Tropical Depression Four exited the Cuba area late Saturday morning and moved into the Florida straits on Saturday afternoon, said Ana Torres-Vasquez, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Miami who oversees Collier County.
By Saturday evening, the depression had developed into Tropical Storm Debby and entered the Gulf of Mexico.
Bands of heavy rain were predicted to start locally Saturday night and into Sunday morning.
TS Debby was expected travel through the Gulf toward the Florida Panhandle, gaining strength as it moved across extremely warm waters.
For Southwest Florida the forecast for tropical storm-force winds exceeding 39 mph at times was predicted for Sunday morning.
Naples, Marco Island, Everglades City, Collier County Tropical Storm Debby watches and warnings. What to expect:
As of 5 p.m. Saturday, Collier was under a Tropical Storm Warning.
The National Weather Service predicted:
- RAIN: Rainfall will range between 2 to 4 inches across most of the area, with locally higher amounts in excess of 6 inches possible and the highest amounts focused over Southwest Florida. A flood watch is in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday.
- WIND: The highest probabilities for sustained tropical storm force winds will be along the Gulf coast of Southwest Florida, including Collier.
- COASTAL FLOODING, SURGE: Higher than usual tides due to the combination of surge from Debby and the upcoming new moon could lead to coastal flooding of 1 to 3 feet along coastal Collier. A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect until midnight Sunday.
- TORNADOES: A tornado or two is possible this evening through Sunday morning, mainly in Southwest Florida.
- HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK: Dangerous rip currents are expected through Monday evening.
Fort Myers, Lee County Tropical Storm Debby watches and warnings. What to expect:
As of Saturday evening, a Tropical Storm Warning and Storm Surge Watch were in effect for coastal Lee County. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect of inland Lee.
The forecast called for:
- RAIN: 6 to 12 inches, with higher amounts possible; a flood watch is in effect through Monday evening
- STORM SURGE: Storm surge of 2 to 4 feet expected from Bonita Beach, Fort Myers Beach, north to Aripeka.
- WIND: Tropical storm force winds possible
- TORNADOES: Isolated tornadoes possible
Matt Anderson, a meteorologist at the NWS in Ruskin, which cover the Fort Myers-Lee County area, said the storm seemed to be veering more to the west Saturday morning.
Saturday morning's advisory from the National Hurricane Center showed the storm's predicted track to be in the Gulf off the Southwest Florida coast Sunday morning.
Conditions in Collier and Lee could see improvement by Sunday evening, Aug. 4 into early Monday.
How will tropical storm impact other areas of Florida?
The storm was expected to continue strengthening over the eastern Gulf of Mexico through the weekend.
Upgraded to Tropical Depression Four late Friday, the weather system was forecast to make landfall in the Big Bend region of the state early Monday as a strong tropical storm with 70 mph winds.
But National Hurricane Center senior hurricane specialist Jack Bevan said in his forecast that it's possible the cyclone could be "at hurricane strength as it reaches the northern Gulf Coast." A Category 1 hurricane begins at 74 mph.
AccuWeather lead hurricane forecaster Alex DaSilva said Friday that if the system leans toward the left, or the western edge of the forecast track cone, it would have more time to fuel up on the incredibly warm waters of the Gulf.
“It might be strengthening all the way up until it makes landfall, DaSilva said. “If it rides the western portion of the cone, there is nothing to slow the strengthening other than it hitting land.”
Pro tips for protecting your home from tropical weather
William Valaitis is a go-to handyman in Naples who said to make sure doors and windows are securely closed and locked. Screen doors too.
For those with generators, ensure it’s elevated in the garage and not on the floor.
To protect your air conditioner, Mark Evans, Speedy Air Conditioning’s COO, said if you notice lights flickering in the house, it’s time to turn the breakers off and wait until the power is restored before turning it back on.
If you don’t know exactly where the breaker is, turn off the unit’s interior thermostat and use fans.
“The biggest issue is the power problems,” when heavy items cause power lines to fall, resulting in surges.
How local businesses prepared
Mick Moore of Vanderbilt Beach Resort and The Turtle Club said his hotel and restaurant will remain open over the weekend.
“We always call restaurant guests to confirm reservations, and we advise them if rain is expected. If we can move outside reservations inside, we do, but if the inside is fully committed, we let those with outside reservations know that we cannot guarantee a seat inside and that they may want to come another time,” said Moore.
On Friday, his team started securing items that might be affected by tropical storm winds.
The resort's restaurant reopened to patrons on May 6 after nearly two years of refurbishment. It has hurricane-impact glass windows, and the hotel has roll-down shutters that can be deployed “very quickly.”
“We have gone through many, many tropical storms over the years. While most are relatively uneventful, we always remain vigilant because we are aware that predictions are just predictions and nobody knows what is actually going to happen.”
Todd Johnson is the chef-proprietor of Nosh on Naples Bay. Hurricane Ian also significantly damaged his restaurant.
“Whenever we get these storm threats, we pull outdoor furniture in or tuck it to the building. For the interior, we make sure all small kitchen coolers are cleared out and consolidated into our big cooler.”
His team packs as much ice as possible in case of a power outage to ensure everything stays cold.
“Moving guests from outside to inside this time of year is pretty easy compared to the rare thunderstorms that brew quickly during season, when outside seating is completely booked with reservations, and so is inside, which happened in January several times this year.”
At Celebration Park, the all-outside food truck venue on Bayshore Drive, General Manager Gary Rudd said, “Rebecca (Maddox, owner) has us "battening down the hatches before any storm.”
His staff starts with the "obvious potential problems," including anything that can blow away. The venue’s standalone bar is protected with hurricane shutters.
They make a "game-time call" on closing during the morning of a weather incident, just in case the storm shifts.
When pups need to pee and poop during a storm
While all of Naples Humane Society’s dogs get exercised outside twice a day, during a storm, some just don’t want to go.
“If it's raining the entire day, they may not get both times, but volunteers and staff spend quality time with them indoors,” said Dave Feenan, the organization's marketing and development manager.
Taking them outside only worsens the situation for the pups frightened by the storm’s sounds.
Yet some dogs don’t mind the rain. Keeping a close eye on them, HSN lets their furry residents run around the yard.
As for peeing and pooping?
“Well, they sometimes do that inside anyway, even on a sunny day. When they do their business inside, our staff or volunteers immediately pick it up.”
Kimberly Miller of the Palm Beach Post contributed
