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Hermine made landfall in Florida early Friday as the first hurricane to come ashore in the state since Wilma struck 11 years ago.

One dead as Hermine makes landfall in Florida


Digital writers
theweathernetwork.com

Friday, September 2, 2016, 7:26 PM - Tropical Storm Hermine made landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane early Friday, leaving one dead and causing severe coastal damage in its wake.

Hermine was the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since Wilma struck 11 years ago.


TRACKING HERMINE: Tune in to The Weather Network on T.V. to follow our exclusive coverage of the storm. LIVE STREAM begins Sunday, Sept. 4 at 6 a.m. EDT.


The storm continues on its track up the U.S. Eastern Seaboard through the weekend -- heading right up to New York -- setting off tropical storm watches throughout the U.S. Atlantic Coast.

Hermine strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane just before 3 p.m. EDT Thursday and made landfall around 1:30 a.m. EDT east of St. Marks in the Big Bend area, along the Florida Panhandle.

After tracking over land, Hermine lost some of its punch, weakening back to a tropical storm at 5 a.m. EDT Friday morning. But Weather Network meteorologists highlight the potential for the storm to re-strengthen by Monday.

Power was cut to over 70,000 residents in Tallahassee. Several schools were closed Friday due to the storm including, Florida State University's main campus in Tallahassee and the University of South Florida in Tampa.

While all hurricane watches and warnings have been dropped, tropical storm warnings remain in effect for parts of the Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia and up through North Carolina.

Florida Governor Rick Scott declared an emergency on Wednesday in 51 of the state's 67 counties in advance of Hurricane Hermine. A mandatory evacuation notice was issued for several Gulf Coast communities including, Franklin County.

Scott urged residents to heed warnings Thursday, calling the storm life-threatening.

"We have a hurricane. You can rebuild a home. You can rebuild property. You cannot rebuild a life," he told reporters. "We have 6,000 members of the national guard ready to be mobilized."

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal also declared a state of emergency for 56 counties, parts of which are forecast to receive up to 250 mm of rain over the weekend. Additionally, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory issued a state of emergency for 33 counties.


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Watches and warnings are in effect. For full list, click here.

Here are four things to know about this powerful and potentially life-threatening storm.

TIMING & TRACK

  • The system strengthened from a depression to a tropical storm Wednesday afternoon, eventually upgrading to a Category 1 hurricane Thursday afternoon. Hermine will continue to move across southeastern Georgia Friday, through the coastal Carolinas Friday evening and track offshore of the North Carolina coast on Saturday.


TRACKING HERMINE: Tune in to The Weather Network on T.V. to follow our exclusive coverage of the storm. LIVE STREAM begins Sunday, Sept. 11 at 6 a.m. EDT.


IMPACT

  • Rainfall: Hermine is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 125 to 250 mm over the southeastern United States from northwest Florida through southern and eastern Georgia into South Carolina and eastern North Carolina. Some localized areas could see up to 380 mm. These rains may cause life-threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain could reach coastal Mid-Atlantic states from Virginia to New Jersey beginning early Saturday, according to NHC.

  • Wind: Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 85 km/h Friday evening. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 280 km from the center, NHC reports. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin within the warning area along the Atlantic coast Friday afternoon, spreading northward through the weekend. Wind in the tropical storm warning area along the Gulf Coast of Florida should gradually diminish Friday, according to NHC. 



  • Storm Surge: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. There is a danger of life-threatening inundation within the next 12 hours along the Gulf Coast of Florida from Indian Pass to Longboat Key. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water. Promptly follow any instructions, including evacuation orders, from local officials.
  • The water could reach the following heights above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide: Destin to Indian Pass: 0.3 to 0.9 metres Indian Pass to Ochlockonee River: 1.2 to 2.1 metres Ochlockonee River to Yankeetown : 1.8 to 2.7 metres Yankeetown to Aripeka: 1.2 to 2.1 metres Aripeka to Longboat Key including, Tampa Bay: 0.6 to 1.2 metres Longboat Key to Bonita Beach: 0.3 to 0.9 metres Florida-Georgia line to Tidewater of Virginia: 0.3 to 0.9 metres

  • Tornadoes: Isolated tornadoes are possible Friday morning over north Florida and southeast Georgia. The tornado risk will continue across the eastern Carolinas later Friday. 

WHAT'S NEXT: Storm to hit New York next?

  • The track thereafter is uncertain (near the coast vs. offshore), but Hermine will impact the Labour Day long weekend along the coast with dangerous surf, gusty winds and possibly rain (depending on track), according to The Weather Network meteorologist Doug Gillham. "It also looks like Hermine could meander offshore for much of next week," he said. " Early models suggest that the storm will be a hurricane as it turns out to sea." Areas along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts should monitor the forecast closely, as tropical conditions may be possible over the weekend (Mid-Atlantic: Saturday, Northeast: Sunday).

More below: Why people in the Northeast should be on alert over the next week

Sources: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, Storm Prediction Center, Reuters

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