On/Off Hurricane Ping list, mash ---> 
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Posted on 08/29/2006 4:10:44 AM PDT by NautiNurse
Tropical Storm Ernesto strengthened slightly overnight in the warm waters north of Cuba after its circulation was seriously hampered by extended interaction with land yesterday. Ernesto is moving northwest at 14 mph toward South Florida. Tropical Storm Warnings and Hurricane Watches are in effect across the Florida Peninsula and Keys from New Smyrna Beach to Bonita Beach. Landfall is currently anticipated by 2 AM Wednesday. Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches are possible over portions of eastern and southern Florida and the Keys through Wednesday...with isolated amounts up to 15 inches possible over southeastern Florida.
Long lines for gasoline and empty store shelves were common Monday in South Florida in anticipation of Ernesto's arrival. Some residents in towns surrounding Lake Okeechobee were asked to evacuate and the federal government sent dozens of officials and truckloads of supplies to Florida in advance of the storm.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Director R. David Paulison said he was rushing tens of thousands more pre-made meals and bottles of water to Miami and Jacksonville in advance of Ernesto's arrival. That was in addition to hundreds of truckloads of supplies, ice, tarps and plastic sheeting already in the state.
Paulison added that Florida officials haven't yet asked for federal help.
Miami-Dade ordered a mandatory evacuation of residents living in trailer parks and unsafe structures beginning at 7 a.m. today. Unsafe structures include those with extensive damage as yet unrepaired from the 2005 hurricane season.
Governor Bush issued an executive order authorizing the suspension of early voting in Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties. Bush announced Florida has substantial gasoline reserves for storm preparation.
In Cuba, there were no reports of deaths or serious damage as 600,000 people who were evacuated returned home after Ernesto's threat subsided.
Public Advisories Updated every three hours.
Tropical Storm Discussion Updated every six hours
Ernesto Storm Track Archive Nice animated progression of 3 & 5 day forecast tracks
Buoy Data Florida & Eastern GOM
Satellite Images
Additional Resources:
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City
| Category | Wind Speed | Barometric Pressure | Storm Surge | Damage Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression |
< 39 mph < 34 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Tropical Storm |
39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Hurricane 1 (Weak) |
74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts |
28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more |
4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m |
Minimal damage to vegetation |
| Hurricane 2 (Moderate) |
96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts |
28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb |
6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m |
Moderate damage to houses |
| Hurricane 3 (Strong) |
111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts |
27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb |
9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m |
Extensive damage to small buildings |
| Hurricane 4 (Very strong) |
131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts |
27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb |
13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m |
Extreme structural damage |
| Hurricane 5 (Devastating) |
Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts |
Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb |
Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m |
Catastrophic building failures possible |
Previous Threads:
Tropical Storm Ernesto
Hurricane Ernesto
TS/Hurricane/TS Ernesto
On/Off Hurricane Ping list, mash ---> .
This one's starting to look like a non-issue. MSM is deeply saddened.
Out of the loop today and tomorrow ... safety and good luck to all, and go back home, Ernesto.
Good morning! Thanks for the new thread!
Thanks, as always, for doing the hurricane threads, NN!!
Between Haiti and Cuba, Ernesto has certainly taken a beating. It's got some 87-89º water ahead, however. Floridians need to remain vigilant for intensification.
Morning, ladies! I expect this morning is the best weather we'll be seeing for the next couple of days.
What ever it is, that big blob of storms is headed my way. Hopefully I will get back home from work before the streets flood.
Thanks again for posting that great link to the forecast track model progression.
I think you're right:) It's lovely here this morning..I'm going outside to putter in my garden for a bit!
BAMM shows a west coast hit while the other models have it going up the middle with an exit between Cocoa Beach and Daytona. What will it be, we wonder.
...at least, not this time.
And, don't buy the water. Fill 5 Gal plastic containers with water from the garden hose. It's almost free.
Please use common sense when posting graphics--keeping in mind there are FReepers who use dial-up access to the internetFrom a FReeper trapped in 56K dialup HELL, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh that all FReepers were as considerate as you.
hehehe--we know you aren't a county employee...
You are welcome.
Still a lot of dry air being pushed into it. That upper low sure has been beating Ernesto up - first with shear and then with dry air. The current burst of convection is not very impressive, especially since the center of convection is SW of it - which means there is a fair chance the convection will not be able to wrap around the center prior to landfall.
Very interesting. Last year BAMM, for all its simplicity, did the best job with the 3-5 day forecast track. But they are going with GFDL.
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