{"url_path":"/weather/alerts/2.49.0.1.840.0.3fa8c38339110ef477486f0192cfd12cda4d7935.001.1","section_key":"alert","section_title":"Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued July 20 at 5:01PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL","topic":"weather","document":{"doc_type":"alert","doc_date":"2026-07-20","source_url":"https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn%3Aoid%3A2.49.0.1.840.0.3fa8c38339110ef477486f0192cfd12cda4d7935.001.1","accession_number":null,"cik":null,"ticker":null,"issuer_name":null,"edgar_url":null,"primary_entity_key":null,"primary_entity_name":"NWS Tallahassee FL"},"word_count":1042,"has_tables":false,"body_markdown":"# Tropical Cyclone Local Statement: Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued July 20 at 5:01PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL\n\n**Severity:** Moderate\n**Certainty:** Likely\n**Urgency:** Expected\n**Areas:** North Walton; Central Walton; Holmes; Washington; Jackson; Inland Bay; Calhoun; Inland Gulf; Inland Franklin; Gadsden; Leon; Inland Jefferson; Madison; Inland Wakulla; Inland Taylor; Lafayette; Inland Dixie; South Walton; Coastal Bay; Coastal Gulf; Coastal Franklin; Coastal Jefferson; Coastal Wakulla; Coastal Taylor; Coastal Dixie; Northern Liberty; Southern Liberty\n**Issued by:** NWS Tallahassee FL\n**Sent:** 2026-07-20T17:01:00-04:00\n**Effective:** 2026-07-20T17:01:00-04:00\n**Expires:** 2026-07-21T01:15:00-04:00\n\n## Description\nHLSTAE\n\nThis product covers eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend, southeastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia\n\n**DEPRESSION CONTINUES DRIFTING ERRATICALLY NORTHWESTWARD**\n\n\nNEW INFORMATION\n---------------\n\n* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:\n- None\n\n* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:\n- A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Coastal Bay, Coastal\nFranklin, Coastal Gulf, and South Walton\n\n* STORM INFORMATION:\n- About 105 miles south of Panama City or about 73 miles\nsouthwest of Apalachicola\n- 28.7N 85.8W\n- Storm Intensity 35 mph\n- Movement Northwest or 305 degrees at 3 mph\n\nSITUATION OVERVIEW\n------------------\n\n...TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWO STILL DRIFTING OVER THE NORTHEASTERN\nGULF...\n\nAt 5 PM EDT, Tropical Depression Two was located 73 miles southwest of\nApalachicola and moving northwest at 3 mph. Tropical Depression Two is\nexpected to become a tropical storm later this evening or tonight and\nmove very slowly northwestward through Tuesday before turning more\nwestward away from the area Tuesday night into Wednesday.\n\nAt this time, the center of Tropical Depression Two is expected to\nremain well offshore the Florida coast. The primary impacts to the\nlocal area will be dangerous beach conditions from rip currents and\nvery rough surf, dangerous marine conditions from large waves and\nstrong winds, gusty winds in squalls across coastal areas, and locally\nheavy rainfall, mainly for areas along and south of I-10 in Florida. A\nbrief, weak tornado or two cannot be ruled out along the Florida Big\nBend coast.\n\nRainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated spots near 6 inches,\nare possible over the next couple of days, especially along and south\nof I-10. A Storm Surge of 1 to 3 feet above ground level will be\npossible at times of high tide along the coast of Apalachee Bay to\nIndian Pass and 1 to 2 feet for areas west of Indian Pass.\n\nPOTENTIAL IMPACTS\n-----------------\n\n* WIND:\nPrepare for hazardous wind having possible limited impacts across the\ncoastal Florida Panhandle. Potential impacts in this area include:\n- Damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchored\nmobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about.\n- Many large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped or\nuprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees are\nshallow rooted. Some fences and roadway signs blown over.\n- A few roads impassable from debris, particularly within urban\nor heavily wooded places. Hazardous driving conditions on\nbridges and other elevated roadways.\n- Scattered power and communications outages.\n\nElsewhere across eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend,\nsoutheastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia, little to no impact is\nanticipated.\n\n* FLOODING RAIN:\nPrepare for locally hazardous rainfall flooding having possible\nlimited impacts across eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend,\nsoutheastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia. Potential impacts\ninclude:\n- Localized rainfall flooding may prompt a few evacuations.\n- Rivers and tributaries may quickly rise with swifter currents.\nSmall streams, creeks, and ditches may become swollen and\noverflow in spots.\n- Flood waters can enter a few structures, especially in usually\nvulnerable spots. A few places where rapid ponding of water\noccurs at underpasses, low-lying spots, and poor drainage\nareas. Several storm drains and retention ponds become\nnear-full and begin to overflow. Some brief road and bridge\nclosures.\n\n* SURGE:\nPrepare for locally hazardous surge having possible limited impacts\nacross the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend coasts. Potential impacts in\nthis area include:\n- Localized inundation with storm surge flooding mainly along\nimmediate shorelines and in low-lying spots, or in areas\nfarther inland near where higher surge waters move ashore.\n- Sections of near-shore roads and parking lots become overspread\nwith surge water. Driving conditions dangerous in places where\nsurge water covers the road.\n- Moderate beach erosion. Heavy surf also breaching dunes, mainly\nin usually vulnerable locations. Strong rip currents.\n- Minor to locally moderate damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks,\nand piers. A few small craft broken away from moorings.\n\nElsewhere across eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend,\nsoutheastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia, little to no impact is\nanticipated.\n\n* TORNADOES:\nPrepare for a tornado event having possible limited impacts across the\ncoastal Florida Big Bend. Potential impacts include:\n- The occurrence of isolated tornadoes can hinder the execution\nof emergency plans during tropical events.\n- A few places may experience tornado damage, along with power\nand communications disruptions.\n- Locations could realize roofs peeled off buildings, chimneys\ntoppled, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned,\nlarge tree tops and branches snapped off, shallow-rooted trees\nknocked over, moving vehicles blown off roads, and small boats\npulled from moorings.\n\nElsewhere across eastern Florida panhandle, Florida Big Bend,\nsoutheastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia, little to no impact is\nanticipated.\n\nPRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS\n----------------------------------\n\n* EVACUATIONS:\nFollow the advice of local officials\n\n* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:\nNow is the time to check your emergency plan and emergency supplies\nkit and take necessary actions to protect your family and secure your\nhome or business.\n\nWhen making safety and preparedness decisions, do not focus on the\nexact forecast track since hazards such as flooding rain, damaging\nwind gusts, storm surge, and tornadoes extend well away from the\ncenter of the storm.\n\nIf you are a visitor, know the name of the county in which you are\nlocated and where it is relative to current watches and warnings. If\nstaying at a hotel, ask the management staff about their onsite\ndisaster plan. Listen for evacuation orders, especially pertaining to\narea visitors.\n\nClosely monitor weather.gov, NOAA Weather Radio and local news\noutlets for official storm information. Listen for possible changes\nto the forecast.\n\n\n* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:\n- For information on appropriate preparations see ready.gov\n- For additional disaster preparedness information see redcross.org\n\nNEXT UPDATE\n-----------\n\nThe next local statement will be issued by the National Weather\nService in Tallahassee FL around 11 PM EDT, or sooner if conditions\nwarrant."}