Emily Downgraded To Tropical Depression

TAMPA, FL — After making landfall in the Anna Maria Island area late Monday morning, Tropical Storm Emily had some of the wind knocked out of her sails. As of the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. July 31 update, the storm had been officially downgraded to tropical depression status.

Emily was located about 30 miles northwest of Sebring as of 5 p.m. Monday. The storm was moving east-northeast at 12 mph while packing maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.

Keep up with Tropical Storm Emily's developments by getting the Patch newsletter and alerts in your inbox.

Tropical storm warnings had been discontinued as of 5 p.m. for the entire state of Florida. Despite the downgrading, forecasters said the storm was likely to dump between 1 to 2 inches of rain on southeast Florida into Monday evening.

On its current forecast track, Emily should exit the state by Tuesday morning. Forecasters anticipate the storm will regain tropical storm status by Tuesday afternoon after reaching the open Atlantic Ocean.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for 31 counties across the state Monday morning.

“While this storm developed quickly overnight and will swiftly move across our state, storms can always develop rapidly and that is why is it so important to be prepared at the start of hurricane season,” Scott said. “For helpful preparation resources, please visit FLGetAPlan.com. We will keep monitoring and issuing updates on Tropical Storm Emily as it moves across Florida today.”

See also: Hurricane Season 2017: What Tampa Bay Area Residents Need To Know

The formation of Tropical Storm Emily off Florida's west coast is a bit unusual, the Weather Channel's Dr. Matt Sitkowski said in a statement. The storm's arrival comes "a whole month ahead of the average date for the 'E' storm, which is August 31," Sitkowski said.

"So far, the 2017 hurricane season has produced an above average amount of storms and we are just a couple of weeks away from when the busiest part of the season typically begins. As we look forward to the rest of the season, many of the key indicators are pointing towards favorable conditions for tropical development remaining in place. Emily serves as a good reminder that all residents should have a hurricane plan in place. There are still four months left in hurricane season and we are 6 weeks away from the climatological peak.”

Hurricane Season's Peak Nears
The Atlantic hurricane season technically lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30, but forecasters call the period between mid-August and mid-October the “season within the season.” This eight-week period “is often the most active and dangerous time for tropical cyclone activity,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The eight-week period from August to October is historically responsible for major spikes in tropical weather activity, NOAA said. In fact, it accounts for roughly 78 percent of all tropical storm days on record. It is also the period when 87 percent of the category 1 and 2 hurricane days on record occurred. In addition, this period is responsible for “a whopping 96 percent of the major (category 3, 4 and 5) hurricane days.”

So, what makes this eight-week stretch so special?

“Tropical waves are coming off of the coast of Africa roughly every three days, and the very early and late parts of the year provide additional types of potential seedlings,” NOAA’s website explains.

Other environmental conditions during the peak tend to be more conducive for storm development, as well. The factors that align during the peak period include wind, temperature and moisture. Wind shear that might rip disturbances apart in May, for example, tend to weaken by late August, NOAA said.

“This minimum in the shear combines with favorable thermodynamics – ocean temperatures in the deep tropics that increase with each day of summer sun, warmer air temperatures, and increasing atmospheric moisture,” NOAA explained. “When the dynamics and thermodynamics are in sync, as they often are from mid-August through early October, disturbances like African tropical waves can easily strengthen.”

Conditions gradually become less ripe for development in mid-October when increased wind shear tends to reappear and water and air temperatures cool.

Meanwhile, a second area of disturbed weather that was under watch in the Atlantic Ocean fizzled out. As of 11 a.m. Monday, that system dissipated in the area between the Cabo Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles. The storm had only been given only a 10 percent chance of developing more over the next five days.

Residents readying for the ongoing season can get tips and advice on the federal government’s Ready.gov website. Folks in the Tampa Bay area can also check out this related story: Hurricane Season 2017: What Tampa Bay Area Residents Need To Know.

Graphics courtesy of the National Hurricane Center