Governor rick scott announced the first nontravel related case in Pinellas County. We will have much more on the efforts to contain the spread of the virus plus governor risk scott will be instudio this morning to talk about zika virus. Its an interview you dont want to miss. But first, lets check in on the tropics and Tropical Storm gaston. Yeah, good. Were still waiting on if latest information from the on the latest the hurricane center. At this point, Tropical Storm gaston but it could strengthen the a hurricane today. And then we have this area near the caribbean islands. Right now, just an invest area, called 99l. And theres a 70 chance it could be the next named system. You can see the latest advisory for gaston was 11 00. At any point, it could be a hurricane. And the thing about gaston, if it becomes a hurricane. And now 99l, this has the best potential of impacting us at all. Notice all the models take it toward the bahamas. This is the time when it could really strengthen. A
Tracking the system. News channel 8s mary mcguire at s at a sandbag filling location with all you need at a sandbag filling location with all you need to know. And ryan hughes is at Raymond James stadium with the bucs decision to move thursday nights game. Lets start with leigh. The Hurricane Hunters from Macdill Air Force base flew out this morning and have been flying around the center of circulation. At this point, they have not found a closed circulation meaning that the northern side of this continues weak due to wind sheer. Wind speed that they just found up to about 93 Miles Per Hour. This is the latest forecast, just half about 39 Miles Per Hour. This is latest forecast. The next 24 hour, it should become a Tropical Storm and also in the next 24 hour, it will make a hard right turn and head northeast. This is 2 00 p. M. On wednesday with 50 Miles Per Hour winds. This is 2 00 a. M. On thursday with 65 Miles Per Hour winds. During the day on thursday, afternoon, its going to come
South of toledo by a couple miles or so and back up into charlotte county. A bit quick are to get off the interstate. And it looks look youre safe to get back on the very least toledo blade that will cut out big portion of though delays. Riverview drivers you have crash newly reported u. S. 301. Lane blockages reported were also noting here delays southbound as well a northbound in the area. And then well get to this road closure, which we learned about this morning early. Pasco county, old pasco road. Theres construction under way. Closing that road completely from state road 52 all way to overpass road. According to fhp all way into tomorrow. It is company that touts its ability to take care of its property. And community surrounding it. But this morning mo skaic in polk county has lot of explaining to after sink hopely hole opened up near its facilities causing what officials are causing slightly radioactive water to leak into floridas ground water. Near phosphate plant. Company is
F0 more just ahead, but first, lets get you out the door with your thursday morning. Leigh, good morning. Good morning. It is humid here and off the South Carolina coast, we have now tropical depression julia. Not bringing a lot of rain onland right now but let me show you video from South Carolina where we had torrential rains due to julia. Even the threat for some isolated tornadoes. I have friends in this area. Used to live in mount pleasant. They had roads shut down yesterday so they were and 35 Miles Per Hour winds. Again, just as of this morning, downgraded to a tropical depression. And thankfully at this moment, leaving the South Carolina coastline dry. But look at this, it doesnt move. Today, tomorrow, through the weekend, just sitting there so it will churn up the seas in the area. And we still have Tropical Storm ian in the middle of the atlantic. Not causing a problem for anyone. And then tropical depression 12 which thankfully is coming off africa and its not really its goi
Thank you for joining us here on news channel 8 today. Im gene ramirez. And i am gayle guyardo. Leigh spann is standing by with the very latest. It made land fall around 1 30. Exactly. Its still a monster storm. Heres where it made land fall, 80 Miles Per Hour and that makes it a hurricane and its the first hurricane in 11 years to the make land fall in florida around the border of jefferson county. This is no quickly. Picking up forward speed, thank goodness but not fast enough for us. We would like for it to go away faster. We still have Tropical Storm warnings for citrus, pasco, pinellas, manatee and sarasota. So you could still feel Tropical Stormforce winds wrapping around the center of circulation. Heres what im concerned about. We get the feeder bands. Look at this band that extends and look where its going, right into tampa bay, basically north of i4. And thats where we have a tornado watch as well. The feeder bands have rotation in them so the threat is there. It means that th