Floridians can rest easy, at least for now.
According to National Hurricane Center advisories Wednesday, Tropical Storm Hanna's projected path has veered east toward the Carolinas and is expected to miss Florida.
"At this point, it's doubtful we will even get rain," said Danny Hinson, a planner for Alachua County Emergency Management.
Because of the distance of the storm and its compact size, Alachua County should just experience breezy conditions on Friday, Hinson said.
Previous forecasts predicted that Alachua County would experience some tropical storm gusts, which would have caused shelter openings and school closings, Hinson said.
Storms can be difficult to predict, said Corene J. Matyas, a UF assistant professor of geography who specializes in hurricanes.
"It's really complicated to predict weather patterns because they happen on a large scale," Matyas said. "How they move and their intensity depend on how other weather systems affect them."
At press time Wednesday, the state of emergency declaration issued by Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday was still in effect.
"The governor was being proactive," Hinson said. "These declarations are important so they can ready the funds to begin preparing for the storm."
Hinson said Wednesday he expected the governor's executive order to be rescinded within 24 hours. The governor's office could not be reached for comment.
Florida is now out of Tropical Storm Hanna's way, but two storms, Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Josephine, have formed in the Atlantic and are heading east. National Weather Service maps don't yet show whether they could hit Florida.
Although Florida is safe for now, Hinson said it's still wise to prepare an emergency plan and disaster supply kits, including water, nonperishable food and first-aid kits.
"Everyone should still maintain their readiness," he said. "Things can change."
