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 ...
March on Washington to blame Bush for the hurricane because of his refusal to sign the Kyoto Treaty.
I don't understand how the National Weather Service ever saw two hurricanes headed toward Florida at the same time and didn't name them Bonnie and Clyde.
The owner of Rosen Hotels has offered every room for $42.50 and when he fills up, his staff will find other rooms in the area for customers and charge them the same price. I believe he did this for a storm a couple of years ago, too.
Good corporate citizen, there.
There was an old lady who called into Bud Headbanger yesterday. She said in the 20s and 30s the kids would play out in the hurricanes and tropical storms. They had no warning systems and basically just rode out the storms. She said they were never scared.
Tell them to drive up to Brooksville and catch 50 over to O-town. It is better than driving on the I-4 "corridor of death" anyway, even moreso during an evac.
Hurricanes are named years in advance. The only time they change a name is if a hurricane causes lots of damage and/or deaths. Click here for more info.
Heading south on 75 might not be a bad idea either. A calculated risk, perhaps---but it could mean outflanking the storm as it heads North and East and avoiding a ton of traffic.
Not real sure how it works. I think they order the evacuation, as a precaution, your choice if you leave or not. But I think they have you sign something saying that you chose to stay and list your nearest living relative in the event of your death.
Police Chief Jerry Peralta pulled up sometime after dark to the Richelieu Apartments. Facing the Beach less than 250 feet from the surf, the apartments were directly in the line of danger. A man with a drink in his hand came out to the second-floor balcony and waved.
Peralta yelled up, "You all need to clear out of here as quickly as you can. The storm's getting worse." But as other joined the man on the balcony, they just laughed at Peralta's order to leave.
"This is my land," one of them yelled back. "If you want me off, you'll have to arrest me." Peralta didn't arrest anyone, but he wasn't able to persuade them to leave either. He wrote down the names of the next of kin of the twenty or so people who gathered there to party through the storm.
They laughed as he took their names. They had been warned, but they had no intention of leaving. It was 10:15 p.m. when the front wall of the storm came ashore.
Scientists clocked Camille's wind speed at more than 205 miles-per-hour, the strongest on record. Raindrops hit with the force of bullets, and waves off the Gulf Coast crested between twenty-two and twenty-eight feet high.
Nothing was left of that three-story structure but the foundation; the only survivor was a five-year-old boy found clinging to a mattress the following day.
I heard on the news today that Kerry was going to campaign in Florida this weekend. His campaign spokesman said, "he ain't afraid of 'Charley'."
Is he going to pick up the difference with the other hotels? I can guarantee you if there is a rush on rooms, that the rack rate will be charged by the vast majority of hotel/motels.
Actually, I saw on the news last night that a group of hotels owned by the Rosen group were offering a special rate around $42 a night for Florida residents - evacuees.
If the authorities think it can be life threatening, and if anyone decides to stay, the authorities have them sign a paper (like a will for next of kin), and this will release the state of any liability.
The person has been notified that if they stay, they do so at their own risk.
If their home is torn up, and by signing this document, I'm not sure how much insurance will be paid out for the destroyed home and/or life if any.
"What did folks do before the days of bottled water? "
We used to fill the bathtub, pots and pans.
I would think it would have little impact if any on home insurance. It might however have an impact of the person's life insurance!
No one will be dragged out of their homes, but if there is an emergency, the people who stay are on their own. Evacuation is ordered because of probability of storm surge. Low lying areas will flood and that is more likely to kill people than the wind. A high school classmate of mine was killed during the Storm of the Century because of flooding on the northwest coast of Florida. Storm surge is the most deadly part of the hurricane.
We are in the Florida Keys (Islamorada, upper keys) and if the storm was more than a Cat 2 we'd all be the hell out of here. If this storm were a direct threat, I'd be out of here with my baby daughter and hubby would hold the fort, but at most we are looking at losing power for a day. No big deal.
If evacuation were mandatory, we'd go. People want to protect their homes, but property can be replaced. Since our area is now under a hurricane watch, not warning, we'll stay. The authorities don't make evacuation orders lightly, and when they do, it's to preserve lives and not have chaos ensue during the middle of a hurricane when people who think it'll be fun realize they are screwed and want to be rescued.
I am in Brevard right now but going to stay with a friend in Plant City..she lives alone and has a 2 yr old little girl. Plant City is 25 mins outside of Tampa Bay...Charley is packing 105 mph winds...and is expected to be around 125 at landfall.
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