1002 State 83 (Old Blue Mountain Road). Please bring your own shovel.

7 p.m. update:

Gulf County has issued a voluntary evacuation beginning at 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the Gulf County Sheriff's Office.

At 7 a.m., the Red Cross will open a general population shelter at the HoneyvilleCommunity Center, 240 Honeyville Park Drive in Wewahitchka. Anyone wanting to use the shelter should bring bedding, an air mattress or a cot.

For more information, call the Gulf County Emergency Operations Center at 850-229-9110 or GCSO at 850-227-1115, or visit their .

6:40 p.m. update:

Franklin County began mandatory evacuations at 5 p.m. and encouraged all residents who plan to shelter in place to have preparations completed by 10 a.m. Thursday.

Crawfordville Elementary opened as a shelter at 5 p.m., but the county recommends residents relocate to a hotel when possible.

The mandatory evacuation is for St. George Island, Dog Island, Alligator Point, Bald Point, all low-lying areas, all residents who live along the coastline or in areas prone to surge flooding, and all residents who live in mobile homes or RVs.

Franklin County Emergency Management said storm surge of 3-6 feet about normal will be a concern in the county and encouraged residents to secure yard items, boats and vehicles, and have disaster kits ready.

Sand bags are available at the Franklin County EOC, 28 Airport Road, Apalachicola. Sand bags are limited to 10 bags per household and only if you are prone to coastal flooding or your house is on ground level.

Find more information at www.franklinemergencymanagement.com, on the department's or call 850-653-8977.

6:30 p.m. update:

All Gulf Coast State Colleges will be closed Thursday and Friday.

The Bay County Emergency Operations Center has moved into Level 2 preparation and will open at least one emergency shelter Thursday. EOC said other preparations include:

--Sand is available for bagging at Pete Edwards Field off Thomas Drive in Panama City Beach and at the northeast side of Deer Point Dam Bridge. Bags will not be provided but are available for purchase at area hardware stores.

--Bay County Public Works crews have been clearing stormwater drains throughout the county in anticipation of a potential rain event.

--Public Works is monitoring water levels at Lake Powell.

--Bay County Utilities is lowering Deer Point Reservoir to 4 feet, down from its normal depth of 5 feet.

6 p.m. update:

Bay District Schools and Bay BASE will be closed Thursday and Friday, officials announced. District officials said on Twitter all 12-month employees and administrators should report to school Thursday for a half-day, but students will not have classes for the rest of the week.

Due to Hermine, Panama City's Downtown Improvement Board also voted to postpone Friday Fest by one week. Earlier this year, the board had to cancel two Friday Fests because of inclement weather, causing them to lose money. This time they decided to be proactive. Long-time board member Jane Lindsey said she believes this is the first time in seven years the board has decided to postpone.

5 p.m. update:

Bay District Schools reversed its earlier decision at 5 p.m., deciding to close schools on Thursday.

Gulf Coast State College's Panama City and North Bay Campuses will be open on their regular schedules Thursday. Officials say they will continue to monitor the storm and will make a decision about Friday's schedule by mid-afternoon Thursday.

However, officials in Gulf and Franklin counties have already declared a state of emergency and have closed their public schools for Thursday. Consequently, Gulf Coast State College's Gulf/Franklin Campus will also be closed Thursday. A decision about Friday at the Gulf/Franklin Campus will be made by mid-afternoon on Thursday, as well.

4:20 p.m. update:

Hurricane watches are in effect for Coastal Franklin, Jefferson, Wakulla, Taylor and Dixie counties.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for inland Gulf and Franklin, Gadsden, Leon, inland Jefferson, Madison, Liberty, inland Wakulla and Taylor, lafayette, inland Dixie, coastal Bay and Gulf counties.

A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for Colquitt, Cook, Berrien, Decatur, Grady, Thomas, Brooks, Lowndes and Lanier counties.

4 p.m. update:

The Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Park Service announced the evacuation of campgrounds and closure of state parks across Central and North Florida due to imminent weather conditions including strong winds and rain. The following state park campgrounds have been closed:

Fanning Springs State Park, Fanning Springs (Levy County)

Lafayette Blue Spring State Park, Mayo (Suwannee County)

Manatee Springs State Park, Chiefland (Dixie County)

Ochlockonee River State Park, Sopchoppy (Wakulla County)

Torreya State Park, Bristol (Liberty County)

St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach (Bay County)

St. George Island State Park, Eastpoint (Franklin County)

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Port St. Joe (Gulf County)

The following state parks are closed until further notice:

Crystal River Archaeological State Park, Crystal River (Citrus County)

St. George Island State Park, Eastpoint (Franklin County)

2:40 p.m. update:

Superintendent Bill Husfelt has confirmed that Bay District Schools will be open on regular schedules tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 1.

"We have been working closely with the officials at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center, National Weather Service and Channel 13 Chief Meteorologist Justin Keifer," the district announced in a news release. "We are advised that winds will not be an issue during the school day tomorrow and that the storm has slowed some. We will continue to monitor the weather and we will make a decision about Friday by midday Thursday."

In other announcements:

- The City of Callaway will supply residents with free empty sandbags (10 per household). Go to the Public Works office at 324 S. Berthe Ave. to get the bags, then go to Gore Park at the end of Berthe Avenue for sand. Be sure to bring a shovel. Direct questions to the Callaway Public Works Department at 850-871-1033

- The Bay County M. B. Miller Pier will close at noon Thursday and reopen at 6 a.m. Friday morning as a precaution concerning Tropical Storm Hermine, according to a release from the Bay County Commission office.

- Salvation Army units in the Florida Panhandle are preparing and on stand-by ready to help residents impacted by Tropical Storm Hermine. "Salvation Army canteens are stocked with water and supplies," said Major Otis Childs, administrator for The Salvation Army in Panama City.

The Salvation Army in Florida began its preparations for Hermine on Aug. 25, when it held a state wide coordination conference call. The Salvation Army also coordinates year round disaster volunteer training throughout the state.

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Below are earlier updates on storm preparedness:

12:30 p.m. update:

Vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine, who was scheduled to make an appearance locally today, canceled his visit because of the weather, according to a release from the Hillary Clinton election campaign.

A state of emergency was declared Wednesday for 42 counties in North and Central Florida as a tropical depression churned in the Gulf of Mexico. The system has the potential to reach hurricane strength before making landfall somewhere around the Big Bend this week, state officials said.

Gov. Rick Scott, who issued the emergency declaration, said Wednesday that 8,000 members of the Florida National Guard are ready to be deployed as the storm system is on track to hit the state late Thursday or early Friday.

Scott warned that the system will bring the potential of lightning, tornadoes, flooding and standing water that could heighten the risk of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been found across the state.

"We're going to see a lot of rain, we're going to see five to 10 inches of rain, potentially 15 inches of rain," Scott said after receiving a storm update at the state Emergency Operations Center.

Scott also warned Floridians to take precautions before, during and after the storm, which could be the first hurricane to hit the state in more than a decade.

"We're going to see downed power lines," Scott said.

Scott's announcement came after the National Hurricane Center on Tuesday issued a hurricane watch for parts of the state's Gulf Coast, with people from northern Florida through the Carolinas advised to monitor the system.

"By declaring a state of emergency in advance of this storm, we are ensuring that state, regional and local agencies can work together to meet the needs of our communities," Scott said.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon said the storm is expected to impact a "large part of north-central Florida."

"It will become a tropical storm today," Koon said Wednesday morning. "There is still a possibility that it can even become a Cat 1 hurricane."

A Category 1 hurricane has average wind speeds between 74 and 95 mph.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, the system, sitting about 420 miles west-southwest of Tampa, had maximum sustained winds of 34 mph.

The National Hurricane Center said the meandering depression is expected to strengthen and accelerate north-northeastward or northeastward by Wednesday night.

The counties in Scott's order are: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia and Wakulla.

The areas under the hurricane watch are between the Anclote River, near Tarpon Springs, to Indian Pass, south of Port St. Joe in Gulf County. A tropical-storm warning also remained in place from Indian Pass west to the Walton County-Bay County line.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) says catastrophe teams prepare for storms like this one and are ready to help policyholders in the event this storm brings damage.

Right now the storm is slated to hit Florida as a tropical storm or a weak hurricane on Thursday. Floridians are urged to take the necessary precautions to get ready for the storm. Make sure you have your agent or insurance company's contact information readily available. PCI encourages policyholders to take a home inventory of what's inside their home by simply using a smart phone to document the items. If your home or automobile is damaged, call your insurer immediately. For information on storm readiness, visit PCI's Hurricane Headquarters page.

11 a.m. update:

SOUTHPORT -- Bay County officials are not planning to activate the Emergency Operations Center at this time but are keeping a close eye on a tropical depression that is expected to swing by close to the coast mid-day on Thursday.

Gov. Rick Scott is planning to stop at the Bay Emergency Operations Center at 3 p.m. today to give a briefing on the tropical depression.

Bay County officials have been evaluating storm water infrastructure and have lowered water levels at Deer Point Lake.

Officials still expect the county to be on the drier side of the weather system.

Mark Bowen, Bay County Chief of Emergency Services, said if the forecast holds true, he expects the system to become a tropical storm when it hits Florida, with the county being on the "good side of the storm."

10:15 a.m. update:

PANAMA CITY -- Bay District Schools and Bay County Emergency Management officials are weighing whether to close schools Thursday due to impending weather from Tropical Depression 9, expected to hit just east of Bay County on Thursday and into Friday. Superintendent Bill Husfelt said he would make a decision by the end of the day Wednesday. The storm is expected to bring several inches of rain and sustained winds up to 35 mph to the region, which is currently under a Tropical Storm Warning and has been included in Gov. Rick Scott's State of Emergency declared early Wednesday morning.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is expected at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center Wednesday afternoon for a briefing on the storm.

10 a.m. update:

Effective immediately, all developed recreation sites and the Florida National Scenic Trail on the Apalachicola National Forest will be closed due to unfavorable weather conditions as a result of Tropical Depression 9.

Camp hosts may remain on site until an evacuation order is in place. However, forest visitors will be advised to leave. The sites will reopen for operations upon completion of a post-storm assessment of the site and facilities, and identified hazards are mitigated.

Check back later today for updates as they are available.

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