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13-06-2006, 09:50
ST PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Alberto was on the verge of becoming the first hurricane of 2006 on Monday as it spun over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and began to lash the northwest Florida shore.

Anxious officials ordered thousands of residents to evacuate barrier islands, flood plains and trailer parks as the storm's maximum sustained winds accelerated to near 70 miles per hour (110 kph).

The outer fringes of the storm gusted ashore with sheets of rain and forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said its core would move over northern Florida by daybreak.

At 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT on Tuesday), Alberto's winds were just shy of the 74 mph (119 kph) threshold at which tropical storms become hurricanes.

'This is still strong enough to cause some significant damage,' U.S. National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield told CNN. 'We don't want to overdo this but we sure don't want to underdo it either.'

Alberto could still intensify into a Category 1 hurricane on the five-step Saffir Simpson scale of hurricane intensity, he said.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency even though the most likely area of landfall was sparsely populated swampland and farming country. The area has no big cities like New Orleans, devastated in August by Hurricane Katrina.

Florida officials said 26 shelters in 16 counties had been opened for evacuees.

'This is a serious storm and we are taking it seriously,' Bush said. 'We're not dealing with large numbers of people. But given the storm surge we anticipate and given the velocity of these winds, I hope people aren't being defiant.'

EVACUATION ORDERS

Around 21,000 people were affected by evacuation orders. The emergency director in one rural area, Citrus County, went door to door to urge people to seek higher ground.

Alberto was about 95 miles (150km) south-southeast of Apalachicola, in Florida's panhandle, at 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT), according to a hurricane center bulletin. It was moving northeast at about 10 mph (17 kph).


Energy traders said Alberto's path should take it too far east to cause disruptions or damage to offshore oil and gas platforms battered during last year's record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season. There were 28 tropical storms in the June-November 2005 season, of which 15 became hurricanes.

Experts have forecast another busier-than-average season this year, as conditions remain favorable for hurricanes. Alberto's formation less than two weeks after the June 1 start of the season seemed to underscore the predictions.

Rain pelted Florida's west coast and the hurricane center said 4-8 inches were possible through Tuesday across parts of the state and Georgia.

Storm surge flooding up to 10 feet above normal tide levels was expected across much of the Gulf coast.

chrisflowers
13-06-2006, 12:04
But for Central Florida, more like a lot of much needed rain, and a little windy.

Much like being at home, except that at least it is still warm out there.

andrewandcarole
13-06-2006, 16:27
Agreed Chris. There really is no need for concern despite the media hype - central Florida has had a couple of days of much needed rain!

Carole

chrizzy100
13-06-2006, 17:16
I've been following this storm on radar..and its a bit of a mess..mostly rain..twisters being the biggest problem for central FL but that should of past by now..

jillizzy
13-06-2006, 18:45
For anyone travelling to Orlando soon please don't let this worry you. Yesterday was heavy rain and some wind but nothing worse that I have experienced in the UK.

I know that the coastal areas were worse by watching the local news but it is mainly mild flooding and no bad structural damage.

The sun is shining already this morning!

Jill

andrewandcarole
13-06-2006, 18:46
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
I've been following this storm on radar..and its a bit of a mess..mostly rain..twisters being the biggest problem for central FL but that should of past by now..


[/quote]

I can promise you - in central Florida it really has been nothing worse than heavy rain!

Carole

dawn
13-06-2006, 18:49
Notice heavy rain and thunder/lightening are forecast for the UK this afternoon - I know where I'd rather be[msnwink]

chrizzy100
13-06-2006, 19:12
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by andrewandcarole
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
I've been following this storm on radar..and its a bit of a mess..mostly rain..twisters being the biggest problem for central FL but that should of past by now..


[/quote]

I can promise you - in central Florida it really has been nothing worse than heavy rain!

Carole


[/quote]

When I say mess..I mean the storm is not tight with a real eye etc..its all over the place..not that central FL is a mess...[msnsmile2]

Tessa Childs
13-06-2006, 22:25
What is it likely to be in Central Florida? I would say a bit windy and wet for a few hours at worst and with the lack of rain there, (Central Florida) probably almost welcome.

ShirleyD
13-06-2006, 22:52
Thunderstorms, lightning strikes and flooding are all across todays paper.....and that is in the UK.[msneek] We Brits like our dose of weather talk [msnwink]

esprit
14-06-2006, 04:02
It rained all yesterday solid, overnight and this morning and has now stopped. There was a little wind in central florida, not too bad, and some tornado warnings though I havent seen any actually reported. There seems to be minimal damage but the pools are overflowing and everything is very wet.

14-06-2006, 09:12
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by esprit
It rained all yesterday solid, overnight and this morning and has now stopped. There was a little wind in central florida, not too bad, and some tornado warnings though I havent seen any actually reported. There seems to be minimal damage but the pools are overflowing and everything is very wet.
[/quote]

Thanks for this Julie, if I was on my way out to Florida I would want to know this so I could be prepared[msnwink]

They were not so lucky on the Gulf coast with a 9 foot surge resulting in flooding and powercuts[msnsad]

farawayfan
14-06-2006, 11:29
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]There seems to be minimal damage but the pools are overflowing and everything is very wet.
[/quote]

Thanks for this Julie, if I was on my way out to Florida I would want to know this so I could be prepared[msnwink]

[/quote]

I'm on my way soon for my first visit. In what way should I be prepared?

thanks
Jackie

14-06-2006, 12:16
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by farawayfan
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]There seems to be minimal damage but the pools are overflowing and everything is very wet.
[/quote]

Thanks for this Julie, if I was on my way out to Florida I would want to know this so I could be prepared[msnwink]

[/quote]

I'm on my way soon for my first visit. In what way should I be prepared?

thanks
Jackie

[/quote]

Be prepared not to be shocked as it will be wet as Julie says, but also if you were staying on the Gulf there are floods and power cuts etc [msnsad]

Ruth
14-06-2006, 12:28
I think it was only a small area of the Gulf that had any problems at all. Most of the normal tourist places, Englewood, Naples etc were totally unaffected. All it brought was some very welcome rain:)

marti
14-06-2006, 13:32
I have been watching the news and I must admit to being slightly worried when they say that its the start of the hurricane season as we are going over this time next year.

blott
14-06-2006, 13:36
The report I read stated there were minor power cuts in a few places but that most power was restored within a few hours. A total of about 21,000 homes and businesses lost power during the storm. All but 4,300 of those customers had electricity restored by early evening.

I don't think it will be wet at all in the Orlando area so no need to be shocked as, like everywhere in Florida, even if rain has been torrential, the ground dries up extremely quickly because of the heat and there has been no flooding there. There was some flooding in a few places on the Gulf Coast. There has been very little rain recently in Florida as a whole so the ground will dry up even quicker at the moment. In the fishing village of Cedar Key to the north, most of the high water that encroached during the afternoon high tide had receded by late Tuesday.

"This is not much worse, if any worse, than a summer squall. Quotes above from the Sentinel.

So just enjoy your holiday! [msncool]

orlandodaze
15-06-2006, 04:52
I console myself thinking about the size of Ireland and the many different weather changes we can have in a day here .Someone up in Donegal may complain about the wet day while down in Dublin the sun may be splitting the stones or indeed the reverse may occur .

andrewandcarole
15-06-2006, 06:44
Gosh - what scaremongering!

Anyone who is travelling to Florida - PLEASE TAKE NO NOTICE!

Yes - we had a tropical storm earlier this week - which meant 2 days of intermittent rain! Nothing we aren't used to in the UK!

You will have a fabulous time Jackie and Marti - please don't worry any more!

As Blott says 'Enjoy your holiday!'

Carole

farawayfan
15-06-2006, 09:39
aye aye captn!

Jill
15-06-2006, 12:50
Marti as the others have said do not worry you will have a great time. The weather even when wet does, as Blott said, dry up very quickly. Where my husband was the day before yesterday they had 40 mm of rain in an hour and he had a dreadful time getting home. However, this was in England not Florida so no state of emergency and no big hype. Americans like to discuss the weather to death as much as we do.