Tropical Storm Eta made a direct hit in the Florida Keys overnight, becoming the 12th named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. this season. The storm continues to flood parts of the Florida Peninsula.
As of 8 a.m. EST Monday, Eta was centered about 80 miles northwest of Key West, moving slowly to the southwest. It’s a large storm, with tropical storm force winds extending 300 miles away from the center. Some weather stations in southeastern Florida were still reporting tropical storm force winds as of Monday morning.
Flash flooding in the streets of the Miami metropolitan area will remain an issue Monday for drivers. Roadblocks are possible, leading to delays in surface transportation. River flooding could impact roads in other parts of southern Florida.
Delays in containerized cargo are likely too. Ship-to-shore operations and vessel movement remain suspended at the Florida ports of Key West, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Manatee and Fort Myers, according to the Coast Guard.
Eta is forecast to pick up steam, becoming a hurricane sometime Monday or Tuesday before turning northward in a few days. Eta could then make landfall again later in the week near Cedar Key, Florida. Most coastal areas of the Florida Peninsula are under a tropical storm warning from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Not only have a record number of named storms hit the continental U.S. this season, but Eta is the first named storm to make a November landfall in Florida since Mitch in 1998.
Look for updates on Eta throughout the week on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.
