Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the area surrounding Walt Disney World Resort as a tropical storm is forming and is projected to hit the region. If things continue as current projections suggest, the storm could impact all of Florida.
The storm system is currently called Invest 97L. As of Thursday afternoon, it was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms over a large area in the regions around Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and also the southeastern Bahamas. It had a 70 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression over the weekend or at the beginning of next week when it could be in the eastern Gold of Mexico near Florida.
Ahead of the storm impacting Florida, the Governor declared a state of emergency for the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.
“Based on meteorological reports, there is a significant threat of heavy rainfall over most of the State of Florida, with the possibility of at least 12 inches of rainfall over the next seven days,” reads the Thursday evening executive order. “The water tables in the affected areas are already nearing peak capacity, and incoming heavy rainfall will cause significant river flooding that may last for several weeks.”
The executive order frees up resources for help in areas that could be impacted by the potential storm. This includes freeing up red tape for preparing for the storm. If the storm becomes a named system it will be named “Debby.”
For guests who are planning on staying at Walt Disney World Resort when the storm is expected to arrive next week, stay tuned to Disney social media channels for updates on how or if the storm will impact operations. Disney always prioritizes safety of its guests and cast members. Daps Magic will continue to follow this story as well and provide updates as they become available.
