Hermine intensifies, likely to become hurricane before landfall

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Tropical Storm Hermine is expected to continue gaining in intensity, becoming a hurricane before it makes landfall after its track shifted east late Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

“Hermine is now a little stronger and it is now in an environment that could allow it to strengthen into a Category 1 Hurricane prior to landfall late tomorrow night, early Friday morning. Folks in the Florida Panhandle are bracing for perhaps a landfalling Category 1 Hurricane,” WINK Weather Chief Meteorologist Jim Farrell said Wednesday night.

The latest National Hurricane Center’s forecast predicts the system will make landfall early Friday morning and a hurricane warning has been issued for parts of northwestern Florida, extending west of the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach, Florida.

“While that is happening, we will be experiencing the rain now. Speaking of the effects in Southwest Florida, it’s going to breezy tomorrow,” Farrell said.

The conditions indicative of Hermine strengthening include a dropping air pressure and expanding wind field, Farrell said. The system sustained maximum winds of 60 mph, according to an 11 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. The strongest winds will not hit the Southwest Florida region, however, Farrell said.

The tide in Southwest Florida’s coastal areas are beginning to run above average and will continue to rise about 1 to 3 feet higher than usual.

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for 51 Florida counties in the path of the system Wednesday, including Manatee, Osceola and Sarasota counties.

The National Hurricane Center upgraded Tropical Depression Nine to Tropical Storm Hermine in its 2 p.m. advisory Wednesday.