NWS Tallahassee just posted......

[dixiebreeze]

on NHC site (Mobile also):

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1225 AM EDT WED AUG 11 2004

...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AND BIG BEND COAST FROM THE ALABAMA FLORIDA BORDER EAST TO THE
MOUTH OF THE SUWANNEE RIVER...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS ACROSS THE
FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
WALTON...HOLMES...WASHINGTON...BAY...JACKSON...CALHOUN...GULF...
GADSDEN...LIBERTY...FRANKLIN...LEON...WAKULLA...JEFFERSON...
MADISON...TAYLOR...DIXIE...LAFAYETTE.

...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA GULF
COAST FROM THE ALABAMA FLORIDA BORDER EAST TO THE MOUTH
OF THE SUWANNEE RIVER. THIS MEANS SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH OR
GREATER ARE EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE WATCH AREA WITHIN THE
NEXT 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BONNIE WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 90.4 WEST OR ABOUT
460 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PANAMA CITY IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO.
BONNIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 5 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AND INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT
24 HOURS. THE CENTER IS NOW EXPECTED TO REACH THE GULF COAST OF THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE THURSDAY MORNING AND MOVE ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA AND
EXTREME SOUTHWEST GEORGIA THROUGH THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
STRENGTHING IS EXPECTED PRIOR TO LANDFALL. AT THIS TIME BONNIE IS
NOT EXPECT TO REACH HURRICANE STRENGTH BEFORE LANDFALL.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL INTERESTS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS
OF BONNIE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE
LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS STORM AND BE PREPARED TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE
OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD EVACUATION ORDERS BE
ISSUED. NOW THAT THE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COAST...
PREPARATIONS FOR STORM IMPACT SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
AFFECTED RESIDENTS SHOULD STOCK UP ON NECESSARY SUPPLIES SUCH AS
DRINKING WATER...BATTERIES...NON PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS...AND
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. AREA RESIDENTS SHOULD ALSO SECURE OUTDOOR OBJECTS
SUCH AS TRASH CANS AND OUTDOOR FURNITURE THAT COULD BECOME AIRBORNE
IN THE WIND.

...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL INFORMATION...
ALTHOUGH BONNIE IS EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE AND MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH
THE REGION...THE PRESENCE OF AN OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN THE REGION
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO RAINFALL TOTALS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF BONNIE.
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...ARE
ARE POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF THE REGION WHICH MAY CAUSE FLOODING IN LOW
LYING AREAS AND RIVERS. A FLOOD WATCH MAY BE ISSUED LATER THIS
MORNING.

...WIND IMPACTS...
DUE TO THE SMALL SIZE OF TROPICAL STORM BONNIE TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH BEYOND 75 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE
CENTER. THEREFORE...ANY SLIGHT CHANGE IN BONNIE'S TRACK COULD SHIFT
THE AREA AFFECTED BY THE STRONGEST WINDS. AT THIS TIME TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AND WILL IMPACT AREAS ALONG THE
COAST BY DAYBREAK.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
IF THE CURRENT FORECAST HOLDS...A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 4 FEET
ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE
THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. A SLIGHTLY HIGHER SURGE WILL BE POSSIBLE
IN SOME BAYS. ALSO ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR NEAR THE TIME
OF LANDFALL.

...RIP CURRENTS...
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY ALONG THE FLORIDA
BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE BEACHES.

WIND...WAVE...AND TIDAL CONDITIONS SUPPORT DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS
TODAY. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING THE
WATER.

ALWAYS HEED THE ADVICE OF THE BEACH PATROL AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. BE
ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS NEAR PIERS...JETTIES...AND UNGUARDED BEACHES. A
RIP CURRENT IS A STRONG NARROW CURRENT OF WATER FLOWING FROM THE
BEACH THROUGH THE SURF ZONE. IT CAN RAPIDLY CARRY A SWIMMER INTO
DEEPER WATER. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...WADE SIDEWAYS
PARALLEL TO THE BEACH UNTIL YOU ARE OUT OF ITS PULL.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 3 AM EDT.

$$

BOLINSKI/GOULD

[weatherSnoop]

TY dixie, and 3-5" of rain could flood more that low lying areas, concidering recent precip

[WeatherNole]

True. Much of our area got 1-2" today, with a few spots getting up to 4" of rainfall.

But - it's been a dry start to August too, so we can handle a few more inches without any major problems. More than 5" could be a problem, but I don't see Bonnie doing that. It's too weak and it'll be moving too fast.

Mike

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