INVEST UPGRADED TO TROPICAL DEPRESSION TRACKING FOR FLORIDA
At 5 p.m. on Sunday, National Hurricane Center upgraded Invest 99 to Tropical Depression #9 (TD#9). The storm is currently located in the Florida Straits between Cuba and the Keys. Wind speed is 35 mph and the storm is moving west at 9 mph. The NHC is projecting movement to the west and then a turn to the north or northeast over the next few days. The models are projecting that the storm will eventually move north and either make a hard turn into Florida or move into the Florida Panhandle. Please see the hyperlinks or the attached graphic as a reference.
The forecast above is based on the NHC projections for the state. For SECO’s service area specifically, the cooperative is estimating that a turn to the north and east may begin Tuesday, with a Thursday evening landfall in the Panhandle – but that is an estimate. Regardless of exact landfall location, SECO’s service area will likely experience 35 to 40 mph wind gusts on Thursday and Friday. Heavy rain will be possible all week and especially on Thursday and Friday. Members can expect tree-caused outages due to the wind and rain.
SECO is Storm Ready. Our locally-based customer service staff is ready and available to respond to member inquiries in person, by phone or online. SECO’s System Operations directs the SECO cavalry 24 hours a day, seven days a week – each truck is equipped to respond to member concerns or service interruptions in the field quickly and safely. Additional operations personnel are staged to respond quickly. Members should ensure their smartphones/tablets are charged and report outages online through Storm Center.
SECO has provided an emergency checklist for members here.
As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being its members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting your area. For members who rely on back-up generators during storm season, remember to read and follow all manufacturer’s safety warnings. Visit SECO’s website to learn more about generator safety.
