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Tropical Storm Sally forms off Florida coast: Louisiana, Alabama, Florida on hurricane watch

Sep. 13, 2020 01:14AM EST
 Dan Ackermann

Tropical Storm Sally formed Saturday off Florida's coast in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Why it matters: The 18th named storm of 2020's Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane on Monday. A hurricane watch is in effect from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border, per the NHC. Louisiana is still recovering from Hurricane Laura, which Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said killed 28 people last month.

#Sally has formed in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico - the 18th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic #hurricane season to date. Sally is earliest 18th Atlantic named storm on record, breaking old record set by Stan on October 2, 2005. pic.twitter.com/cpWf6hJ2wc

— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 12, 2020
  • Edwards declared a state of emergency Saturday in preparation for Sally, which he noted could impact Louisiana as early as Monday morning.

What they're saying: "Barely two weeks ago, Louisiana suffered a devastating blow when Hurricane Laura came ashore as the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in Louisiana history, leaving a trail of destruction in its path," Edwards said in a statement.

  • "This, when combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, can make us all weary. I implore Louisianans to take their preparations seriously."

Of note: Several storms are swirling in the Atlantic this weekend. Tropical Storm Paulette is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane and move over or near Bermuda by Monday morning.

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