Posted on 09/06/2004 2:09:27 AM PDT by NautiNurse
...Frances getting a little better organized over the warm waters of the northeast Gulf of Mexico...
a Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the northwest Gulf Coast of Florida from Anna Maria Island northward to Destin.
At 5 am EDT...0900z...the Tropical Storm Warning along the Florida West Coast from south of Englewood has been discontinued. Also... the Tropical Storm Warning along the Florida East Coast from south of Cocoa Beach has been discontinued.
A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for the Florida West Coast from south of Anna Maria Island to Englewood...and along the Florida East Coast and the Georgia coast from Cocoa Beach Florida northward to Altamaha Sound Georgia.
At 5 am EDT...0900z...the center of Tropical Storm Frances was located near latitude 28.7 north...longitude 83.5 west or about 115 miles...southeast of Apalachicola Florida.
Frances is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph...and a gradual turn toward the northwest is expected by this afternoon. On the forecast track...the center of Frances should continue moving over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico...and make landfall over the central portion of the Florida Panhandle by this evening.
Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph...with higher gusts. Some strengthening is possible during the next 12 hours...and Frances could become a hurricane again just before landfall occurs.
Frances remains a large tropical cyclone with tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles from the center...especially to the northeast. A sustained wind of 55 mph with a gust 67 mph was reported at a C-man weather station located about 25 miles southeast of Apalachicola Florida. A sustained wind of 42 mph with a gust 54 mph was reported at Cedar Key Florida. A sustained wind of 45 mph with a gust to 55 mph was reported earlier this morning at St. Augustine on the northeast Florida coast.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 981 mb...28.97 inches.
Coastal storm surge flooding along with large and dangerous battering waves continue along the North Florida East Coast...but will gradually subside later today. Storm surge flooding of up to 4 feet above normal levels is expected to subside on Monday. Along the southwest Florida coast...storm surge flooding of 2 to 3 feet above normal tide levels is expected south of Tarpon Springs. Storm surge flooding of 6 to 10 feet above normal tide levels is expected along the northeast Gulf Coast of Florida to the north of Tarpon Springs...especially at the head of Apalachee Bay.
Rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches...with locally higher amounts... are expected over portions of the southeastern United States... especially along and to the east of the wide path of Frances.
Isolated tornadoes are possible today over portions of northern Florida and the Florida Panhandle...southeast Alabama and southern Georgia.
Repeating the 5 am EDT position...28.7 N... 83.5 W. Movement toward...west-northwest near 12 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 65 mph. Minimum central pressure... 981 mb.
For storm information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 8 am EDT followed by the next complete advisory at 11 am EDT.
Forecaster Stewart
Frances danced away in the middle of last night. The skies still look very grey and ominous, more rain is predicted. But then, this is the rainly season, so it's probably our regularly scheduled daily rain storm.
The threat of surge is over, even with additional rainfall.
I spent all morning raking up debris, palm fronds and assorted hunks of unknown sources.....bagging everything and then trundling the bags out to the curb. Finally had to quit because it was just too hot and humid. I took a little nap to recover. Getting too old for all this dreck.
You can't imagine the relief around my neighborhood that we were spared major destruction, flooding and loss of power. Heartfelt thanks to the good Lord above and to my many freeper friends who were so solicitous.
Dang, I LOVE FR and its devoted and de-lovely denizens.
Leni
So glad our prayers were answered....It time to sit down with that cool drink now!
You saw the Cole Porter movie, didn't you?
Glad that you are okay.
Great news, that you and possessions escaped that Frances.
One less thing to worry/wonder about. Maybe time left
to resume your Chi-town digs visit?
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