Posted on 06/09/2005 3:52:36 PM PDT by Asphalt
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - The Atlantic hurricane season's first named storm headed north Thursday toward the Gulf Coast as Florida residents, still recovering from last year's devastation, watched with a wary eye.
Tropical Storm Arlene, which strengthened from a tropical depression that formed Wednesday, was centered 150 miles south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba at 2 p.m. EDT. It was moving north at about 8 mph, meaning parts of the Florida Keys could start getting rain late Thursday, forecasters said.
Arlene had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was, at least for now, mostly a rain threat, forecasters said. It was expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico by Friday - a path that prompted authorities to warn residents of coastal communities to beware.
"Our best estimate of the track possibilities are that anywhere from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle could expect the center to be approaching them by the middle of the weekend," said National Hurricane Center specialist Richard Knabb.
Panhandle residents were told to prepare for possible heavy rain and flooding this weekend.
Sitting outside his temporary mobile home, 69-year-old retiree Jim Milliken monitored the forecasts and hoped the bad luck that cost him his house had finally run its course.
"I have to assume the probabilities are in my favor and it's not going to be a really big, bad thing this time," he said.
Hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Last season, Florida was struck by hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne; between them, the four storms damaged one out of every five homes in the state. The storms caused about 130 deaths in the United States and are blamed for $22 billion in insured damage.
Forecasters said Arlene was likely to remain a tropical storm, but Navy meteorologist Lt. Dave Roberts said there was an "outside shot" the system could develop into a weak hurricane.
The storm was already causing heavy rain and squalls across the Cayman Islands and western and central Cuba. Forecasters warned that very heavy rains in Nicaragua and Honduras could cause flash floods and mud slides.
Yup. Tropical Storms can drop enormous amounts of rain too.
Here on the bay, I will be ready. It had been extremely dry so the rain will be welcome.
Yeah, it was a TS that dropped 46" of rain in 24 hours on the Houston area in 1979. Still a continental US record to this day.
Isn't everyone just THRILLED we've updated the Hurricane PING LIST?????????????????????
Anyone wishing on or off the list please post or freepmail - Gabz; Howlin; NautiNurse
fun stuff....
lots of rain for Florida and Georgia, but since the winds won't be too much and the tornados will be relatively isolated, this is not a horrible thing. they are parched in some areas down there as we are getting to be here in Ohio.
Mississippi/Alabama state line, with a slight possibility (at least in one model) that it could go as far east as Pensacola.
But that's not very far.
You're welcome to some of the rain we've been having here in Virginia...............
Let's just hope it stays in TS mode, with the lower winds. I know they can still add storm surge and lots of rain - but that's better than what could happen. Of course there is always the possibility it just sort of goes away (major finger cross mode)
well we were able to get a quick inch last night, but it has been the only rain for about 2-3 weeks here until that.
bring it!! My lawn needs it!
WOOHOO!
Are you in Tampa Bay?, I'm in Wesley Chapel and we have had a lot of rain.
We haven't had any in about 3 or 4 days - but there is still mud in my field and standing water on half the roads.
We had the same problem last year with a tremendous amount of rain - in addition to what we got from the remnants of all the 'canes.
LOL!!!
Daytona, FL here. Please add me to your list! Thanks
The dunes are gone from Ivan last year. A little surge will cause a lot of flooding. Eight and a half months after Ivan and still a lot of blue tarps (now tattered and ripped to shreds covering roofs.
Plenty of $25,000 camper trailers sitting in the driveways next to the slabs of quarter million dollar homes.
You got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is so very sad.
I saw that earlier - and while I know it actually isn't a laughing matter - that is a funny picture
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