Students heading south should travel with caution, as Tropical Storm Emily is expected to make landfall today on the Gulf coast near Tampa, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The NHC reports that Emily is moving east at 9 mph, with maximum sustained wind speeds at 45 mph. Residents of Tampa and Naples can expect heavy rainfall with two to four inches of rain on average, and up to eight inches in isolated incidents.

The storm is expected to move across central Florida throughout the night and hit the Atlantic coast early Tuesday morning. At this time, the forecast does not predict any impact on Jacksonville, although the storm does have a slight northeast heading.

The development of Emily prompted Gov. Rick Scott to declare a state of emergency for 31 counties, with the closest affected area to Jacksonville being Volusia County.

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