South Florida Under Hurricane Watch

[PixieDust32]

MIAMI (Aug. 24) - Tropical Storm Katrina formed Wednesday morning in the Bahamas and could strengthen to a hurricane before hitting Florida later this week, the National Hurricane Center said.

150-mile stretch of coast from Vero Beach to Florida City was under a hurricane watch, meaning hurricane conditions were possible by early Friday. The storm is expected to slowly cross the state and could dump a foot of rain or more in spots before heading into the Gulf of Mexico.

Eric Blake, a hurricane center meteorologist, said people in the watch area should consider putting up hurricane shutters, particularly in coastal and exposed areas. Storm surge flooding of 3 to 5 feet topped by battering waves is expected. He said all residents should stock up on hurricanes supplies such as water, batteries and generator fuel.

"It's time for South Florida to start taking precautions," he said.

Because of Katrina, Gov. Jeb Bush canceled a business trip to Peru that was to begin later Wednesday and planned to return to Florida from Virginia, where he was attending a hearing on military base realignment.

At 11 a.m., the season's 11th named storm had top sustained winds of 40 mph and could reach the hurricane threshold of 74 mph before hitting land. It was centered about 80 miles east-southeast of Nassau and about 230 miles east-southeast of Miami, and was moving north-northwest at 8 mph.

Crews had started lowering water levels in a 2,000-mile network of canals that drain into the ocean, said Randy Smith, spokesman for the South Florida Water Management District. The storm runoff system is still above normal levels since heavy rainfall that started with last year's four hurricanes, although it should be able to contain Katrina's rain, he said.

Sales at Home Depot Inc. stores had already picked up as people learned of Katrina, spokesman Don Harrison said.

"We stay ready this time of year. Because we have to. Moving vast quantities of product around is not something you do instantaneously," he said.

Wednesday is the 13th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew's landfall in southern Miami-Dade County. The most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history virtually wiped out the cities of Homestead and Florida City, although they have been rebuilt.

The Florida Panhandle was hit by Tropical Storm Cindy and Hurricane Dennis earlier this year. The four hurricanes that hit the state last year caused $23 billion in insured wind damage across the country but actual damage was about double that, experts said.

In an average year, only a few tropical storms develop by this time in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov. 30.


8/24/2005 12:47:21

 

[bsnyder]

 

[wdw4us2]

Here we go again . . .

 

[PixieDust32]

Here we go again . . .

I know!!! Poor Florida!

At least is not going to the World area, my prayers are for all Florida's people.

 

[ladycollector]

Well it looks like my area won't get the worst of it, but I'm afraid that it will get out there in the gulf and come straight at us just like Dennis and Ivan.

Good luck everyone.

 

[PixieDust32]

Well it looks like my area won't get the worst of it, but I'm afraid that it will get out there in the gulf and come straight at us just like Dennis and Ivan.

Good luck everyone.

HOP NOT!!

 

[DaisyDebbie]

This will be my first storm

 

[Mom2Ashli]

Oh boy - the fun begins again. And the craziness that comes along with the storms.

 

[Talking Hands]

Well, in some ways I hope it does come as long as it is a category 1. I am all for closing school on Friday Been subbing for 3 weeks straight and I need a day off.

 

[MosMom]

Katrina and the waves are coming to town. HA! Get it? Katrina and the waves? *cough* Just a little humor for you all.

 

[PixieDust32]

 

[lewdyan1]

Well, in some ways I hope it does come as long as it is a category 1. I am all for closing school on Friday Been subbing for 3 weeks straight and I need a day off.

Me too! I have been in a Pre-K ESE all week and I would love Friday off!

Are any Miamians putting up shutters? My DH wants to and I don't think it is necessary. I told him I would ask other local DIS'ers.

 

[Talking Hands]

Think dh will be putting up ours. He is not fully decided yet. Been teaching high school English all week. Before that 2 weeks of Spanish.

 

[Zandy595]

Here we go again . . .

Hi neighbor. I'm in Stuart. I hope it stays south of us.

 

[floridafam]

 

[Miss Jasmine]

This will be my first storm

Welcome to Florida. This is a good starter storm.

Just trying to lighten the mood.

 

[floridafam]

I think we should all evacuate to Disney World.

DaisyDebbie,

Don't worry. We moved down right after Frances and couldn't get into Vero Beach for a week. We had to live at Disney World.

Then Jeanne hit-we rode that one out at home-no damage to our apartment. We again went to WDW because we had no power for a week.

We found a house soon after Jeanne that had NO damage.

It was kind of weird seeing what the town was like after the storms but everyone picked up the peices and most things are pretty much back to normal.

 

[Zandy595]

We are still missing a lot of street signs in my neighborhood from Frances and Jeanne. People have spraypainted pieces of plywood with the street names and propped them up against trees. Not looking forward to another hurricane. I was counting on this one just being a tropical storm when it hit. Oh well.

 

[bsnyder]

A poster at www.flhurricane.com's discussion board says Broward County schools are closed Thursday and Friday.

 

[Poohbear123]

Mine are already up from about 2 years ago. Mostly on the back of my house and the side windows (bedrooms). Just have to put the ones in the front down. Hopefully this will be a fast moving storm and will come and go quickly. So far I am working tomorrow, (Publix) at 3:00am haven't heard any thing else as yet.