FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Emily has been downgraded from a tropical storm to a tropical depression.
The depression was moving eastward over Central Florida on Monday afternoon and wasn't going to hit South Florida directly.
Forecasters said, however, that South Florida could see about 1 to 2 inches of rain through Monday night.
The storm was 70 miles south of Melbourne and about 30 miles north of Sebring, the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 p.m. Monday update.
It was chugging along toward the Atlantic Ocean at about 12 mph.
The downgrade to a depression came after Emily's maximum sustained winds dropped from 45 mph to 35 mph.
The tropical storm warning that had been in effect for Florida's west coast was also canceled.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott had declared a state of emergency for 31 Florida counties including Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.
In a statement released just before 6 p.m. Monday, the governor said residents should still be prepared.
"I just spoke to state and county emergency management officials on the impacts of Tropical Depression Emily and there are no unmet needs or evacuation orders at this time," Scott said in a statement. "While it is positive news that this tropical storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression, we must remain vigilant. I will continue to receive briefings on the impacts of this storm tonight and will deploy state resources to assist local efforts if needed.
"Families in central and eastern Florida should remain alert and expect significant rainfall and the possibility of flooding and damaging wind gusts," Scott said. "As many Floridians head home from work, I urge everyone to drive cautiously and avoid driving through any standing water. All Floridians should continue to stay tuned to local weather alerts throughout the evening."
Emily was a Monday morning surprise for Florida residents.
After an area of storms and clouds became Tropical Depression #6 in the Gulf of Mexico near the Tampa Bay area on Monday morning before 6 a.m., the depression became the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season's fifth named storm before 8 a.m.
Emily made landfall at Anna Maria Island, near Bradenton, at 10:45 a.m. Monday morning.
"Floridians across the state woke up this morning to learn of a tropical system bearing down on our Gulf Coast," Scott said.
Scott said that state agencies as well as the Florida National Guard were ready to respond to any Emily-related issues if necessary.
National Hurricane Center forecasters said Emily would likely be over the ocean by Tuesday morning.
"A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected by tonight and Tuesday," forecasters said in a 5 p.m. advisory. "On the forecast track, the center of Emily will continue to move farther inland over the central Florida peninsula this evening, and move offshore of the east-central Florida coast Tuesday morning."
Forecasters also said there was "high confidence that Emily will not directly affect the southeastern United States" after it emerges over the Atlantic. It was not expected to regain tropical storm status.
