Tropical Storm Debby moving through Gulf toward Florida with hurricane warnings

A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby north of Cuba on Saturday and was predicted to become a hurricane as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with the Florida coast.

The National Hurricane Center said in an update posted at 2 a.m. Sunday that Debby was located about 65 miles (105 kilometers) west-northwest of Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida and about 230 miles (370 kilometers) south-southwest of Tampa. The storm was moving northwest at 14 mph (22 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph).

Wind and thunderstorms have spread over a broad area including southern Florida, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. A hurricane warning was in effect for sections of the state’s coast with tropical storm warnings for the Florida Keys.