ORLANDO, Fla. _ Tropical Storm Nestor formed Friday afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph targeting the Florida Panhandle, according to the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. update.
Dangerous storm surge and tropical-storm-force winds are expected along portions of the northern Gulf Coast into Friday night, the NHC said, with a tropical storm warning still in effect for parts of Florida.
Moving toward the Panhandle at 22 mph with 60 mph winds, Nestor is located about 150 miles south-southeast of the Mississippi River and is expected to strengthen overnight before making landfall Saturday morning, the NHC said in its 5 p.m. update. It is then expected to then move across the southern U.S. through the weekend while devolving into a subtropical storm and make its way into the Atlantic Ocean by Monday.
Nestor has tropical-storm-force winds reaching up to 140 miles away from its center _ mainly to the northeast.
"I expect landfall near sunrise up in the western Panhandle where the heaviest rain and strongest winds will occur," said WOFL-Fox 35 Chief Meteorologist Glenn Richards. "For Central Florida we can expect a risk for isolated tornadoes from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. as the main wave of rainstorms move through. The greatest threat for Central Florida is for powerful winds of 40-50 mph through Saturday morning. Total rainfall will only be approx 1 inch."
A tropical storm warning issued from Grand Isle to the Pearl River in Louisiana and the Mississippi-Alabama border to west Navarre, Fla., have been discontinued as of the 5 p.m. update. The warning issued from Navarre to Yankeetown is still in effect, the NHC said.
A storm surge warning was added for Florida communities from Indian Pass to Clearwater Beach.
Indian Pass could see 3 to 5 feet in rising water levels, the NHC said. Clearwater Beach could see a rise of 2 to 4 feet.
"This is a life-threatening situation," NHC branch chief Michael Brennan said. "Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions."
One possible projection has the storm making landfall just south of Mexico Beach, about 20 miles south from where Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall last year.
Much of Mexico Beach is still devastated. About 75% of the city was destroyed, said Mexico Beach Mayor Al Cathey. The surrounding areas are also facing huge challenges in recovery.
The major roadway of the area, U.S. Highway 98, remains closed.
Once Nestor moves inland of the panhandle meteorologists expect it to become extratropical by Monday, and then begin slowly weakening as it moves offshore of the Carolinas later next week, the NHC said.
