ORLANDO, Fla. _ Tropical Storm Nestor became Post-Tropical Cyclone Nestor on Saturday morning as it neared Florida's coast, but was still packing 50 mph winds and pelting the state with rain and tornado threats, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. Eastern Time update.
Dangerous storm surge and tropical-storm-force winds are still expected along portions of the northern Gulf Coast, the NHC said with a tropical storm warning still in effect for parts of Florida while much of Central Florida remains under a tornado watch until 2 p.m. ET.
"The atmosphere is kind of spinning right now," said Fox 35 meteorologist Jayme King. "Of course when we develop some stronger storms, that spin can reach the ground and you get a tornado."
The storm dropped from 60 mph winds Friday to 50 mph winds Saturday morning as it looks to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle by this afternoon. Nestor is moving east-northeast at 9 mph with its center located about 70 miles south-southwest of Panama City and 85 miles west-southwest of Apalachicola.
The difference between tropical and nontropical is that the winds can still be extremely powerful, but are not centered tightly around the storm's center.
"Tropical storm force winds will continue across portions of the Florida Gulf Coast, where tropical storm warnings are in effect," said NHC Senior Hurricane Specialist Stacy Stewart. "Regardless of the exact track and intensity of the system, these winds will cover a large area, especially east of the center."
As of 11 a.m. ET, those powerful winds extend out 185 miles away from its center _ mainly to east and southeast with forecasters warning winds and rainfall will affect Central Florida over the weekend.
Already, winds were lashing the Panhandle, with the Tyndall Air Force Base Tower located south of Apalachicola reporting a sustained wind of 49 mph and gust of 61 mph. and Tampa closed the Skyway Bridge because of wind gusts.
The system is projected to drop 2-4 inches of rain across the southeast U.S. over the weekend as it moves across Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas with pockets of up to 8 inches, forecasters said.
As of 5:10 a.m. ET, the National Weather Service in Melbourne said Daytona Beach had already broken its daily rainfall record, with 3.26 inches having already fallen with more still coming. Today's rain could make it the wettest October on record for Daytona Beach.
The tornado threat from the system is possible through midday Saturday across the Central Florida peninsula and in coastal Georgia and the Carolinas by late Saturday as the outer bands lash their way across land to the east of the storm's center.
Orange, Osceola and Brevard counties remain under a tornado watch until 2 p.m. ET.
Saturday morning, the NWS had issued tornado warnings that have since expired for Sarasota and Charlotte counties. NWS Tampa confirmed an F1 tornado formed damaging several structures and vehicles at 6:45 a.m. ET in Cape Coral.
A reported tornado in Polk County at 11 p.m. ET Friday caused a four-car wreck on Interstate 4 when the passing funnel cloud caused a semi truck to overturn onto another vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Reports of damage in the Lakeland area are consistent with an F0 tornado with 70 mph winds, according to the National Weather Service, which confirmed a tornado moved through Hillsborough and Polk counties. The storm ripped the roof off Kathleen Middle School and damages several other property, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Earlier on Friday, an F0 tornado caused damage to a mobile home park near Seminole in Pinellas County, according to NHC Tampa.
The storm is expected to keep heading east-northeast through Saturday afternoon and then turn northeast either Saturday night or early Sunday before heading out into the Atlantic Ocean.
As of 11 a.m. ET Saturday, a tropical storm warning remains in effect from Indian Pass, Florida in the Panhandle to Yankeetown, Florida just north of Tampa Bay while a storm surge warning remains in effect for Indian Pass to Clearwater Beach.
Storm surge combined with tides could see waters 2-4 feet higher than normal from Indian Pass to Clearwater Beach and 1-3 feet in Tampa Bay.
