Kimberly Chandler and Christopher O’Meara | Associated Press

UPDATED: The storm made landfall Monday morning near Steinhatchee, a community of less than 1,000 residents in the Big Bend area of Florida's Gulf Coast, as Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.

The storm was likely to become a strong Category 1 hurricane before making landfall around midday Monday in the Big Bend area of Florida, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. A tornado watch was also in effect for parts of Florida and Georgia until 6 a.m. Monday.