By: Michelle Murillo
Source: 540wfla.com
Tropical Storm Claudette made landfall near Fort Walton Beach in the Florida panhandle overnight.
Tropical Storm Warnings continue along the gulf coast from Destin to Indian Pass due to Tropical Storm Claudette moving into the area.
Claudette formed early Sunday from a depression and is now located at 30.9 degrees north latitude, 87.0 degrees west longitude or about 40 miles northwest of Fort Walton Beach.
When Claudette made landfall shortly before midnight, winds were measured at 50 mph. They have since dropped to 40 mph and the system was moving inland to the north-northwest at 12 mph. She is expected to weaken to a depression later this morning as she continues to move over land.
In addition, eyes are on the season’s first hurricane, Bill and a disorganized depression that was Tropical Storm Ana are still out in the Atlantic.
Tropical Storm Ana weakened into a tropical depression yesterday and has remained that way. Ana was located at 16.6 degrees north latitude, 63.9 degrees west longitude or about 95 miles southeast of St. Croix.
Ana is moving toward the west-northwest at 28 mph and is expected to keep moving in this direction for the next few days.
Top sustained winds are currently at 35 mph. Forecasters said if she continues to weaken she could become a tropical wave later today.
Right behind Ana is Hurricane Bill. Bill formed Saturday afternoon from a tropical depression and has been quickly growing in strength.
At 5 a.m. EDT, Bill was upgraded to a hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 75 mph. He was located at 13.8 degrees north latitude and 44.0 degrees west longitude. That puts the center of the storm approximately 1,160 miles east of the Lesser Antilles.
Bill is moving toward the west-northwest near 22 mph and maximum sustained winds are expected to continue to increase. He could become a major hurricane by midweek.
For more information on the storms please visit National Hurricane Center.
