Melbourne, FL – Portions of Florida’s east coast are now under a Tropical Storm Watch as Tropical Depression Nine is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm late Saturday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Melbourne.
The advisory, issued at 5 p.m. Saturday, places a tropical storm watch east of I-95 from Daytona Beach through Vero Beach, with tropical storm warnings in effect for adjacent Atlantic waters. According to NWS forecasters, tropical storm conditions are possible along the coast, while stronger winds are expected offshore.
The system is forecast to bring gusts of 35–45 mph and dangerous surf conditions beginning Sunday evening through Monday night. Beachgoers and boaters are urged to use extreme caution, as forecasters expect high rip current risks and hazardous marine conditions.
Onshore impacts could include localized coastal flooding, strong wind gusts, and marine hazards, with the worst conditions expected late Sunday into Monday as the storm passes parallel to the Florida coastline.
Residents and visitors are advised to closely monitor updates and prepare for rapidly changing weather. The NWS emphasized that even though the storm is expected to remain offshore, its outer rainbands could still bring impacts to communities east of I-95.
For the latest information, updates are available at weather.gov/melbourne.
