Jelly
09-08-2005, 07:54 PM
Don't worry. Compared to Katrina, this'll be kids stuff...
Ophelia Gains Hurricane Strength off Fla. Coast
Associated Press
Friday, September 9, 2005; Page A07
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 8 -- Tropical Storm Ophelia strengthened into a hurricane 70 miles off the northeast Florida coast Thursday, eroding miles of beach and shutting down a section of State Road A1A in Flagler County.
At 5 p.m., it had top sustained winds of 75 mph, just over the hurricane threshold and 10 mph faster than the previous measured speed. National Hurricane Center forecasters said it was unclear where the seventh hurricane of the Atlantic season would drift.
It could become the third hurricane to strike Florida this year and the seventh in 13 months. Hurricane Dennis hit the Panhandle in July, and Hurricane Katrina hit south Florida last month, killing 11 people before devastating parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama four days later.
Officials shut down the stretch of A1A Thursday so transportation workers could shore up the coastal road with sand and boulders.
"The storm is eating up our dunes," said Carl Laundrie, communications manager for Flagler County. "It has cut up right next to the road."
Jack Beven, a hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said Ophelia should start moving north or northeast -- away from land -- within a day or so. However, it could curl back early next week and slam north Florida or Georgia as a Category 1 storm.
"It is difficult to tell right now," he said.
As a precaution, 14 Navy ships at the Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville headed to sea.
Two shelters in Flagler County were readied as a precaution.
In neighboring Volusia County, 12 residents were already staying at three public shelters. Heavy rain in the preceding weeks has flooded the west side of the county. Schools there were closed Thursday but were to reopen Friday.
Because there were no classes, Sue Jones took her three children to New Smyrna Beach to play.
"We thought we would go to the beach to see if there is any of it left," said Jones, 48, a graphic artist, as high winds threw sea foam as much as 90 yards ashore.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the tropical storm warning for Bermuda was discontinued as Hurricane Nate pulled away, while Hurricane Maria moved over the cold north Atlantic with 75 mph winds.
Ophelia Gains Hurricane Strength off Fla. Coast
Associated Press
Friday, September 9, 2005; Page A07
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 8 -- Tropical Storm Ophelia strengthened into a hurricane 70 miles off the northeast Florida coast Thursday, eroding miles of beach and shutting down a section of State Road A1A in Flagler County.
At 5 p.m., it had top sustained winds of 75 mph, just over the hurricane threshold and 10 mph faster than the previous measured speed. National Hurricane Center forecasters said it was unclear where the seventh hurricane of the Atlantic season would drift.
It could become the third hurricane to strike Florida this year and the seventh in 13 months. Hurricane Dennis hit the Panhandle in July, and Hurricane Katrina hit south Florida last month, killing 11 people before devastating parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama four days later.
Officials shut down the stretch of A1A Thursday so transportation workers could shore up the coastal road with sand and boulders.
"The storm is eating up our dunes," said Carl Laundrie, communications manager for Flagler County. "It has cut up right next to the road."
Jack Beven, a hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said Ophelia should start moving north or northeast -- away from land -- within a day or so. However, it could curl back early next week and slam north Florida or Georgia as a Category 1 storm.
"It is difficult to tell right now," he said.
As a precaution, 14 Navy ships at the Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville headed to sea.
Two shelters in Flagler County were readied as a precaution.
In neighboring Volusia County, 12 residents were already staying at three public shelters. Heavy rain in the preceding weeks has flooded the west side of the county. Schools there were closed Thursday but were to reopen Friday.
Because there were no classes, Sue Jones took her three children to New Smyrna Beach to play.
"We thought we would go to the beach to see if there is any of it left," said Jones, 48, a graphic artist, as high winds threw sea foam as much as 90 yards ashore.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the tropical storm warning for Bermuda was discontinued as Hurricane Nate pulled away, while Hurricane Maria moved over the cold north Atlantic with 75 mph winds.