Posted on 08/12/2004 10:14:32 AM PDT by PinnedAndRecessed
APALACHICOLA, Fla. — A disorganized Tropical Storm Bonnie (search) came ashore near the central Florida Panhandle on Thursday afternoon, bringing with it lighter-than-expected wind and rain.
By noontime Apalachicola looked as if nothing happened. The sun was shining, the surf was calming with the Bonnie having bypassed the area, heading east.
Meanwhile, some 380,000 Tampa Bay area residents have been asked to evacuate from coastal or low-lying areas because of Bonnie's stronger brother, Hurricane Charley (search). It was the largest such evacuation in the history of Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg.
As a strengthening Charley neared southern Florida with 90 mph winds, Bonnie's disorganized center came ahore with winds near 50 mph. Bonnie was expected to bring the possibility of heavy rains and flooding to already-soaked areas of the Panhandle, which was under a tropical storm warning.
The bridge across Apalachicola Bay to the barrier island of St. George remained open. The island was mostly deserted of tourists, though some businesses and restaurants remained open. Owners of many oceanfront homes and businesses decided not to board up windows as the storm approached.
The prospect of the back-to-back storms — the first since 1906 — led Gov. Jeb Bush to declare a state of emergency for all of Florida. Schools and government offices also were closed, and Bush activated the Florida National Guard. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (search) regional operations center in Atlanta was also put into operation Thursday morning.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Yikes, where do 380,000 people go?
Hurricane ping.
To Orlando/Kissimmee hotels/motels. When Andrew hit in 92 every room was booked. Seemed that half of Miami was there.
What did folks do before the days of bottled water? Maybe just found a way to survive......? Somehow......?
I believe the deal is: evacuate the area by time X. After time X, no search and rescue will be attempted, citizen: you are on your own.
Orlando's still wishing half of Miami would leave.
You're exactly right.
But they used the phrase MANDATORY evacuation!!!
Yikes...glad I no longer live in St. Pete anymore(although I just got back from there this week) My parents still live around there, they just called and said they have to evacuate...they are going to stay with me, here in Orlando, that is, if the other 380,000 people don't have the same idea and clog up I-4!
We refused, and stayed in our 38-foot tall old house which has weathered every storm since 1887- call it a calculated risk.
If Charlie comes near Tampa the storm surge will be over 10 ft and will go clear across every island west of Tampa/St. Pete.
When Andrew hit it was the only time I saw the dingy motels along 192 in Kissimmee with their no vacancy signs blinking.
Hope this doesn't hit cape coral
Looks like Cuba and Havana will be hit and it looks like a thin strip of land so it looks like Charley won't break up much.
The Pinellas EOC clarified that while there is a law that requires evactuation, they don't have the manpower to enforce it, so just next-of-kin info will be taken.
I hate local TV weatherpeople.
Wells, for one thing. Also quite a few places in SW and central Florida with artesian wells (whatever they’re called) – just a 2.5 or 3 inch diameter pipe stuck in the ground with water bubbling up out of it. Know of one that’s been used since at least the 1910’s.
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