Barry heads for Florida's panhandle

Heavy rain pours down on Panama City Beach.

FORT WALTON BEACH, Florida (CNN) -- Bands of rain from Tropical Storm Barry are whipping the Florida panhandle as the center of the storm moves closer by the hour.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said it expects the weather system to reach land very early Monday, somewhere between Pensacola and Apalachicola in the Florida panhandle, and that Barry could become a hurricane before then.

Forecasters warn tropical force winds extend out 140 miles from Barry's center and are expected to deliver thunderstorms, heavy rains and possibly isolated tornadoes overnight Sunday. Storm surges are predicted at 4-to-5 feet. Northern Florida could get 8-to-10 inches of rain.

Emergency officials evacuated some of Florida's barrier islands along the panhandle Sunday as Barry marched toward the coast.

BARRY INFORMATION At 10 p.m. EDT Sunday POSITION 29.9 north latitude 86.2 west longitude About 45 miles southeast of Fort Walton Beach, Florida MOVEMENT North near 8 mph WIND SPEED Near 70 mph with higher gusts TROPICAL STORM WINDS Extend outward up to 140 miles EXTRA INFORMATION In-Depth: Hurricanes

"Barry [is] nearly a hurricane," the National Weather Service said. "All preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."

Governor Jeb Bush issued an executive order late Sunday, allowing state resources to be freed up for counties in the hurricane's path.

At 8 p.m. EDT, Barry was about 65 miles south of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

The NWS reported the storm system sustained maximum winds at 70 mph winds, just short of category-one hurricane status, which has winds from 74-95 mph.

Hurricane warnings were in effect from Pascagoula, Mississippi, to the mouth of the Ochlockonee River east of Apalachicola.

Air Force officials told The Associated Press nearly 40 C-130 cargo aircraft and about 300 personnel from Hurlburt Field near Fort Walton Beach, were sent Sunday to Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas to get them out of the storm's expected path.

A tropical storm warning was in effect in Florida east of the Ochlockonee River southward along the coast about 120 miles to the mouth of the Suwanee River. A tropical storm warning also remained in effect from west of Pascagoula, Mississippi to the mouth of the Pearl River.

A tropical storm warning has been discontinued from Grand Isle, Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River, an area that includes New Orleans.

Emergency management officials in Fort Walton Beach issued an evacuation advisory for all coastal properties and opened shelters farther inland.

Franklin County Emergency officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for St. George Island and Dog Island around noon.

"Residents of Dog Island had to evacuate by boat or by airplane because there's no road that attaches them to the mainland," said Gathana Parmenas, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross.

Not all of Franklin County is under the hurricane warning, but the area could see heavy flooding as a result of its location, relative to the slow-moving storm.

"We're on the wrong side of the storm," Parmenas explained. "As a hurricane comes in, it spins counter-clockwise and has particularly bad squalls on the east side. There is more likely to be flooding and heavy storm activity on the east side of the eye.

Alabama and Georgia are likely to see heavy rains, forecasters said.

Santa Rosa County emergency management officials issued a voluntary evacuation notice only for residents and visitors on Navarre Beach, about 20 miles west of Fort Walton Beach. The entire county of Okaloosa, which stretches from Fort Walton Beach to the Alabama border, is under a voluntary evacuation notice.

Florida's Gulf County emergency officials have issued a "seek safe shelter" advisory and issued a voluntary evacuation notice for individuals in coastal areas, low-lying areas and anyone in a mobile home.

After stalling in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, Barry moved toward the Florida Panhandle Sunday.

"We think our greatest threat is from rains and flash flooding," said Larry Wells, director of Gulf County Emergency Management Agency. "There's already been flash flooding in Port St. Joe today."

Bay County officials opened two shelters in Panama City, where a tornado watch was issued ahead of the storm.

Because Gulf hurricanes typically follow a difficult-to-predict path, Florida emergency management officials urged residents to follow the storm locally and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

As a tropical storm, Barry meandered around the Gulf of Mexico for several days before finally taking aim for the Panhandle and picking up steam.