Tom Terry - Orlando met's reporting

[Terry]

Well, things picked up here a bit in central FL with a tornado warning and our home in it's path. Only a doppler reported event at present. Wind has picked up a bit.

Paraphrasing Tom Terry from Orlando Channel 9 who has been pretty right-on with Frances:

- Ground zero is Vero to Melbourne
- Worst ever for Central FLA
- Labor Day disaster
- Just now really starting in that ground zero area and will continue for next twelve hours.
- Twenty inchesof rain expected.

All day he has been saying that the extended visit of Frances is a first for central FL.........longest period of time for hurricane force winds.

This guy is great and his Viper and staff are awesome.

I did speak several times with my brother who is in the Port Salerno area - east of Federal 1 and just north of Hobe Sound: most neighbors did not board up. He did and reinforced his garage. Lost power at 9 am this morning. Phones still working. They should be in the eye right now.

[Guest]

Looks like to me Jupiter Inlet was ground zero.

[NFLnut]

Maybe Tom is a little full of himself after getting lucky with Charley. I find those bullet points a little hyperbolic, and the Ground Zero is much farther south. I have found that channel 6 has been much more palatable and informative.

[rocknole]

Maybe Tom is a little full of himself after getting lucky with Charley. I find those bullet points a little hyperbolic, and the Ground Zero is much farther south. I have found that channel 6 has been much more palatable and informative.

I agree. We evacuated from Rockledge, but some friends say that Terry predicted a category 4 in North Brevard yesterday. He seems to be trying to make this as much of a central florida deal as possible since that time. I am not saying that central florida will not be hit hard, but it is obvious that "ground zero" is farther south than vero to melbourne.

[Terry]

"ground zero" refers to the more severe damage area which is on north side of eye at landfall....thus the Vero area.

Just his (Tom Terry's) point of view, coupled with his Viper system.

He actually just said that he believes that the sustained 100 mph winds predicted to last in Vero area through 9 am will cause Andrew similar problems.

Remember, we're talking about the damage areas, which I was told would be on the entire north semi-circle of this landfalling storm.

[logybogy]

Yes, it could most definitely cause Hurricane Andrew damage if those 100 mph cells linger and linger and linger over Vero Beach/Palm Bay/Melbourne for hours and hours and hours.

Remember the building codes in that part of Florida are not that strong.

[NC George]

Yes I think the damage between Daytona and Ft. Pierce will be the worst for this storm. The winds will be blowing hurricane force for hours, straight onshore, no long eye passage break, and the storms in this area look equal to those on the eyewall judging by radar. Area eye passes over will be next worst, and S of eye will be least damaged.