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    Tropical Storm Debby expected to form, hit Florida. See storm tracker.

    By Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY,

    3 hours ago

    Forecasters expect a developing system to form into a tropical storm that could cause flooding across parts of Florida this weekend.

    Potential Tropical Cyclone Four – which is expected to form into Tropical Storm Debby – could drench the state with up to a foot of rain in some areas, according to the National Hurricane Center . Flash and urban flooding as well as some isolated river flooding will all be possible through Wednesday morning.

    Florida's west coast was under tropical storm watches and warnings Friday as the system neared. The center warned that some areas could possibly face tropical-storm-force winds and even a 1- to 3-foot storm surge.

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 54 of the state's 67 counties ahead of what could be the region's first major storm of the hurricane season.

    A depression, which the system turned into Friday overnight, turns into a named tropical storm once its reached sustained winds of 39 mph. It would become a hurricane if its winds reach 74 mph.

    "Keep in mind the tropical cyclone will be strengthening as it moves north, so the farther north it gets before landfall, the better of a shot that it has to attain hurricane status ," the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida, said on Friday.

    Where is Potential Tropical Cyclone Four?

    • Location : 25 miles west of Camaguey, Cuba; 315 miles southeast of Key West
    • Maximum sustained winds: 30 mph
    • Movement : west-northwest at 16 mph

    Atlantic storm tracker

    Atlantic storm spaghetti models

    Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.

    Contributing: Emily DeLetter and Doyle Rice

    This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Debby expected to form, hit Florida. See storm tracker.

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