NHC: Eta Takes Aim At Panhandle, Gulf Coast States

Daytona Beach, FL - After dumping over two feet of rain in some parts of South Florida, Tropical Storm Eta starts on a new path aimed at the Panhandle. Recent observation by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Eta is still slowly drifting southward, but the system is expected to become stationary at some point Tuesday (November 10th).  A slow northbound track is then forecast to begin and continue into Thursday as the system takes aim at the Panhandle and other Gulf states, where some parts are still recovering from Hurricane Delta.  Maximum sustained winds are currently sitting around 60 mph with higher gusts. Forecasters are expecting some additional strengthening to begin during the next day or two, but forecast tracks show that Eta is not expected to strengthen into a hurricane—as they have previously forecast. Weakening should then follow on Thursday. Throughout Tuesday, forecasters predict that Eta will drop another three to five inches of rain on Cuba and another one or two inches on South Florida. The system is also likely to cause life threatening surf conditions in Cuba and the Gulf Coast of Florida thanks to swells generated by the storm.