Tropical Storm Mindy formed near the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Mindy was located at latitude 29.0°N and longitude 86.3°W which put it about 90 miles (145 km) west-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida. Mindy was moving toward the northeast at 21 m.p.h. (33 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1008 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was issued for the portion of the coast from Mexico Beach to the Steinhatchee River, Florida.

A surface low pressure system spun up quickly near the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Mindy. More thunderstorms were forming near the center of Mindy. Storms near the center started to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the northeast of the tropical storm. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease. NOAA buoy 42039 reported a sustained wind speed of 38 m.p.h. (61 km/h) and a wind gust of 51 m.p.h. (83 km/h) at 4:40 p.m. EDT. The buoy also reported a surface pressure of 1007.8 mb.

Tropical Storm Mindy could strengthen a little during the next few hours before it makes landfall on the coast of Northwest Florida. Mindy will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30˚C. It will move under the eastern side of an upper level low over the western Gulf of Mexico. The upper low will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Mindy’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear and the shear will limit potential intensification.

The upper level low will steer Tropical Storm Mindy quickly toward the northeast during the next 12 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Mindy will make landfall on the coast near Port St. Joe, Florida on Wednesday evening. Mindy will move more toward the east-northeast on Thursday when it reaches the westerly winds in the middle latitudes. Tropical Storm Mindy will produce gusty winds along the coast of Northwest Florida. Mindy could drop locally heavy rain over parts of northern Florida and southern Georgia. Flash Flood Watches are in effect for parts of northern Florida. Southerly winds on the eastern side of Tropical Storm Mindy will push waves toward the coast and some beach erosion is likely.

Elsewhere, Hurricane Larry moved closer to Bermuda on Wednesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Larry was located at latitude 28.9°N and longitude 59.2°W which put it about 405 miles (655 km) southeast of Bermuda. Larry was moving toward the northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 110 m.p.h. (175 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 966 mb. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Bermuda.