NHC: Central Florida Now Within Sights Of Eta

Daytona Beach, FL - Instead of continuing a northward jog towards the Panhandle, forecasters say Tropical Storm Eta now has Central Florida within its sights. Wednesday morning (November 11th), a NOAA reconnaissance aircraft and NOAA Doppler weather radars found Eta’s eye to be moving toward the north-northeast near 15 mph, a track its expected to continue throughout Thursday. On this current track, Eta is expected to move closer to—but offshore—of the southwest Florida coast today, approach the west-central coast of Florida tonight, and move inland over the northern portion of the Florida peninsula on Thursday. From there, Eta should move northeastward into the western Atlantic late Thursday or early Friday morning. Reports now say maximum sustained winds are at 70 mph with higher gusts as tropical-storm-force-winds extend outwards from the storm’s eye about 115 miles. Eta is additionally expected to be near or at Category 1 Hurricane status as it approaches the Gulf Coast of Florida, but rapid weakening is expected after landfall on Thursday. News Daytona Beach will once again monitor the storm and provide updates.