Hi
everybody and welcome! Rain, rain go away, come on back some other day! I think
that is what many Broward County residents were probably saying on Tuesday and
Wednesday of this week. A nearly stationary frontal system that was dropping
down on central Florida set the stage for lots of moisture and a very unstable
atmosphere that produced the heavy rains and lightning storms. Much of the
eastern part of Broward County, which includes the Fort Lauderdale Metro area,
received anywhere from 8 – 16 inches of rainfall according to Doppler radar
estimates. This is an unprecedented amount of rain for a two-day time-span.
Here at my weather station in Port St. Lucie, I recorded a total rainfall
amount of 1.61 inches for the 3-day period of May 20 – 22.
There
were numerous reports of flood damage and wind damage throughout the eastern
part of Broward County. A funnel cloud was reported by the media at I-95 and
Broward Blvd. Flooding was reported in the 1500 block of Oakland Park Blvd.
Where water was entering at least 10 homes. Heavy street flooding was also
reported at Miramar Parkway and also on Dania Beach Blvd.
The
forecast calls for drier weather Friday and Saturday but a return to afternoon
thunderstorms all next week starting on Sunday, June 1st.
With
hurricane season such a short time away, this week I would like to talk about
what to do when a hurricane warning is issued. At this point you should
at least have all your supplies and several plans of action that you will
undertake depending on the severity of the storm. As a general rule of thumb,
you should always be prepared for the worse case scenario. It is always better
to be over prepared then under prepared. When a warning is issued you should
follow these guidelines.
1.
Stay tuned to local TV, radio and/or NOAA weather radio
for the very latest bulletins.
2.
You should stay home as long as you live in a sturdy
structure and you are on high ground and not in a flood zone. If you live in a
mobile home, evacuate to a safe area or to a shelter.
3.
Board up or use shutters on all windows and
doors.
4.
Move your valuables to a high location where
floodwaters are less likely to damage them. It is a good idea to move your
expensive electronics etc away from windows and doors.
5.
Bring in your pets.
6.
Fill plastic containers and your bathtub with water so
you have a several day supply of water.
7.
Remember to turn your refrigerator to its highest
setting and do not open unless it is necessary.
8.
Use your phone only if necessary. This helps keep the
lines open for emergencies.
9.
Stay in your home on the downwind side of your house
away from windows. If the storm becomes too intense, move into your “safe
room”.
10.
If you experience the eye of the hurricane, do not go
outdoors unless absolutely necessary. Remember, the eye can give you a false
sense of security. The second part of the storm will arrive with little warning
and can sometimes be more intense then the first part.
11.
If you decide to evacuate, do so very early and during
daylight.
12.
If you leave your home, shut off all electricity and
water before leaving. Take small valuables but travel as light as possible.
These are just a few of the more
important guidelines that you should follow if you are in the path of one of
these monster storms. Remember, the time to prepare is now.
Now, on to the Time Capsule.
June 6, l94l -- Polk Co., Haines City -- Tornado destroyed eight small
homes and 500 citrus trees. Twenty injuries.
June 6, l953 -- Florida Keys and northwest Florida -- Tropical Storm
-- On June 4th the center passed about 60 miles west of Dry Tortugas and moved
very near parallel to west coast of Florida and passed inland a short distance
west of Panama City, about noon of 6th. Winds remained below hurricane force
during entire history of this storm and highest winds experienced on land were
40 to 45 mph. Rains associated with the storm were beneficial.
June 6, l963 -- Three Lightning deaths in one afternoon: Hillsborough
Co., Tampa -- Lightning killed a small child in a bathtub. Jackson Co., Lake
Seminole -- Lightning killed a fisherman standing on the lake bank.
Hillsborough Co., Tampa -- Lightning killed a person repairing a roof.
June 6, l964 -- afternoon -- A Tropical Depression spawned several
tornadoes and waterspouts -- Duval Co., Normandy, Avondale and Lake Shore areas
-- Tornado unroofed homes and overturned trailers. -- Polk Co., Lake Marion,
Haines City -- Tornado/Waterspout over Lake Marion came ashore, destroying
three concrete block cottages.
June 8-9, l957 -- afternoon -- north central Florida -- A Tropical Storm
moved in from the Gulf of Mexico and crossed northwest Florida, spawning a
tornado outbreak and flooding rainfall. Five people drown in the Gulf of Mexico
when a small fishing vessel capsized in high seas. A shrimp boat was sunk off
Ft. Myers, and several other boats were driven ashore south of Tampa. At least
9 Tornadoes were reported in Alachua, Marion, Clay, Putnam, and Duval counties
(Jacksonville area). Tornadoes damaged roofs and uprooted trees. Heavy rains of
up to 19" in 48 hours caused much local flooding and considerable
agricultural damage, closed many roads and washed out several small bridges.
Two hundred people were evacuated from flooded residential areas in Taylor
County.
June 8 – 9, l966 -- Peninsula & west to Tallahassee Area --
ALMA, the second earliest hurricane on record to cross the Florida coastline,
moved northward out of the Caribbean Sea and through the Gulf of Mexico from 20
to 60 miles off the west coast before making landfall near Alligator Point on
the afternoon of the 9th. Highest winds of l25 mph and lowest pressure, 28.65
inches, were reported at Dry Tortugas on the afternoon of the 8th. Sustained
winds remained below hurricane force at all reporting stations in Florida
except in a small area around Alligator Point where winds were estimated
between 75 and 90 mph. Storm tides along the Gulf Coast ranged from two to 3
feet above normal in the Keys to seven to l0 feet above normal between about
New Port Richey and St. Marks. Part of the fishing village of Cedar Key was
inundated by rising tides and wave action. Rainfall ranged from two - 4 inches
on the southwest peninsula and north of Lake Okeechobee to 5-8 inches in Dade,
Broward and Palm Beach Counties. There was no serious flooding from rainfall in
the state. Principal damages were downed utility lines, beach erosion and salt
water flooding. Agriculture sustained some damage, notably the late season
vegetables in the central Gulf coast counties and the tobacco crop, both fine
cured and shade grown, in north Florida. There were four tornadoes reported in
the state. Two in Dade County and two in the Marianna area. Four other
tornado-like storms were reported; three in the Sarasota area between l030 and
ll00 pm on the 8th and one near Jacksonville on the afternoon of the 9th. Eight
deaths were attributed to Alma.
That’s all for this weeks Time Capsule. I hope you enjoyed it. I love to
hear from you! Please e-mail me your ideas and suggestions to JOESDISCOWEATHER@AOL.COM. As always,
for the latest in severe weather updates and now winter weather updates from
your hometown go to JOESDISCOWEATHERCENTRAL.COM! You can also join me for a
free cup of coffee and a free copy of The Hometown News at the Stuart K Mart
garden center every Saturday morning!