Tropical Depression Emily has moved away from Florida, bringing an end to the rainfall and gusty winds.
The season’s fifth named — and one of the shortest-lived tropical storms — was downgraded to a depression Monday night.
It is forecast to move northeastward off the Southeast coast and out over the western Atlantic by Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Despite the storm’s downgrade, Emily still poses a risk, forecasters said.
“Although the storm is moving away, dangerous rip currents still exist along the Southeast coast,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said.
Storm makes landfall on western coast
The storm landed on Anna Maria Island, off Florida’s west coast near Bradenton, around 10:45 a.m. ET Monday, bringing winds of 45 mph and several inches of rain.
Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for 31 counties in southern and central Florida.
“While it is positive news that this tropical storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression, we must remain vigilant,” Scott said in a statement Monday night as he cautioned drivers to avoid standing water left from heavy rains.
The National Hurricane Center canceled tropical storm warnings for the state’s west coast.
Power outages plague Florida residents
According to data from the governor’s office, 7,868 residents were still without power as of Monday night.
At the height of the storm, about 18,000 residents were without power, Scott said.
Emily dumped nearly 4 inches of rain in Sarasota, less than 2 inches in Naples and less than an inch in Miami.
In some isolated areas, such as the town of Valrico, east of Tampa, as much as 8 inches of rain fell in 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
In a statement Monday, Scott urged Floridians to be prepared for hurricane season. The governor and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon advised people to visit the FL GetAPlan.com website for resources and information.
“While this storm developed quickly overnight and will swiftly move across our state, storms can always develop rapidly and that is why it is so important to be prepared at the start of hurricane season,” Scott said.
