Twin Tropical Trouble

[ZTAngel]

www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical

M. Ressler, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Two strengthening tropical storms are churning through the Atlantic Basin, one in the Gulf of Mexico, the other in the northern Caribbean Sea.
Tropical Storm Bonnie is edging toward the north in the central Gulf of Mexico, but is expected to take a more northeasterly track later today. Bonnie could move across the Florida Panhandle late Thursday morning. A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch are in effect from the Alabama-Florida line to the Suwannee River.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Charley, just under minimal hurricane strength, is churning west-northwestward through the north-central Caribbean Sea. Conditions are favorable for Charley to become at least a category one hurricane. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Jamaica, a hurricane watch is in effect for Jamaica and the Florida Keys, and a hurricane warning is in effect for the Cayman Islands and the western half of Cuba.

A large upper-level system dominates much of the U.S. A strong southwesterly flow aloft will rapidly steer Bonnie and then Charley up the Eastern Seaboard, just ahead of a cold front, this weekend.
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Holy crap! It's coming right for me!

Charley:

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

...waiting for Pat Robertson to say it's because of the gays...

[Kevin]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
...waiting for Pat Robertson to say it's because of the gays...

You made a funny.

[moe.ron]

Wonder if the surf is going to be good.

[Rudey]

See this is why I don't understand how people live in Florida.

-Rudey

[ZTAngel]

Originally posted by Rudey
See this is why I don't understand how people live in Florida.

-Rudey

Well, at least with a hurricane you know it's coming and you can get out of there before it hits unlike earthquakes or tornadoes.

Plus, it's usually sunny and warm here. It's just that every few years we have something like this that likes to knock out a few houses and power when it comes through.

[angelove]

See this is why I don't understand how people live in Florida. - Rudey

Except for Andrew in the early 90s, Florida hasn't had to deal with too many hurricanes since the 1960s. I grew up & went to college in Florida, and can only remember a few big storms that didn't do a whole lot of damage. The Carolinas and Virginia seem to get hit harder and more often. Plus the northeast part of Florida (Jacksonville, Daytona) rarely gets hit because the Gulf Stream is further away - the storms move up the coast before hitting Cape Fear. (I hope I'm not jinxing my Jax friends by saying that ...)

[astroAPhi]

Man, all those jokes about everything veering off and hitting the Carolinas have finally caught up to us Central Floridians.

At least I'll have a half day tomorrow and all of Friday off and get paid for it. Yay for working at KSC.

[ZTAngel]

My boss keeps joking that if we don't come in on Friday we'll have to use it as a vacation day. At least I hope he's joking....

"Sorry that I didn't come in on Friday. I didn't want to be killed on my way to work by torrential downpour, lightening, and tornadoes."

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Originally posted by astroAPhi
KSC.

Kentucky Skillet Chicken?

[smiley21]

i have been in Florida since I was 7 years old and a few years before that. i have never been hit by a hurricane *knock on wood*

if this map is right, it looks like another close call for me.
this was done earlier today. the storms are much stronger now

[smiley21]

Originally posted by Rudey
See this is why I don't understand how people live in Florida.

-Rudey

i think the same thing about people in California and earthquakes

[Kevin]

Only 50-60MPH?

We got hit with just a plain' ol thunderstorm here last night that had winds in the 70's. Knocked over telephone poles and uprooted trees. My parents told me it uprooted a tree in their front yard.

And we do get warning when there'll be tornados. Sometimes several hours warning.

[smiley21]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Only 50-60MPH?

We got hit with just a plain' ol thunderstorm here last night that had winds in the 70's. Knocked over telephone poles and uprooted trees. My parents told me it uprooted a tree in their front yard.

And we do get warning when there'll be tornados. Sometimes several hours warning.

both storms have strengthened. bonnie is at 65 mph and charley is at 75. it is expected to go up

[CSUSigEp]

earthquakes aint so bad. Its not like you can see it coming, plus you know generally where they happen. Not in Sacramento