Posted on 08/30/2004 7:45:29 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - Even as tree limbs were cleared away and power gradually returned across eastern South Carolina after Tropical Storm Gaston, officials waited and watched Monday for Hurricane Frances.
While Gaston caused some problems, "it's not the kind of catastrophic damage we see in a major hurricane," Gov. Mark Sanford said. He urged coastal residents to monitor Frances, which has 125 mph winds but is still days away from the Southeast coast.
An evacuation would be tremendously difficult, warned Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr.
"The whole state would be naked," he said. "This will be a challenge to all of us because we have so many more people living down here now."
Gaston, which came ashore Sunday just under hurricane strength with winds of 70 mph, brought rains estimated at 13 inches in places.
The storm flooded areas already saturated by Hurricane Charley earlier this month and cut power to 172,000 electric customers. Fewer than 29,000 customers remained without power Monday in South Carolina, where most of the outages occurred.
State emergency officials, still recovering from Gaston, stepped up their monitoring of Frances.
"It still has yet plenty of time to intensify," Ron Osborne, director of the state Emergency Management Division, told local mayors who had gathered with the governor to discuss the damage from Gaston.
Evacuations could be needed by week's end if the storm approaches, he said.
"This particular storm is strong, big and we really need to monitor it closely," Osborne said.
At 5 p.m. EDT Monday, Frances was centered about 220 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and was moving west at about 14 mph.
In Berkeley County, where damage from Gaston was severe, 10 houses were completely flooded and more than two dozen people had to be rescued from flood waters, said Jim Rozier, a county supervisor.
"It just seemed to rain forever," he said.
The Carolinas also have been hit this month by Hurricane Alex, which brushed North Carolina's Outer Banks; by Tropical Storm Bonnie, which spawned several tornadoes, including one that killed three people; and by Charley, a hurricane that caused wind damage and flooding after devastating wide areas of Florida.
The remnants of Gaston crossed Virginia on Monday, bringing rain and strong winds and possible tornadoes.
James City County Deputy Fire Chief Tal Luton said he saw two twisters, but described damage as "fairly light." He said trees were knocked over and debris was scattered along the paths of the twisters.
The rains of Gaston are starting to hit us right now.
Richmond got hammered with the rains from it all day today.
The Carolinas??? That thing is headed straight for ME!!
Back-to-back storms are not uncommon. Southwest Louisiana last year. Bonnie and Charley in Northeast Florida last month. Frances could hit anywhere in Fla, coastal Ga and coastal SoCar. A second shot at central Florida is not out of the computer models yet.
I've lived in Charleston since '92, and this scares the hell out of me.
All bets are off after Thursday as we are evacuating that day.
During the GOP convention? I LAUGH at mother nature!
For the rest of you in the path - duck...
I'm here in South Florida in the Fort Lauderdale area. I am taking no chances. I remember what Charley did. It was supposed to go to Tampa. It didn't. And I would hate to think that this thing was going to skirt the coast and then make a beeline due West for my house. Tomorrow, I'm up early to get plywood.
As for Florida itself, I must concur. If I live in the area between, say, Ft. Pierce and St. Augustine, I am not a happy camper. Indeed, after boarding up, I intend to work out an evacuation plan for me and my family. If you're in mid-Florida, it's almost a must with a Cat 4 or 5 storm.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Good luck, FRiend.
If I remember my physics correctly (it's been a long time), wind pressure on a surface increases as the square of wind velocity. So a wind twice as strong exerts four times as much force on a wall or window. Still, a solid structure can withstand a wind of 100 mph or more -- if it's just wind. But debris flying at 100+ mph is something else entirely. And once the debris starts flying, breaking things and creating more airborne debris, it becomes a maelstrom feeding upon itself.
And that's just the effects of the wind. Flooding and the storm surge are something else entirely.
As my father used to say... use your head for something besides a hat rack. If you're in the path of this storm as it gets closer, be smart.
yes, it's obvious, but it can't be overemphasized. but generally here in the carolinas, we take hurricanes very seriously.
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We won't know until the weather folks survey the damage today whether there were any actual tornado touchdowns.
Going to start boarding up here in Miami today, and generally making preparations.
We were here in South Dade for Andrew and haven't forgotten.
I hope with all my heart that we can avoid her, though.
I'm in Homestead and paying serious attention to this storm. While the weather service is saying it will move N. of us, isn't that what we were told about Andrew? I'm in Homestead and do not want to live through Andrew II.
I keep hearing it's coming on land at Ft. Pierce or Port St. Lucy. Yet if the high doesn't weaken as forcast the damned thing isn't going to move N.
Strange time in our area - I think I'm going to take the safe route and begin boarding up also.
Yeah, get some cash and water, too.
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