Emergency Management warns of developing system in Gulf of Mexico

Staff report

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County Emergency Management (ACEM) is warning local residents that a system in the Gulf of Mexico may develop into a tropical storm or hurricane and threaten Alachua County by the middle of next week.

Models show the system, labeled as Invest 93L, becoming a strong tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane by Tuesday, with landfall predicted by Wednesday. Landfall could be anywhere between New Orleans and the southern Florida Gulf Coast, with the cone covering much of the western coast of Florida.

ACEM advises taking sensible precautions over the weekend to make sure you are ready for the storm. Secure objects around your home that could be picked up by strong winds, prune smaller tree limbs that are near your home, especially windows, make sure property is not in areas that are easily prone to flooding, and make sure that you are signed up to get emergency alerts from Alachua County by texting the word ALACHUA to 888-777.

You can find the latest Tropical Information by visiting www.hurricanes.gov, and you can find local forecast information, including watches and warnings, at weather.gov/jax.