As of Thursday morning, the water in Okaloosa County (including Destin beaches) is now closed as lifeguards begin flying double red flags today.

“There is a disturbance along the Florida Straits near the South Atlantic and Caribbean that is predicted to turn into a tropical depression”, wrote Destin Beach Safety. “Our beaches are seeing the effects of this disturbance by heavy winds and dangerous surf. With dangerous surf comes deadly rip currents.”

According to the National Hurricane Center, an area of cloudiness and thunderstorms located over the Straits of Florida is forecast to spread northeastward during the next day or two. Environmental conditions are expected to become conducive for development, and this system is likely to become a tropical or subtropical depression or storm this weekend when it is located near or north of the northwestern Bahamas.

The system is forecast to move generally northeastward over the western Atlantic early next week. Regardless of development, the disturbance is expected to bring locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds to portions of southeastern Florida and the central and northwestern Bahamas over the next couple of days.

For more information on tracking the storm, you can visit https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/