DelRay Beach UPDATE

[AnthonyC]

Just a quick update from DelRay Beach as I just talked to my aunt who lives there.

1) They are still without power...going on 36 hours. They lost power around 5pm on Friday and are not expected to get it back until Monday morning at the earliest.

2) Very minor structural damage...many fences were blown down and a few roof tiles were blown away. Other than that, most houses were okay.

3) Not much rainfall on the northside of the system...but VERY STRONG winds. Although my aunt is no professional meteorologist, she estimated wind gusts in excess of 85mph. These winds lasted a very long time...nearly 12 hours.

4) Trees/tree branches/powerlines are all over the place...you can't walk more than 100 feet without stepping over/around something.

5) Local school district has cancelled school for tomorrow. (Monday, Aug. 28)

Overall, my aunt stated that alot of people were surprised by the strength/impact of Katrina. People had a set mind that nothing bad was gonna happen until it strengthened significantly right off the FL coast. By then, it was too late.

Anthony

[TheGreatWalter]

5) Local school district has cancelled school for tomorrow. (Monday, Aug. 28)

According the the PB County Schools Website (http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/)
schools will be open tomorrow (Sun 8/28) to groups that lease the schools, and all schools will be open on Mon 8/29 for classes.

[fci]

Just a quick update from DelRay Beach as I just talked to my aunt who lives there.

1) They are still without power...going on 36 hours. They lost power around 5pm on Friday and are not expected to get it back until Monday morning at the earliest.

2) Very minor structural damage...many fences were blown down and a few roof tiles were blown away. Other than that, most houses were okay.

3) Not much rainfall on the northside of the system...but VERY STRONG winds. Although my aunt is no professional meteorologist, she estimated wind gusts in excess of 85mph. These winds lasted a very long time...nearly 12 hours.

4) Trees/tree branches/powerlines are all over the place...you can't walk more than 100 feet without stepping over/around something.

5) Local school district has cancelled school for tomorrow. (Monday, Aug. 28)

Overall, my aunt stated that alot of people were surprised by the strength/impact of Katrina. People had a set mind that nothing bad was gonna happen until it strengthened significantly right off the FL coast. By then, it was too late.

Anthony

Anthony:
According to the Palm Beach Post, highest wind in the county was a gust to 64. The Hurricane Force winds extended out only about 15 miles and Delray Beach is a good 35 miles from where the center came ashore in Hallandale/North Miami Beach.

How can she call the wind a "gust" if she says it lasted for 12 hours.
Sounds like the definition of "sustained" and that did not occur ANYWHERE in Florida from the storm for any extended period of time, let alone 12 hours.

Local school district is Palm Beach County and they are definitely open on Monday!

She may be without power but very few are and she'll be glad to know that FP&L says all of Palm Beach County will have power restored today

Not sure where your aunt got her info from, but it is incorrect

[DelrayMorris]

Just a quick update from DelRay Beach as I just talked to my aunt who lives there.

1) They are still without power...going on 36 hours. They lost power around 5pm on Friday and are not expected to get it back until Monday morning at the earliest.

2) Very minor structural damage...many fences were blown down and a few roof tiles were blown away. Other than that, most houses were okay.

3) Not much rainfall on the northside of the system...but VERY STRONG winds. Although my aunt is no professional meteorologist, she estimated wind gusts in excess of 85mph. These winds lasted a very long time...nearly 12 hours.

4) Trees/tree branches/powerlines are all over the place...you can't walk more than 100 feet without stepping over/around something.

5) Local school district has cancelled school for tomorrow. (Monday, Aug. 28)

Overall, my aunt stated that alot of people were surprised by the strength/impact of Katrina. People had a set mind that nothing bad was gonna happen until it strengthened significantly right off the FL coast. By then, it was too late.

Anthony

I think your Aunt may be exaggerating a bit. There's not much debris here and as far as I can tell, with the exception of a few palm fronds and tree branches, there was no damage to trees. There are NO powerlines down that I've seen and all the fences look intact. Granted I didn't go to every corner of Delray Beach, but the power lines, fences and trees are intact everywhere I did go.

The winds were NOT very strong. We went through sustained winds of about 85 mph with Frances and for Delray, Katrina was NOT MUCH. We may have had sustained winds of about 45 mph during some of the rain bands, but I'm not sure if you even call it sustained winds if they only last for an hour or so at a time. The people to the south got hit hard, but Delray Beach was actually spared any real damage (Thank goodness).

FPL has said everyone will have their power back in PBC today, so I doubt your aunt will get it back on Monday. And for anyone reading this, Palm Beach County schools ARE in session on Monday. Just ask all my teenagers' friends who are bemoaning their fate.

Sorry to be so strong about this, but it's kind of upsetting to see things like this posted that are false when Katrina really did do damage to so many others (and is going to be worse for so many more). Let's keep our facts straight, eh?

[inotherwords]

5) Local school district has cancelled school for tomorrow. (Monday, Aug. 28)

Tomorrow is Sunday, August 28. I assume you meant the day after tomorrow, Monday, August 29.