The fifth named storm of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Emily formed from a small area of low pressure that developed along a cold front in late July 2017.

Emily continued to intensify as it moved eastward, peaking with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) as it made landfall near Longboat Key on the western Florida coast.

On July 30, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring an area of low pressure that was expected to develop along a dissipating cold front off the Louisiana coast for possible tropical cyclogenesis.

[2] Operationally, Emily was assessed to have peaked with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1005 mbar (hPa, 29.68 inHg).

[4] The small, disorganized system turned northeast and emerged into the Atlantic Ocean early on August 1; its center had become completely exposed by that time.

[6][7] Shortly after the classification of Emily as a tropical storm, Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for 31 counties to ensure residents were provided with the necessary resources.

[8] Heavy rainfall produced by Emily caused widespread flooding in Polk and Pinellas counties, prompting the closure of roads and evacuation of a few homes.