MIAMI – Tropical storm alerts remain in effect for portions of the eastern Florida coastline, and at least two states have declared preemptive states of emergency as a looming storm system remains on its way to becoming Hurricane Imelda, bringing the potential threat of days of flooding rain and strong winds to parts of the Southeast coast.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) designated the system Tropical Depression Nine after winds reached 35 mph and developed a tropical core.

And with the storm system expected to continue to develop and strengthen, a Tropical Storm Watch now extends from the Palm Beach/Martin County line northward to the Flagler/Volusia County line.

While Florida isn’t expecting a landfall from future Hurricane Imelda, the storm is expected to move close enough

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