Fay / Cuba / Bahamas / Florida (obs / preps / reports)

[O Town]

It hasn't stop rainning "AT ALL" since 7:30 am this morning here at Saint Cloud, I am curious how much rain ws received here, and I do recall waking up once around 5 or 6am hearing a down pour

Click the link below its a list of weather stations around our area. The first 3 are of St. Cloud, click on them for more info.
I am guessing you are closest to the 3rd choice (APRSWXNET/Map189), they are showing 4.35 inches where the other two have hardly none.
St. Cloud Weather Stations


Rain picking up here in Orlando....

[karenfromheaven]

I posted this on the main thread for Fay, but it got buried in a hurry.
[...]

Port Condition 4 In Effect For Panhandle
Published: Mon, August 18, 2008 - 4:33 pm
Last Updated: Mon, August 18, 2008 - 4:39 pm
Coast Guard sets port condition for Florida panhandle
MOBILE, Ala. - The Coast Guard set the Port Status for the Panhandle of Florida to Condition 4 today, a 72-hour alert, in anticipation of Tropical Storm Fay.
[...]

I looked up Port Status X-Ray and found this:

This readiness condition is set when threatening winds of 39 mph are possible within 48 hours.
[...]

Anybody have any idea why they are doing this for the Panhandle? And, perhaps, Mobile? Just a precaution? I'm confused...

Sorry for the delay in this response, but seeing as we are back in the cone again, I thought I would provide my own speculation. This is a pretty significant shipping port here in Panama City. Here is a link to their website: Port Panama City There is also a Navy base across the bay from the port. Activity at the port increased greatly in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, because all the major ports to the west of here were shut down for varying amounts of time, and the next significant port is the Port of Tampa, which would be a huge trucking expense for items destined, to say, New Orleans. Since Katrina, the port has stayed pretty active, and some new business is arriving as a wood pellet plant to the north of here is shipping pellets to Europe.
Karen

[RL3AO]

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1236 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
GLADES COUNTY IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...PALMDALE...MOORE HAVEN...LAKEPORT...

* UNTIL 630 AM EDT

* AT 1220 AM EDT...EMERGENCY OF OPERATION CENTER OFFICIALS REPORTED
THAT WATER WAS CONTINUING TO RISE IN THE MUSE...ORTONA...AND
PALMDALE AREAS. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN SAND BAGGING
THREATENED HOMES. ALSO...HIGHWAY 74 HAS BEEN CLOSED AND THAT
PORTIONS OF HIGHWAY 29 AND WEST 78 HAVE WATER COVERING PARTS OF
THE HIGHWAY.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ORTONA...
MUSE...BUCKHEAD RIDGE AND BRIGHTON SEMINOLE INDIAN

[O Town]

[meteorologyman]

I am torked! What is wrong with people these days. Osceola County are the only schools that are open in Central Florida area.

[BobWX]

This thing will and can do anything it wants now. It could actually still go into the Northern Gulf Waters

[BobWX]

Appears to be strengthening a bit off the coast.

[sweetpea]

Wind is howling here, pouring rain, thunder and lightning.

[dixiebreeze]

Looks like we will get some action here on the gulf coast:

... Flood Watch in effect through Friday evening...

The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay area - Ruskin FL has
issued a

* Flood Watch for a portion of west central Florida... including
the following areas... Citrus... Hernando... Levy and Sumter.

* Through Friday evening

* Tropical Storm Fay will move slowly west-northwest across North
Florida tonight through Friday night or Saturday. Rain bands
associated with the storm will produce widespread heavy rains
and localized flooding. Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are
expected with locally higher amounts possible where the heaviest
rain bands persist the longest.

* Residents... particularly those in flood prone areas... as well
as those living near small streams and creeks... should be
prepared to move to higher ground.

A Flood Watch means that flooding is possible during the next
24 to 36 hours. Residents living in flood prone areas should take
action to protect property.

[Jinkers]

We just got one doozy of a rain band thru here, wind & horizontal rain, and now there's just a light breeze & cloudy

[baygirl_1]

Here's our forecast discussion from the Mobile NWS Office. Check out what Fay's going to be doing over Mississippi on Sunday! or should that be because I don't think they mean she's going to be playing the trumpet! This weekend looks really messy for us.

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
430 PM CDT THU AUG 21 2008
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)...THROUGH THE SHORT
TERM...FAY APPROACHES THE FA...WITH CURRENT THINKING THAT THE EASTERN
REGIONS OF THE FA WILL START SEEING WINDS 20KTS+ SATURDAY
MORNING...REACHING THE WESTERN EDGES OF THE FA BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS
THE CENTER OF FAY`S CIRCULATION BEGINS MOVING OVER THE FL PANHANDLE.
CURRENT FORECAST DOES NOT HAVE THE CENTER OF FAY OVER THE GULF WATERS
AS IT APPROACHES THE FA...SO DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY STRENGTHENING AS
IT MOVES OVER THE FA...SO AM NOT EXPECTING WIDESPREAD WIND PROBLEMS.
AM EXPECTING THE DRAW OF GULF MOISTURE TO POSSIBLY START CREATING
FLOODING PROBLEMS AS EARLY AS SATURDAY AFTERNOON...MAINLY SE OF
I-65...SO HAVE PUT A FF WATCH FOR THIS AREA. ALL IN ALL...A PRETTY
STRAIGHT FORWARD FORECAST. JUST AN INCREASE IN BOOK-KEEPING.
.LONG TERM...THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE PATH...ALONG
WITH SOME GUIDANCE INDICATING SOME NOODLING OF FAY OVER MS THE FIRST
HALF OF THE WEEK. HAVE LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST AFTER THE
SHORT TERM BECAUSE OF THIS UNCERTAINTY. HAVE LEFT THE PREVIOUS
EXTENDED PRETTY MUCH AS IS EXCEPT TO BLEND WITH THE SHORT TERM.

[Patrick99]

Big rain band set up this evening and just trained over my area of South Dade for 3-4 hours. Kept raining and raining, with only brief breaks. Probably about 3-4 different cells came through, I was watching them on the radar.

[meteorologyman]

geeze, this storm is a nussiance, I would like to compare this storm with Allison on biggest rain maker.

Any way I just looked at the lake which I live 3 block away here in Saint Cloud, and let me tell you something. This city had just finished the construction to reduce flooding 1 month ago and so far it has done a great job, but heres the bad news. It's about to crest over. and more rain is on the rain.....not good

[sweetpea]

We have been in the eye since noon today. Still are there!! This chick needs to go away!!! I love storms, but this one has worked my last nerve.

[dizzyfish]

We are seeing some action in my neck of the woods this morning. Both me (Pasco) and my sister (Hernando) look to get lots of rain and wind today. I worry about them because they are in a mobile home and under a Tropical Storm Warning today.

[artist]

still getting bands through here. At least yesterday it was more dry than wet. Today remains to be seen. My thoughts are with all of you. Hope everyone can stay high and dry.

[JonathanBelles]

15-20mph winds and sprinkles.

[Patrick99]

Very heavy rain just now, in another nasty squall line, thanks to Fay. I hope it doesn't train over me like it did yesterday...I like the rain, but that was a bit much.

[JonathanBelles]

Waterspout turned into a Tornado today in Polk County took out a bridge and 4 houses.

[karenfromheaven]

According to the radar, we are currently in the center of circulation. Sky is overcast and the wind is dead calm. My first "eye" experience! I have to check the dock lines on my boat, as I expect the back side to have higher winds off the gulf.