TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Aug. 1, 2024—Okaloosa County is now under a state of emergency due to the potential landfall of a tropical system yet to be established.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency today for 54 out of the 67 counties in Florida ahead of a potential tropical system landfall.

Northwest Florida counties Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia are also included in the declaration.

Although the system known as Invest 97 has not yet formed into a tropical depression, meteorological reports indicate environmental conditions are highly favorable for a system to organize and develop.

Regardless of the intensity of development, there is a significant threat of heavy rainfall over most of the state of Florida with the possibility of at least 12 inches of rainfall during the next seven days, according to the governor’s emergency executive order.

Prolonged heavy rainfall will result in flash flooding, river flooding, coastal flooding, erosion and gusty winds damaging roadways, bridges, airports, schools, hospitals, power grids and other critical infrastructure.

Additionally, heavy rainfall, flooding and gusty winds will cause widespread power outages due to downed trees and powerlines, according to the declaration.

The executive order also gives authority to the adjutant general to activate the Florida National Guard and the director of the Florida State Guard to activate the state guard as needed to deal with any upcoming emergency.

No decision has been made to waive collection of bridge and turnpike tolls and no school or governmental closing have been announced yet.