Tropical Storm Emily Makes Landfall on West Coast of Florida

Tropical Storm Emily made landfall on the west coast of Florida at Anna Maria Island late Monday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Emily was located at latitude 27.5°N and longitude 82.7°W which put it about 10 miles (15 km) northwest of Bradenton, Florida.  Emily was moving toward the east at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.  A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Anclote River to Bonita Beach, Florida.

Thunderstorms developed near the center of the non-tropical low pressure system over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.  Latent energy released higher in the atmosphere by condensation in those storms created a warm core and the low pressure system made a transition to Tropical Storm Emily.  Thunderstorms near the core of Emily were generating a small area of upper level divergence.  Thunderstorms near the core, a warm core and upper level divergence are part of the typical structure of a tropical cyclone, which is why the National Hurricane Center classified the system as Tropical Storm Emily.  Emily has a well developed circulation, but most of the bands of showers and thunderstorms are in the eastern half of the tropical storm.  Drier air northwest of Emily and vertical wind shear are the probable causes of the asymmetrical distribution of precipitation.

Tropical Storm Emily is bringing gusty winds and heavy rain to parts of Central Florida.  A surface weather station in Sarasota (KSRQ) reported a sustained wind of 39 m.p.h. (63 km/h) and a wind gust of 49 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay was closed due to strong winds.

Tropical Storm Emily is likely to weaken as it moves eastward across Central Florida.  When Emily moves over the Atlantic Ocean, it will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  Emily could strengthen back into a tropical storm at that time.

Emily is being steered toward the east by a high pressure system north of the tropical storm.  An upper level trough over the Midwestern U.S. is forecast to move southeastward.  When Emily reaches the Atlantic Ocean southwesterly winds ahead of the trough will turn the tropical storm toward the northeast.