Sub Tropical Storm Andrea

First named storm of the year. Wouldn't you know that it is sitting off the coast of NE Florida RIGHT where we're spending the next 4 days. What luck!

The hurricane hunters are due to fly into the storm this afternoon

ETA: The low-pressure area in the western Atlantic Ocean about 180 miles east of Jacksonville is acquiring tropical characteristics.

So despite hurricane season not officially beginning until June 1, the season's first sub tropical storm, named Andrea, has formed.The earliest date for a recorded storm is January 18. There was a storm in April of 2003, but this is the first May storm since 1981.




This message was edited May 9, 2007 12:57 PM

And so it begins again. Time to go through the provisions to make sure all is up to date. Sigh....

Wow! Look at that.. I don't like the season starting early. Please be careful, Sharon!!

Well, while she didn't produce the much needed rain she is certainly causing some misery. The storm flow is bringing lots of smoke into Tampa Bay. Cough, cough.

The smoke is thick enough to look like fog and ash particles are covering our vehicles

This is the smoke caught in the trees at 9:30 this morning. It's still as bad or worse now.

Florida has 210 wildfires burning at this moment (reported last night on the news)
One mosquito helicopter pilot reported seeing an ATV leaving the scene of a newly lit fire yesterday. He lost the ATV in the tree cover and wasn't able to continue the search because of low fuel.

Firebugs! What is the attraction? Yes, fire is beautiful but the damage, death and grief in the aftermath certainly is not.

We got 1/2" of rain off of Andrea. Not much, but at least something. We were smoke (from Waycross, GA fire) filled this morning (as Floridian), but the smoke is moving out now. It's hot and humid with warm winds.

I don't get the arsonist "thing" either. So many people and animals displaced.

I'm glad you got some rain and that the smoke is clearing. It's still real bad here. We were supposed to be in St Augustine this weekend but have put it off til the weekend of the 25th. Hopefully some of these fires will be under control by then. When you say Waycross is that the same as the ones they are calling the Okeefenokee fires?


Here's the latest from Bay News 9 - a local news and weather channel for our area:

The National Weather Service has issued a dense smoke advisory for every Bay area county, except Polk, until 4 p.m. (Polk is the county east of us)

That goes from Citrus County all the way south to Sarasota County.

The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County has issued an air pollution advisory, stating active children and adults with respiratory diseases such as asthma should limit prolonged exposure to the outdoors through Sunday. Also, the Pinellas County Division of Air Quality has issued an air pollution advisory, effective until further notice.

The Tampa Fire Rescue 911 center has received an above-average amount of calls related to people having trouble breathing

Visibility is poor throughout Tampa Bay. An area of low pressure that was once sub-tropical depression Andrea has pushed smoke from wildfires in southern Georgia and northern Florida into the Bay area with its counterclockwise motion, according to Bay News 9 meteorologist Juli Marquez.

Unfortunately, with rain chances low the next two days, relief doesn't appear to be imminent.

Small pieces of ash were actually falling in downtown Tampa and along Bayshore Boulevard early Friday morning, however, that appears to have subsided.

The improvement or deterioration of the hazy conditions will depend on the wind direction, which is currently north to northwest.

Hillsborough County schools are not holding P.E. classes or any other outdoor activities, however, classes are not being canceled.

The Florida Aquarium in downtown Tampa has closed its outdoor areas.

The Tarpon Springs City Hall, Public Works Building, Cultural Center and Heritage Museum have closed for the day.

Waycross is at the edge of the Okeefenokee Swamp.