Tropical storm Irene forms in the NW caribbean. Winds are now 40 mph and it is heading N/NW at 8 mph. The hurricane center is saying that Irene could become a hurricane. It looks like The gulf coast should be keeping an eye on Irene, esp Florida

HURRICANE IRENE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 4A
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL8 AM EDT THU OCT 14 1999
...IRENE DRIFTING NORTHWARD TOWARD WESTERN CUBA...A THREAT TO FLORIDA...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CUBA INCLUDING THE
PROVINCES OF PINAR DEL RIO...HAVANA...CIUDAD HAVANA...MATANZAS AND
THE ISLE OF YOUTH.
A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE FLORIDA
KEYS WEST OF CRAIG KEY AND FOR THE DRY TORTUGAS...AND A HURRICANE OR
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS MORNING.
INTERESTS IN THE FLORIDA PENINSULA SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IRENE. A HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED
FOR A PORTION OF THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF FLORIDA LATER TODAY.
AT 8 AM EDT...1200 UTC
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.

The State of Florida Emergency Operations Center is at a Level 2 activation in response to Hurricane Irene. For updates on State activities, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/

I am planning to visit Marco Island this Saturday where I own a condo. Can anyone tell me what conditions I can expect by this Saturday. Is it safe to travel ? We are flying to Orlando and driving the rest of the way.
Michael O'Brien

Hurricane IRENE ADVISORY NUMBER 7
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 11 PM EDT THU OCT 14 1999
...WINDS INCREASING OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS...CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO
DETERIORATE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON FRIDAY...
AT 11 PM EDT...0300 UTC..THE HURRICANE WARNING IS EXTENDED NORTHWARD
ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST COAST TO THE ANCLOTE KEYS. A HURRICANE
WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH OF FLORIDA CITY AROUND THE
FLORIDA PENINSULA TO THE ANCLOTE KEYS...INCLUDING ALL OF THE FLORIDA
KEYS AND THE DRY TORTUGAS.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM
FLORIDA CITY TO JUPITER INLET ON THE FLORIDA EAST COAST AND FOR LAKEOKEECHOBEE.
AT 11 PM EDT...0300 UTC...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE
FLORIDA WEST COAST FROM NORTH OF THE ANCLOTE KEYS TO YANKEETOWN.
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE PROVINCES OF HAVANA
AND CIUDAD HAVANA CUBA. THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS DISCONTINUED THE
HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE PROVINCES OF PINAR DEL RIO...MATANZAS AND
THE ISLE OF YOUTH.
INTERESTS IN THE REMAINDER OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA SHOULD CONTINUE
TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IRENE.
AT 11 PM EDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 23.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.6 WEST OR ABOUT 95 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA.

I'm looking for reports from Cuba.

Here is a list of South Florida office closings, event postponements and cancellations today and over the weekend:

MONROE COUNTY
Key West city offices.
Monroe County offices.
City Electric System offices.
Weekend Adopt-a-Reef dives in the Keys.
Weekend Key West Police Department golf tournament.
Weekend Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival in Marathon.
Dry Tortugas National Park.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Everglades National Park.
Teacher workshops today and Saturday at Shark Valley off the Tamiami Trail.
Miami Book Fair International prefair activities.
Saturday and Sunday in the Park with Art at Fairchild Tropical Garden, rescheduled for Dec. 4-5.
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offices.
City of Miami firefighters graduation at Carver Middle School.
Orange Bowl Festival at Pro Player Stadium.
Florida International University's New Worlds astronomy lecture.
City of Miami Shake-a-Leg dedication and ribbon cutting event, rescheduled for Monday at 5 p.m.
Passengers flying out of Miami International Airport should call airlines to verify flights.

BROWARD COUNTY
Sunday's Around the World in Weston cultural festival.
Kids in Distress motorcade in Wilton Manors.
The International Game Fish Association Junior Angler Tournament, rescheduled for Oct. 23.
The United Way's ``Day of Caring'' to refurbish Broadview Elementary School in north Broward County, rescheduled for Nov. 5.
Bette Midler concert at the National Car Rental Center

Is the certain S. Fla areas in danger of high waters like Tarboro, NC? Let us know how y'all doing as we care...

Rain from 12AM Thurs til 10AM today 10.75". Took the rain gauge out of the yard to keep it out of someone's window. Wind Meter has had wind (one minute) of 32mph and gusts to 50(although this may be exaggerated bythe "funnle affect" of the other homes). Conditions deteriorating rapidly and if we have much more rain, the lake will be in some people's houses.

Conditions rapidly deteriorating here since about 14:00h. Consistent winds at 50MPH is my guess and horizontal rain. Lots of fronds flying by and the roads are rivers....hubby just came home from work in Ft. Lauderdale and said he heard the next two hours will be hellacious...

Thats all for now

Nancy

I would dispute your assessment. While the winds in Boca are a steady 20-25 mph, we have not had any gusts higher than 35 mph. The east side has no flooding at the moment and the rain is only a drizzle now. I am less than a mile from the ocean. The intracoastal is right up to the top, but our below grade parking has no water in it. I am however, sending people home. The power surges have been going on all afternoon, but not much worse than caused by a mid-summer thunderstorm.

Looks like very impressive feeder band just sitting over the miami area and training.....i predict 10"-15" of rain somewhere in S. Fl

I know it`s not allowed, BUT if any CBer communicates with someone in Varadero or Havana could you please post the conditions for us. I am a Canadian in Montreal, and my best buddy is in Varadero on vacation. No airport status reports have been posted since Thurs at 1400 hrs, and the only info we have is from CNN telling us that 6,000 tourists have been evacuated. (To where?)
Would really appreciate some feedback, as I`m sure Jose (above) would too!
Thanks in anticipation. If it`s too dicey to post here, please E-mail me.

Bill

Does any have an update on the current miami-dade conditions?