Tropical Depression Four stealthfully formed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico early Sunday morning.

The tropical depression is forecast to become a tropical storm as it moves quickly toward the coast between Navarre and Destin. Landfall is expected just after midnight tonight along the coast of the Florida Panhandle.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the coast from the Alabama-Florida state line eastward to the mouth of the Suwannee River in the Florida Big Bend. This includes the following cities along the Florida coast: Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Mary Esther, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Grayton Beach, Seaside, Sunnyside Beach, Panama City, Mexico Beach, Apalachicola, St. George Island, and St. Marks.

The depression is moving quickly enough that only minimal to moderate intensification is likely. It is expected to reach the coast tonight with winds of 45-55 mph. While there will be wind, it will primarily be a rain event.

LOCAL IMPACTS IN EAST MISS. AND WEST ALA.
For us, this tropical depression will be mainly limited to rain, though as long as a low pressure circulation exists, the potential for tornadoes exists as well. On a local level, the impacts will mainly be over West Alabama, but extreme East Mississippi may also experience the effects of this system during the day Monday.

There are NO watches or warnings in effect for our area as of 7:30 Sunday morning.

For the latest on Tropical Depression Four and the rest of the tropics, visit our Hurricane Web Channel.