Florida issues partial state of emergency after Fred regains strength to become a tropical storm again as it approaches United States - and Tropical Storm Grace isn't far behind

  • Fred regained its Tropical Storm status after having been downgraded to a tropical wave on Saturday
  • Tropical Storm Grace will bring heavy rain and winds to the Caribbean 
  • Haiti is now on storm watch, as the country braces for Grace just days after a 7.2 earthquake left more than 700 dead, and close to 3,000 injured
  • The long-term forecast for Grace is still unpredictable, and it could move from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to the US Gulf Coast

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for his state's Panhandle region after Fred strengthened back into a tropical storm as it approached the United States.

The storm - which weakened to a tropical depression, before regaining its strength as it hit the Gulf of Mexico, is set to hit the United States on Monday or Tuesday.

A tropical storm warning is now in effect for the coast of the Florida Panhandle from Navarre to the Wakulla/Jefferson County line, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area in the next 24 hours.

Fred is currently whipping up winds of 40mph, although meteorologists expect them to pick up speed as they approach the  Sunshine State. 

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey - whose state is also at risk of being hit by Fred - says her officials are monitoring the weather event and 'will be ready to act from the state level if needed.' 

Meanwhile, another Tropical storm - Grace - has emerged just behind Fred, and is currently bringing  heavy rain and winds to the Caribbean.

As of Sunday, the entire coast of Haiti was under a tropical storm watch

As of Sunday, the entire coast of Haiti was under a tropical storm watch

Grace is forecast to pass over Cuba on Tuesday, and could bring downpours to Florida and the Bahamas later this week. The storm is currently forecast to travel across the Gulf of Mexico, and could also bring extreme weather to parts of Louisiana.  

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are under tropical storm warning, the Weather Channel said. 

Haiti is on storm watch, as the country braces for Grace just days after a 7.2 earthquake left more than 700 dead, and close to 3,000 injured. 

The National Hurricane Center said that rainfall from Grace may lead to flash, urban and small stream flooding, along with potential for mudslides.

Fred was located early Sunday about 335 miles south-southeast of Pensacola, Florida, and moving north-northwest at 12 mph.

Grace had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph. The storm was moving west-northwest at 16 mph.

Grace had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph. The storm was moving west-northwest at 16 mph

Grace had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph. The storm was moving west-northwest at 16 mph

City workers Pedro Manzanillo, left, and Juan Nunez fill sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event at Grapeland, Miami

City workers Pedro Manzanillo, left, and Juan Nunez fill sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event at Grapeland, Miami 

Tropical Storm Grace poses a heavy rain threat as it tracks through the Caribbean

Tropical Storm Grace poses a heavy rain threat as it tracks through the Caribbean 

City workers fill sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event for residents ahead of the arrival of rains associated with tropical depression Fred

City workers fill sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event for residents ahead of the arrival of rains associated with tropical depression Fred

Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Florida Panhandle could feel the impacts of Tropical Storm Grace

Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Florida Panhandle could feel the impacts of Tropical Storm Grace 

Fred had been downgraded to a tropical wave on Saturday. 

Tropical waves can contain winds and heavy rain, but do not circulate around a center point or an "eye" like a tropical storm or hurricane.

Grace was 85 miles south of San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday morning. 

Forecasters said heavy rainfall from the system would fall over parts of the Lesser and Greater Antilles over the next few days.

Haiti is expected to see the impacts of Tropical Storm Grace, as it recovers from a deadly earthquate

Haiti is expected to see the impacts of Tropical Storm Grace, as it recovers from a deadly earthquate

Haiti braces for the impacts of Grace just days after a 7.2 earthquake hit the country, killing at least 724 people

Haiti braces for the impacts of Grace just days after a 7.2 earthquake hit the country, killing at least 724 people 

The death toll has risen to more than 700 people, with over 3,000 injured as survivors struggle to find food and water

The death toll has risen to more than 700 people, with over 3,000 injured as survivors struggle to find food and water 

Tropical storm warnings were issued for the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and part of the Dominican Republic, meaning they will likely be hit by Grace.  

Both Grace and Fred, regardless of their storm status, posed a heavy rain and flood threat.

Rainfall totals around 3 to 6 inches were forecast from Grace for the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, through Tuesday.

Fred was forecast to bring 4 to 8 inches to the Big Bend of Florida and the Panhandle from Sunday night into Tuesday.

Forecasters said Fred was expected to become a tropical storm again Thursday as it moved near the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas and then pass north of the northern coast of central Cuba on Friday.   

Fred regained its Tropical Storm status, after being downgraded to a tropical wave on Saturday

Fred regained its Tropical Storm status, after being downgraded to a tropical wave on Saturday 

The National Hurricane Center said that rainfall from Grace may lead to flash, urban and small stream flooding, along with potential for mudslides

The National Hurricane Center said that rainfall from Grace may lead to flash, urban and small stream flooding, along with potential for mudslides

City workers fill sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event for residents ahead of the arrival of rains associated with tropical depression Fred

City workers fill sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event for residents ahead of the arrival of rains associated with tropical depression Fred

Tropical Depression Seven became Tropical Storm Grace over the weekend

Tropical Depression Seven became Tropical Storm Grace over the weekend 

Laura Molina, with the office of Miami City Commissioner Alex DÌaz de la Portilla, ties sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event for residents

Laura Molina, with the office of Miami City Commissioner Alex DÌaz de la Portilla, ties sandbags at a drive-thru sandbag distribution event for residents

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi had closed government agencies on Tuesday at noon and officials noted that some gas stations had shut down after running out of fuel.

More than a month had passed since the last Atlantic storm, Hurricane Elsa, but this time of summer usually marks the start of the peak of hurricane season.

The storm was expected to produce rainfall of 3 to 5 inches over the Dominican Republic with up to 8 inches in some areas.

The long-term forecast for Grace is still unpredictable, and it could move from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to the US Gulf Coast.

A tropical storm earlier in the week, Fred had weakened to a depression by its spin over Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where it knocked out power to some 400,000 customers and caused flooding that forced officials to shut part of the country´s aqueduct system, interrupting water service for hundreds of thousands of people.

Local officials reported hundreds of people were evacuated and some buildings were damaged.  

Fred strengthens to tropical storm as it heads to US coast - and Grace isn't far behind

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