Big Bend preps for 'potential' Tropical Storm Debby; sandbag locations are open

With much of Florida under a state of emergency as a potential cyclone heads toward the Sunshine State, the Big Bend is starting to brace for any impacts ahead of the state's first "significant" tropical threat of the year.

Meteorologists are predicting heavy rainfall "with the possibility of at least 12 inches of rainfall over the next seven days," according to the executive order Gov. Ron DeSantis issued Thursday night.

As of Friday morning, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the storm's status naming the weather system "potential tropical cyclone four." Tropical storm warnings and watches have been issued to areas in South Florida and the Gulf Coast Florida peninsula.

The  counties under a state of emergency : Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.

More: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declares state of emergency ahead of Gulf storm 'Invest 97L'

Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla counties are offering sandbag locations for their residents.

Leon County and City of Tallahassee offer several sandbag sites

City sandbag sites are at the following locations:

• The Jack McLean Community Center, 700 Paul Russell Road

• Mike Blankenship Skate Park, 2909 Jackson Bluff Road

• Northwood near El Jalisco, 1940 N Monroe St

Sites will be open after 2 p.m. Friday. The city sites are self-service, but staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents are asked to bring their own shovels and limit sandbags to 25 bags per household.

"The site will be open until the storm threat has passed and it is determined there is no longer a need," the city said.

Leon County is offering sandbags after Friday 2 p.m. at these locations:

• Leon County Northeast Branch Library, 5513 Thomasville Road

• Apalachee Regional Park (Solid Waste Management Facility), 7550 Apalachee Parkway

• Fred George Park, 3043 Capital Circle NW

• Oak Ridge Road at Ranchero Road

• Fort Braden Community Park, 15000 Blountstown Hwy

The county sites will be staffed from dusk to dawn. Sand, bags and ties will be available for the public. Residents are asked to take no more than 15 "so as to allow others to prepare," the county said.

Wakulla County Sheriff's Office providing sand bags

The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office has sandbags available Friday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents are limited to 10 bags per vehicle.

Gadsden County announces sandbag locations

The Gadsden County Department of Emergency Management and the Gadsden County Department of Public Works have opened up sandbag sties and the following locations:

• Post Plant Pit off Post Plant Road  

• Clark Pit off Edwin Clark Road 

The sites will be available to residents Friday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The limit is 15 bags per household, and residents with need to bring their own shovels to fill bags themselves.

"Locations will not be staffed, but crews will monitor and provide additional sand and bags as needed," says a countywide notice. "The site will be open until the storm threat has passed and it is determined there is no longer a need."

Jefferson County opens sandbag sites

A sandbag location opened Friday at Jefferson County Fire Rescue, 57 Martin Road and one opens Saturday at the Wacissa Volunteer Fire Department at 14496 Waukeenah Highway.

"As we encourage every hurricane season, have your hurricane supplies and plan in place for your family, including pets," the Jefferson County sheriff's office wrote on Facebook. "The track is still uncertain, but we do expect a lot of rainfall throughout Florida."

Breaking & trending news reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at  ebarrera@tallahassee.com . Follow her on X:  @elenabarreraaa .

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: North Florida counties, Tallahassee open sandbag sites for residents