[__ Prayer __] Double Tropical Trouble....

[Homeskillet]

Tropical storm Bonnie will probably hit the panhandle of Florida tomorrow morning...it's not that strong and will probably just bring a lot of heavy wind and rain.

Hurricane Charlie on the other hand continues to gain strength...and according to the forecasters where I live is in it's direct path. My office will be closed Friday as that is when it is most likely to hit (unless it changes route or weakens before then)

Anyway, I don't know of anyone else who lives in Florida (and the other states it may potentially threaten?), but just thought I would share....here is a picture of the projected path for Charlie (I put a blue dot about where I live) and the latest forecast below from the weather channel.

From Weather.com
1:01 A.M. ET Thu.,Aug.12,2004
James Wilson, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Two strengthening tropical systems are churning through the Atlantic Basin, one in the Gulf of Mexico, the other in the northern Caribbean Sea.
Tropical Storm Bonnie is edging toward the northeast in the central Gulf of Mexico. Bonnie could move across the Florida Panhandle late Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Charley is churning west-northwestward through the north-central Caribbean Sea. Conditions are favorable for Charley to continue to strengthen.

A large upper-level system dominates much of the U.S. A strong southwesterly flow aloft will rapidly steer Bonnie and then Charley up the Eastern Seaboard, just ahead of a cold front, Friday and this weekend. Flooding rain will be a major concern as these systems drench Florida to Virginia.

 

[Scott]

I'm always fascinated with hurricanes and strong storms. Hopefully these storms won't be a problem for all you who live down there.

 

[Homeskillet]

Update, ...they have closed all schools, etc. issued a hurricane warning for here and a mandatory evacuation, so I am off to mom's house as soon as I get done here.

Charlie has been upgraded to a cat. 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds

 

[Homeskillet]

Here's the latest...and prayers are appreciated as we are in its direct path (Ft. Myers). THANK you. (Maybe this should be moved to prayer requests?)

As we head closer to dinner time, Charley will be approaching the southwest Florida coast with winds forecast to be near 120 mph which would make Charley a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The brunt of the storm is still forecast to be between the cities of Tampa and Ft. Myers although latest indications pinpoint landfall just south of Tampa closer to the Sarasota and Venice areas. Charley will definitely have a large (possibly deadly) storm surge factor, dangerous winds, and more heavy tropical rains. A right-front quadrant(the strongest part of a hurricane) direct hit on Tampa from Charley could lead to a potential disastrous storm surge of 10 to 16 feet. A right-front quadrant direct hit on Ft. Myers could lead to a potential storm surge of 8 to 11 feet. Hurricane warnings are posted from the Lower Keys northward along the Florida Gulf coast to the Steinhatchee River. This warning area includes Naples, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Clearwater, and Tampa.

 

[Scott]

May the Lord keep you and your family and other families down there safe.

 

[Homeskillet]

The storm has just changed direction and is now expected to be a DIRECT hit here to SW fla (Lee and Charlotte County)

It is now a STRONG category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds!!!! The largest EVER here they said.

Lord be with us!

 

[destiny]

Josie!!!!!! Are you still out there?????

 

[Homeskillet]

Hi Destiny, Praise God, I am still here!

My family survived VERY well considering the destruction around us. Lee County (where I live) didn't get hit near as hard as Charlotte County but we still got hit hard nonetheless, especially Ft Myers Beach, Sanibel/Captiva, and Pine Island.

I finally got power restored today (PRAISE God) ...it has been so hot...it's amazing the things I took for granted just last week...and I'm not talking about things like cable tv or the internet or even air conditioning, but just BASIC necessities such as WATER and ICE ...Nothing like a category 4 hurricane to put things into perspective for you.

There's more I want to post about, it has been SUCH an amazing 6 days....LIFE changing. But, there is still much to be done around here. PLEASE continue to pray for those who lost their homes, their jobs, family members, pets, schools, etc. So many people are hurting right now and need our help.

 

[destiny]

Everything always works to the good of those who are in Jesus doesn't it?
I'm glad you guys made it through and are ok!
I prayed for you because we were supposedly in the path of it there for awhile...i'm in southeast Ga. about 45 miles west of st. simons island.
It completely missed us, thank God!!!!