Severe Weather Update: What To Know About Tropical Cyclone 4

You might want to cancel your Sunday plans and look forward to staying home. The National Hurricane Center has given an update on the latest development of the tropical disturbance ( Tropical Cyclone 4) that is closely being monitored. At this moment, there's no reason to panic, the disturbance is not yet a "depression" or a "storm" but WILL bring heavy rain and possible flooding to the Tampa Bay area this weekend.

Although this has not been named an official storm, some Florida counties have been put under a tropical storm advisory. A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours, while a watch means conditions are possible within 48 hours. We'll be keeping a close eye on the disturbance progression from Saturday night into Sunday morning. If the system does develop into a named system, it will be named Debby.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Potential Tropical Cyclone 4 was located about 420 miles southeast of Key West, Florida, and was moving west-northwest at 16 miles per hour. The system had maximum sustained winds of 30 miles per hour with higher gusts.

Local weather guru Denis Phillips from ABC Action News said on the current track; "the disturbance could make landfall somewhere between Pinellas and Levy County on Sunday. He also expects winds between 40 and 50 miles per hour with higher gusts, which is similar to some of the afternoon thunderstorms that roll through Florida."

The counties that are currently under a tropical storm watch are: DeSoto County, Hardee County, Hillsborough County, Manatee County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Polk County, and Sarasota County.

Another factor that might come into play with this storm is the new moon on Sunday, which will bring higher tides. WTSP says that if the track stays to the west and off land, it could get strong and bring about a 1-3 ft surge.

Always remember Denis Phillips' rule #7: Don't freak out. Most Floridians know not to panic until Publix runs out of water, Jim Cantore shows up, or they start closing Waffle House locations. But if this is your first hurricane season, then just know to expect some heavy storms.

It'll be here before you know it. Hurricane season is upon us and if Ian and Helene  taught us anything, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even though Tampa was barely able to avoid the worst of Ian, we still remember people scrambling to get last-minute supplies. Some waited in lines for hours for supplies only to leave empty-handed. Don't let that be you this year! In the case of a major hurricane or even a tropical storm, you should have these 5 things before hurricane season starts.

Experts say it's super important to build a storm kit before any type of disaster. Each kit may look different based on an individual's needs. These are the universal 5 items you shouldn't forget! We found all of these items on Amazon. If you think ahead and order these items now, you should be able to build your storm kit before hurricane season even starts. Anybody can remember to stock up on the essentials (bottled water, food, and batteries) but do you have these useful items in your home in case of a big storm?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has also listed hurricane safety tips and resources so you and your family can be prepared. When shopping for supplies, you should grab enough items like water, food, and batteries, to be able to last you for at least 1 week. It also seems pretty obvious that every Floridian should own a battery-operated or hand-crank radio. If you ever lose power, at least you can still be kept in the loop with your favorite radio station. And by now, everyone should have a backup portable phone charger.

Remember when everyone was scrambling all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties looking for sand bags? Most pick-up locations were only allowing people to pick up 2-3 bags per person, which is probably not enough to surround your house/belongings.

If you order these empty sandbags on Amazon now, you should have them by next week. It will make your life a lot easier to just drive to your nearest beach or causeway and fill the bags up that way.

We all know how crappy it is to lose power in the middle of a hurricane. In some cases, you may not know when it will be restored. Amazon has this really cool battery powered camping lantern with a fan for only $20. Reviews say that 1 set of D batteries lasted them over 10 hours.

If you live in Florida and don't have a decent pair of rain boots, now is your time to get a pair. If the thought of gross storm water touching your skin freaks you out, you should grab a pair of these knee high waterproof boots.

It's better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it, right? Check out this mini water filtration system for just $22 on Amazon.

You don’t want to ruin important documents like social security, state issued ID and birth certificates, prescription medication, copies of insurance documents, to name a few. Bonus if you can convert other important documents to an USB flash drive! You'll want something big enough to hold all of your belongings, but compact enough to carry around in case you have to evacuate. Amazon has a great option, here.

This one may seem obvious, which is why we made it an honorary mention in case it does slip your mind. Remember how bored you were when you lost power from Ian? Some board games, deck of cards, or coloring books should help you pass the time, without killing your phone battery.