Tropical Storm Fay Strengthens; Parts Of Florida Under Hurricane Watch, Tropical Storm Warning

August 17, 2008 8:01 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (AHN) - National Hurricane Center forecasters expect Tropical Storm Fay to enter the southeastern Gulf of Mexico or Florida Straits sometime Monday at near hurricane force.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency on Saturday ahead of the storm.

National Hurricane Center forecasters have issued a hurricane watch for the Florida Keys from south of ocean reef to Key West and along the Florida mainland from Card Sound Bridge westward to Bonita Beach, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for the southeast coast of Florida from Ocean Reef northward to Jupiter Inlet and for Lake Okeechobee.

Fay is traveling west-northwest at 14 miles per hour. It has strengthened since Saturday with maximum sustained winds now at 50 miles per hour. The storm will emerge in the Gulf of Mexico sometime Monday and the entire state of Florida is inside the borders of the storm forecast cone.

Emergency leaders in various counties across the state will gather at emergency operations centers Sunday to discuss preparedness plans.

Florida residents are being advised to review their hurricane preparation plans and are being warned to gather their important papers and anything else they might need in case they are ordered to evacuate.