Tropical system could develop in Gulf ahead of July 4, Okaloosa officials monitoring

In Brief:

🌊 Tropical risk flagged: A yellow-hatched area in the Gulf has a 20% chance of development ahead of the July 4 weekend.
🗣️ Local leadership speaks: Patrick Maddox warns against social media hype and encourages preparation, not panic.
🏖️ Holiday timing: With heavy travel expected, residents are urged to stay alert and review storm plans just in case.

Okaloosa County Public Safety officials are keeping an eye on an area that may produce a tropical system over Independence Day weekend.

On Sunday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) marked a swath of the Gulf Coast with a hatched risk area that includes the Gulf, with the western most edge of the area being due south of the Mid Bay News coverage area.

The hatched area indicates that tropical development has a 20% chance of occurring over the next seven days.

“We continue to monitor the yellow-hatched area below for development potential in the July 4–7 timeframe,” said Okaloosa Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox in a news release. “As of now, 0% through 48 hrs., 20% through 7 days.”

Forecasters at the NHC said the development could occur as a low-pressure system drifts offshore.

Maddox also states that, while there is no immediate cause for concern, residents in Okaloosa and Walton Counties should remain weather-aware for the next several days.

“Nothing to get too excited about at the moment, so beware of any end-run certainties being posted by meteorological geniuses on social media,” Maddox continues. “The reality is, it’s just too far out to predict with any real certainty, so we monitor and prepare, as always.”