NHC advises S. Florida to start preps -- Gov. cancels trip..

[dixiebreeze]

Excerpt from AP story short time ago:

"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."

[Marilyn]

My prayers are with everyone in the path of this storm.And everyone in the GOM.. What luck My son moved to pensacola last year if katrina goes in near there after crossing SE Fla, that will be 3 Hurricanes to hit near him since he moved there.

[dixiebreeze]

Me, too, Marilyn. Katrina is almost bigger than the State of Florida already!

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT ... IR4/20.jpg

[Marilyn]

Wow i didn't realize how big she was.. what a scarey feeling. My sister in Law is suppose to go to Destin Bch this weekend for Vacation I just e-mailed her letting her know about this storm .. she doesn't watch the weather. What a Vacation that would be.

[otowntiger]

Me, too, Marilyn. Katrina is almost bigger than the State of Florida already!

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT ... IR4/20.jpg

She's actually very small as far as tropical systems go. I don't think we'll see a large swath of damage, and there's unlikely to be any severe damage.