Hurricane Hermine is within striking distance of the Florida Gulf Coast, and is likely to make landfall tonight. If it maintains its strength Heremine will be the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Wilma hit in 2005. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in 42 counties, and evacuations have been ordered for Wakulla County, Florida, as the surge is forecast to be 5 to 8 feet there.
TV news has unleashed its coverage plans, led by The Weather Channel and the 10 meteorologists and reporters stationed across Florida and the Atlantic Coast.
In the studio, The Weather Channel experts and meteorologists are utilizing three new, augmented reality presentations to deliver the storm forecast. The technology wasn’t around when the last hurricane to make a U.S. landfall, Arthur, hit the Outer Banks in July, 2014. Live coverage from The Weather Channel field team includes:
- Jim Cantore – Carrabelle, Fla.
- Chris Warren – Apalachicola, Fla.
- Maria LaRosa – Tallahassee, Fla.
- Reynolds Wolf – Tallahassee, Fla.
- Dave Malkoff – Apalachicola, Fla.
- Jen Carfagono – Charleston, S.C.
- Mike Bettes – Savannah, Ga.
- Mike Seidel – North Carolina
- Kelley Williamson (freelancer) – Lake City, Fla.
- Mark Sudduth (freelancer) – Florida panhandle
Fox News has sent three reporters to the storm. Steve Harrigan, Jonathan Serrie and Phil Keating will be reporting live from various locations in Florida and as the storm heads into Georgia, and the Carolinas over the holiday weekend. FNC’s meteorologist Rick Reichmuth will be contributing to coverage from New York. Fox & Friends First will begin an hour early at 4 a.m. ET as the hurricane is expected to hit overnight.
CNN has Miami-based Correspondent Boris Sanchez and Weather correspondent Jennifer Gray reporting from Apalachicola, FL. Chad Myers is reporting from CNN Weather Center in Atlanta.
NBC News has Gabe Gutierrez in Florida while Al Roker will track the storm from New York. MSNBC has Gutierrez and fellow NBC News correspondent Kerry Sanders.
CBS News has correspondent Omar Villafranca in Florida and Atlanta-based correspondent Mark Strassmann is in Southern Georgia.