The Official Hurricane Frances thread...

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- CLOSING IN

Factors may stop storm from regrowth


The hurricane is hurt by wind shear and its proximity to land.


September 4, 2004


A weaker Hurricane Frances crept closer to Central Florida on Friday under conditions that appeared unfavorable for the storm to regain its former strength.

The mammoth storm lost some of its punch as it pounded the Bahamas, becoming a Category 2 storm Friday evening, with sustained winds near 105 mph.

Experts said there were signs Frances could continue weakening before landfall, but forecasters at the National Hurricane Center outside Miami cautioned that intensity predictions are, at best, an inexact science.

"We really don't have good skills on intensity yet," said Lixion Avila, a hurricane-center forecaster. "Will Frances get weaker? Will it get back to Category 4 [with winds greater than 130 mph]? We just don't know."

A number of factors could prevent the storm from getting stronger.

One is the easterly wind flow generated by a high-altitude area of low pressure off the coast of Jacksonville. Those upper-level winds are shearing the top off the hurricane, providing some resistance to the storm's regaining its intensity.

Another obstacle is Frances' massive size. Hurricanes build over the ocean as they suck in warm, humid air and expel drier, cooler air into the upper atmosphere. This giant heat engine -- an average hurricane produces energy comparable to the United States' total annual output of electricity -- is throttled back when storms move over land.

Frances' passage through the Bahamas on Friday was a factor in the storm's getting weaker and less organized but slightly more spread out.

By the time of the hurricane's predicted landfall today on Florida's Atlantic coast, much of the storm will be over land. That cuts down on the fuel available for Frances to grow stronger.

"The intensity should start dropping 12 hours before landfall," said T.N. Krishnamurti, a professor of meteorology at Florida State University. "This storm is so big that half of the storm will be over land, not receiving energy from the ocean, before the eye ever makes landfall."

The inner wall surrounding the storm's eye became weaker and less well-defined Friday before a new eye wall began appearing to take shape. Meteorologists say the phenomenon is normal with many hurricanes and isn't necessarily a predictor of the storm's eventual strength.

"As this transformation begins, the storm can weaken or wobble some," Krishnamurti said. "But then a new inner eye wall can form up again."

One factor in Frances' favor is that the storm's path soon will bring it into shallower, warmer waters off Florida's East Coast. The so-called Gulf Stream effect often makes storms more intense.

In this case, however, the effect is expected to be marginal. The Gulf Stream's 87-degree water temperatures are only a degree or so warmer than those in the storm's present location.

Forecaster Avila expects the intensifying effects of the Gulf Stream and inhibiting influence of the upper-level winds to more or less cancel each other out.

"I think the best bet at the moment is for the storm to remain at close to its current intensity," Avila said.

Krishnamurti is more optimistic, predicting Frances could weaken to a strong Category 1 storm with winds less than 96 mph.

Experts agree that regardless of wind speed, the slow-moving hurricane will deluge Central Florida with torrential rain, perhaps as much as 18 inches in some locations. And floodwaters often are the deadliest part of the storm.

"Don't let your guard down," said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center. "Just because we don't have that distinct eye doesn't mean this isn't a powerful storm. It has a very wide wind field capable of causing enormous damage and, if we're not careful, loss of life."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- CLOSING IN

Weary Polk, Osceola residents await storm

After a massive hit from Charley, many fear the devastation a 2nd hurricane may bring.


September 4, 2004


Still reeling from the blows inflicted by Hurricane Charley, residents of Polk and Osceola counties Friday prepared for Hurricane Frances with a sense of dread and disbelief that their worst nightmare could happen again.

"Everyone here is upset because they don't know if the house will be there when they get home because they're already damaged," said Carol Conde, manager of a Red Cross shelter in Poinciana.

Just as Central Florida's hardest-hit counties finished their Charley damage assessments a week ago and people readjusted to life with electricity, here comes Frances.

It didn't take much for residents to go back into hurricane mode -- many of them never left it. People were resigned to another uncertain stretch, wondering if hurricane-force winds or rising floodwaters would doom their home.

Rudiger Palou and his family weren't going far from home. At lunchtime Friday, Palou was setting up an air mattress in the gym of Discovery Intermediate School in Poinciana. His wife, Sylvania, kept their daughters Cinnthia, 3, and Stephani, 2, busy with books while he explained their predicament.

"The roof is gone from Charley," said Palou, who moved to Poinciana from Uruguay 10 months ago. "However long the storm is passing, we will be here."

Most of the other 60 people signed in at the Red Cross shelter had suffered the same fate, Conde said.

Polk County sustained $740 million in damage from Charley -- more than double any other Central Florida county. Osceola was No. 2, with $289 million in damage.

Hardest hit in Polk were mobile homes -- more than 6,300 were damaged.

Becky Bronson's mobile home near Lake Buffum in south Polk was leveled by Charley. She and her husband have been living in a camper next door since then, still waiting to hear from their insurance company. Bronson is waiting in Tampa this time.

"We'll probably need a boat to get back in," she said.

"After going through Charley, anything I tied down wasn't there when I went back," she said. "So we're just hoping for the best."

Sitting down to a plastic foam plate of cafeteria pizza with neighbors at the Haines City High School shelter, 83-year-old Russell Flagg said back-to-back hurricanes was just too much.

"For people our age, we don't like to have to go through this," Flagg said. He and his wife, Rita, lived through hurricanes Betsy and Camille in New Orleans in the 1960s, but rode those storms out in a more substantial home.

"We weren't living in a tin can then," he said of their manufactured home on Lake Henry. Many docks on the lake are already under water.

Frances is expected to heap high winds and up to 20 inches of rain in a single day in counties already so low-lying that places such as Laura Gonzalez's front yard in Poinciana flood from just old-fashioned rain storms.

"We are very afraid, because Charley was bad enough," Gonzalez said. "There has already been too much devastation. Everything is going to get crazy."

Phyllis Haines, 83, checking into the Haines City Red Cross shelter Friday, was disillusioned by the inland safety she thought she had in Polk County. "We aren't even supposed to have them [hurricanes] here," Haines said. "They're supposed to stay on the coast."

The stress of back-to-back storms on a person's mental health can't be underestimated, area experts said.

"Their nerves are frayed, they're on edge and they tend to be more irritable," said Kirk Fasshauer, manager of the Peace River Center's Crisis Response Team in Polk.

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- CLOSING IN

Storm churns through isles of Bahamas


September 4, 2004


NASSAU, Bahamas -- Hurricane Frances barreled up the Bahamas on Friday, ravaging island after island with high winds, heavy rains and surging seas as it took aim on Florida.

In Nassau, home to two-thirds of the nation's 300,000 inhabitants, 90-mph gusts blew out windows, sheared limbs off trees and ripped power lines from utility poles. White surf smashed boats into sea walls and flooded coastal roads.

A Nassau teenager was electrocuted Friday, the first death here attributed to Frances. Police reported scattered looting in the capital.

On the more sparsely populated islands that were directly in the hurricane's path, sustained winds of up to 145 mph plucked trees from the ground, tore roofs off houses and wiped out bananas, coconuts and other key crops.

"This storm has become very intimate with the Bahamas," government meteorologist Michael Stubbs said. "It's touching just about every island."

Weakening to a still-powerful Category 2 hurricane, with sustained winds of 105 mph, the Texas-sized storm was churning late Friday toward the island of Grand Bahama, home to Freeport, the nation's second-largest city. Police there were pleading with residents to evacuate low-lying neighborhoods that already were flooding Friday evening.

Earlier Friday in Nassau, 18-year-old Kenrad Delaney was electrocuted as he tried to fill a generator with diesel fuel, police said. One man was arrested in the capital as he attempted to steal appliances. Another broke into a gas station. Guards were dispatched to Nassau International Airport after winds tore open offices there.

Sections of the island remained without power through the day. Prime Minister Perry Christie made a brief tour in the afternoon to find damaged buildings, flooded streets and debris everywhere.

"If this is any indication," he told a local radio station, "we have some very real challenges ahead of us that will require not only major effort but major funding."

He said he had contacted the Inter-American Development Bank for assistance. Teams from the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Pan American Health Organization were in the islands, and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency and a British aid vessel were standing by.

Meanwhile, preliminary reports were coming in from those islands hit hardest by the hurricane. On San Salvador, trapped under the slow-moving storm for more than 30 hours Thursday and Friday, 15 to 20 percent of homes were damaged, National Disaster Emergency Coordinator Carl Smith said.

Winds tore roofs off a high school on Long Island and a church on Cat Island, and splintered trees on Eleuthera. Electricity, telephone and water lines were cut all along the storm route.

The U.S. State Department had urged American citizens earlier this week to leave the Bahamas and evacuated about 200 nonemergency diplomatic personnel and family members Wednesday.

Cruise lines diverted ships; airlines canceled flights. Some hotels closed; others urged guests out of their rooms and into better-protected restaurants or conference centers.

Marshall Darville was waiting out the storm with his family in their home in the Seabreeze settlement outside of Nassau.

With no power since Thursday, they were using hurricane lanterns to see and a camping stove to cook tuna, corned beef and grits. Gusts had peeled up shingles, splintered trees and littered the yard with debris. Water was seeping in through the front door.

"It's going to be a tremendous task to clean up afterward," Darville, owner of an auto paint-and-body shop in the capital, said while the winds still howled. "Now, you just batten up and sit tight."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- CLOSING IN

Some plan to ride out Frances inside beachside homes

A few optimistic residents ignore mandatory evacuation orders, saying their homes are secure.


September 4, 2004


ORMOND BEACH -- As his neighbors finished packing and headed out to evacuate Thursday morning, John D. Taylor decided to work on his tan.

About 11 a.m., about three hours after the evacuation order for Volusia beachside neighborhoods became mandatory, he had set out a lawn chair in his driveway, laid down a few towels and started spraying the suntan lotion.

"Might as well, since we won't have any sun for a couple of days," said the 66-year-old.

Taylor was among a handful of residents in Ormond-by-the-Sea who ignored the evacuation order and planned to ride out the storm in their beachside homes.

Most of the community heeded the warnings and took the evacuation seriously. Condominiums facing the ocean had cleared, as had homes that still have roof damage from Hurricane Charley.

But a quick survey of this beachside neighborhood in Volusia's northeast corner found a handful of people on each block who weren't planning to leave.

On Ocean Aire Terrace, a couple sipped their morning coffee on their open front porch as they listened to the bullhorn call of a Volusia County deputy sheriff announcing the mandatory evacuation. On Sea Isle Drive, a family of four headed for a beach swim. On John Anderson Drive, a pair of 8-year-old boys rode their bikes through a street with little traffic.

On Taylor's block, Peninsula Winds Drive, about eight people decided to stay.

"It's not going to hit us," said Taylor, who moved to Ormond-by-the-Sea 12 years ago from Mahopac, N.Y. "We're survivors."

He had his car packed with all his essentials, if the storm track changed at the last minute, but he was optimistic that he and his wife, Patricia, wouldn't have trouble.

And he didn't flinch at the thought of the danger. "I figure if something happens, we go together," he said. "That's one way to look at it."

Other neighbors were just as optimistic. Dave Serkin, a World War II veteran, didn't think the storm surge would reach him. "We're on higher ground, 16 feet above sea level, and that water is not going over that barricade," Serkin said. "I know about hurricanes. I was 3 years old when the 1925 hurricane struck in Miami, the headquarters of hurricanes."

Noble Bennet, of Peninsula Winds Drive, felt ready for the storm. He had plenty of food and a generator and he thinks that his home will be secure, with his windows covered with aluminum plates.

"Yes, there's going to be wind, but I think that if the track stays the same, it'll be about what Charley was like," Bennett said. "Maybe I'm being optimistic, but it's my house and I want to stay here."

 

[Tim G]

Before Frances even gets here, Ivan grows in Atlantic

The National Hurricane Center says the storm may reach hurricane intensity by Sunday


September 4, 2004


While Florida waited nervously for Hurricane Frances, Tropical Storm Ivan was gaining strength in the distant Atlantic.

Hurricane expert William Gray predicted an active September.

"The land-falling hurricanes should not be taken as indicating that Florida is experiencing something new," Gray said.

"The real surprise is that peninsular Florida has experienced so few major hurricane strikes the past 38 years."

Friday evening, Ivan was about 865 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, with sustained winds of about 50 mph, moving west southwest at 20 mph.

According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the environment appears favorable for gradual intensification, with the possibility of Ivan reaching hurricane intensity by Sunday.

Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 60 miles from the center.

A general westward and eventually west-northwestward motion is expected for the next several days.

<!-- <hed>Before Frances even gets here, Ivan grows in Atlantic</hed><intro>The National Hurricane Center says the storm may reach hurricane intensity by Sunday. </intro> -->

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- CLOSING IN

Anxious, but coping

Central Floridians prepare, uncertain about what's ahead


September 4, 2004


As the second major hurricane in less than a month continued to bear down on Central Florida, we counted the hours until landfall with a tumult of activities and emotions.

Hands were kept busy while we cast one eye on everything in life that matters, and the other on The Weather Channel.

"My mood? My mood is cautious," said William M. Vail Jr., 45, manager of Woodlawn Funeral Home in Gotha, where cemetery machinery was moved inside, debris from the last hurricane swept up, and business suspended. This freed Vail to head home for the evening, make popcorn and watch the Blockbuster rental Jersey Girl with his wife Jillian and two cats.

"And enjoy the air conditioning," he added, "for as long as it lasts."

Across the area, folks were making final preparations for what might be a long haul.

Or not. Who knows?

Joyce Taylor of Orange County had two suitcases packed and waiting. One was for an upcoming seven-day Alaska cruise. The other was for several days in the Orange County Emergency Operations Center.

"I'm just waiting to see which suitcase I'm going to grab," said Taylor, 46, a 911 call-center supervisor. "I have sweatshirts and sweaters in one; T-shirts in the other."

That's what was nervewracking -- the uncertainty of what was coming.

"What a month for you guys," said trauma psychologist Robert Butterworth of California. "You dealt with what happened with Hurricane Charley, and now you're dealing with the fear of what is going to happen with Hurricane Frances. It's called anticipatory anxiety -- the fears you build up in your mind. You tell yourself, well, we went through this once, we can do it again. But maybe the next one could be worse?"

Friday, the weeks of worry showed.

"I see a lot of restrained anxiety," said the Rev. Jack Jackson of New Hope United Methodist Church in downtown Orlando. His wife, Anna, and 4-year-old twins hit the road for Atlanta, leaving the minister to tend to his flock. "I grew up here in Orlando and I've never seen one storm like this, much less two. I think there's just a realization that this one's going to be different from Charley, maybe more damaging in some ways, certainly with more rain."

The unpredictability of Hurricane Frances -- revealed every three hours in reports from the National Hurricane Center -- sent some scurrying for the peace of mind only chocolate can provide.

"We're loading up on comfort food," said Tami McGraw, 24, enjoying a java-chip Frappucino and cinnamon scone at Starbucks in Altamonte Springs. Her cousin Christyn Taylor, who had arrived from Homestead at 3 a.m. after a 12-hour ordeal on traffic-jammed roads, was having hot chocolate and a cinnamon roll.

"We tried to get cash but no banks were open," said Taylor, 24. "I brought groceries and games, so we'll sit tight tonight and play Scattegories."

Teachers were feeling the stress of having schools open, then close, then open, then close.

"I spent one day on the ancient world and will have to rush into Greece," said Sarah McLeod, who teaches literature and humanities at Apopka High School and has taught only 12 out of a planned 20 days of school. "I was supposed to teach Plato and Aristotle, but we spent most of the class putting plastic on things."

New mother Lori Tantillo, 39, had endured three weeks of exasperation -- of dodging downed oaks, five days with no power, more than a week with no work and no pay and a 4-month-old baby who'd already been through more than her fair share of turmoil. By Friday, Tantillo and husband Don were weary of watching the forecast change and had sought refuge -- with the baby and their three dogs -- in a Tampa hotel room. "I finally had to tell myself, I'm worrying over something I can't control," she said. "I mean, how can you even prepare when they keep changing which way the storm is supposed to go? It may turn out Tampa is the wrong place to be."

For Laurie Bobletz, 43, it was a week of making and breaking plans, virtually up to the last minute. Initially, the Orlando mother of three was supposed to leave Thursday for a family vacation to a hot-air balloon festival in Pine Mountain, Ga. When the threat of Frances forced the cancellation of the festival, the Bobletzes booked a hotel room in Pensacola.

"That idea didn't work too well, either," Bobletz said. "It turned out the hurricane might head there next."

The hotel cancellation fee was only $25, but the previously booked minivan was another matter. Three days, no refund -- so Bobletz figured they might as well enjoy it and get out of town, even though they didn't know where they'd stay or if they'd find the gas to get there. Better bring the tent, she told her husband, just in case.

Husband Richard, 45, had spent eight hours in line to buy two pieces of plywood for the house, and he and Laurie had found a dog-sitter and covered the computer and stereo in plastic garbage sacks.

When last seen Friday afternoon, they were packing up the van and heading north, hoping to spend a couple of days at Six Flags Over Georgia, riding the roller coaster.

And why not? They'd been riding a metaphorical one all week.

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- IT'S A GHOST TOWN

Tourists, residents clear out of Daytona Beach

Few people stick around after the hurricane warnings are posted


September 4, 2004


DAYTONA BEACH -- A few blocks from the churning sea, the two-tone ranch homes were boarded up and driveways were empty, but Don Webb was out Friday morning mowing his neighbor's front lawn.

"It's just another day in paradise," said Webb, 54, his shaved, stubbly head beaded with sweat. "The only thing that's different, there's not one bird anywhere."

Despite the beautiful blue skies and cotton-candy clouds, the World's Most Famous Beach was a succession of empty parking lots. With Hurricane Frances bearing down on Central Florida and the beachside under a mandatory-evacuation order as of 8 a.m., the hotels were dark, T-shirt shops were boarded up and most residents were long gone.

On any other Friday, weekenders would have been piling into lobbies. State Road A1A would have been backed up with traffic. And the beach would have offered a steady parade of bathers and more cars.

"It's a ghost town," said Shannon Morgan, 17. She had been walking in the surf with her boyfriend looking for sand dollars just south of the Main Street pier until the Volusia County Beach Patrol cleared them and the few other sightseers off the beach with megaphones.

"People panic too much," said Morgan's boyfriend, Adam Ratcliff, 25. "We ain't worried at all."

Morgan and Ratcliff drove from Deltona. But Daytona Beach native Andrew Clark, 40, who was pushing his 3-year-old son, Doug, in a stroller along leafy Peninsula Drive, said the sparse traffic reminded him of the old days, when just a few homes were scattered along the barrier island.

"It's unbelievably quiet," Clark said. "It seems like most of the people staying are locals who've lived here a long time. Not that we're taking anything for granted."

A few blocks south, Dave Jones, 52, said his cat, Skyler, had meowed for an hour in the morning and was sleeping under a bed rather than in his usual spot on a chair by the fireplace.

"He knows something's up," Jones said.

But Jones wasn't too worried. With his home built into some of the highest natural ground on the beachside, his shuttered windows secured with boards and sandbags ready for both sides of each exterior door, Jones was looking forward to barbecuing later with a few neighbors who planned to stay through the storm like him.

"We'll just have a glass of wine and talk about the storm," Jones said. "If you're going to lose power, why not have a good time and cook some of that food before you lose it?"

Don Jacobs said he had chosen the eerie isolation of his 100-year-old Botefuhr Avenue apartment over the possibility of being stranded on roads packed past capacity with cars.

"There's really no place to go in a 200-mile radius. Every motel's filled up," Jacobs said. "I'll be safer right here."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- CLOSING IN

Meteorology students chase Frances

While most people evacuate from the waterfront in Fort Pierce, a 3-man team waits to capture Frances' landfall on videotape


September 4, 2004


FORT PIERCE -- It was the car that most people noticed first, which was understandable.

You don't see many 1991 Mercury Marquis vehicles equipped with a roof rack sprouting a 3-foot wind anemometer, a rain gauge, weather sensors and yellow emergency light and big signs on the side that read "STORMFRONT."

"I guess most people have probably never seen anything like it," conceded David Tipton, 19, the car's owner and head of a three-man team of storm chasers hoping to place themselves directly in the path of Hurricane Frances.

On the waterfront here Friday, Tipton found himself facing a steady stream of questions from curious passers-by who wondered what he was doing.

His answer -- that he hoped to observe and document the effects of a major hurricane making landfall -- left some shaking their heads.

"A lot of people just think we're crazy, I guess," Tipton said. "But this is what I've wanted to do my whole life."

Tipton was 6 years old and living in Boston when Hurricane Bob struck that city in 1991. The storm ripped most of the shingles off his family's home and tore down trees in the neighborhood.

For many kids, experiencing the raw power of a hurricane must have been a frightening ordeal. For Tipton, who still remembers how calmly he observed the wind and driving rain of the storm, it was a defining moment.

"I knew right then what I wanted to do with my life," he said.

He began studying meteorology on his own in middle school and became a storm chaser in high school, pursuing tornadoes in the Midwest.

He equipped his faded gray Mercury with thousands of dollars worth of equipment -- camcorders, a television, radios and weather-tracking electronics -- and spent two years searching for sponsors.

Now a freshman meteorology student at Florida State University, Tipton had hoped to capture Hurricane Charley's landfall. But his Mercury broke down on the way.

To catch Frances, Tipton and two friends drove through the night from Tallahassee, arriving in Fort Pierce at 2 a.m. Friday. They hoped to capture Frances' landfall on videotape for two weather Web sites that are sponsoring his storm-chasing venture.

But so far, chasing Frances had proved frustrating.

"I've been driving hundreds of miles, spending hundreds of dollars I don't really have, lining up sponsors," he said. "I had to miss two days of school this week."

And now that he was in Fort Pierce, in the storm's projected path, Frances was slowing to a crawl and -- worse yet -- threatening to weaken.

"I was really looking to see a Category 4 storm, or at least a 3," he said. He expected the storm to strengthen again before it reaches the Florida coast, but said he didn't want it to sound as if he hoped for destruction.

"It's not like I want to see this place destroyed," he said. "But if it hits, I want to be here to document it."

If that happens, he could make his name as a storm chaser and perhaps a small profit with his documentary. Both might help him reach his goal of earning a doctorate in severe-weather meteorology and landing a job researching and predicting severe storms.

But on Friday, any thoughts of glamour in storm-chasing seemed far off.

Tipton had scouted out a safe shelter -- a bank drive-through overhang -- where he planned to weather the storm.

"It's on the hill, above where the storm surge could come," he said. "It's reinforced concrete, really secure, so we should be all right."

But he hadn't found a spot yet to anchor one of his video cameras that he wanted to set up to record the storm as it came ashore. There was a chance the police might make him leave as the storm approached.

If Frances' path changed at the last minute, he'd miss the landfall. And he was feeling the weight, as team captain, of responsibility for his friends' safety.

"I've hardly slept this week," he said. "The only thing keeping me going is adrenaline. I hope I can get some sleep today."

But with no money for a hotel room in his budget, the chance of a good night's sleep seemed remote.

"We'll be sleeping tonight the same place we slept last night," Tipton said, nodding toward his Mercury.

 

[Tim G]

It's trial by wind, rain for young meteorologist


September 4, 2004


TALLAHASSEE -- Ben Nelson is almost always the youngest person in a room full of disaster watchers inside the state Emergency Operations Center. But he's the one they listen to when the discussion turns to where, when and how hard an impending storm will hit.

Nelson, 27, took over as state meteorologist at the Division of Emergency Management in July. Since then, the baby-faced Florida State University graduate has faced down an unprecedented pair of dangerous hurricanes in three weeks -- a trial by wind, rain and destruction.

But Nelson -- fascinated by hurricanes since Hugo came close enough to his Virginia home to get him a day off school in 1989 -- has kept a cool head and a steady hand. He translates the satellite images, computer tracking models and updates from the National Hurricane Center for everyone from reporters to Gov. Jeb Bush, as unflappable as his neat, navy blue State Emergency Response Team golf shirt and khakis.

Nelson, who started as an intern in 1999, got the job after a succession of older colleagues left for other positions. He said he's totally comfortable in the cauldron of the EOC with a storm approaching, but is still pleasantly surprised, given his youth and relative inexperience, at how large a role he is playing.

"It's surprising that the governor has deferred to me for information as much as he has," Nelson said. "It's humbling. I'm kind of honored that they put this much trust in me."

Bush, who affectionately refers to Nelson as "Weather Boy," praised his dedication, smarts and poise. "I love the guy. I think he's great."

Bush said that when Charley took an unexpected turn -- hitting Punta Gorda instead of the points north that had been predicted -- Nelson was devastated. The governor told the meteorologist to let it go, but he appreciated the level of investment Nelson's reaction showed.

"I love someone who's immersed in their job enough to be impacted the way that he was," Bush said.

After watching wall-to-wall coverage of Hugo on The Weather Channel, Nelson said, he decided to pursue a career in weather. At FSU, he met his wife, a fellow meteorologist who now works for the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Until Charley, Nelson's career had included a number of tropical storms, but he had not seen a major hurricane strike Florida. Now he has firsthand experience: Nelson spent 12 days in Port Charlotte after Charley, helping with recovery efforts and seeing the reality of a Category 4 storm up close.

He'll remember that as Frances comes ashore.

"It was a good experience for me to have," he said. "I got to see exactly what a hurricane does."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- SEEKING SHELTER

Some sites accept special needs only


September 4, 2004


WINTER SPRINGS -- Yellow school buses pulled up to Layer Elementary on Friday. But these buses weren't transporting students. They were delivering some of Seminole County's most seriously ill residents to shelter from Hurricane Frances.

From an elderly woman needing oxygen to a heart patient and a young boy with asthma, they were among more than 20,000 people Friday seeking shelter in schools and other sturdier facilities around Central Florida.

More than 2,500 people were in more than two dozen special-needs shelters, which offer medical support such as nursing staff and oxygen supplies.

Some special-needs shelters were full or running out of room Friday evening.

In Orange County, Meadow Woods Elementary, Chain of Lakes Middle, the University of Central Florida arena and Discovery Middle shelters were full.

In Volusia County, Palm Terrace Elementary in Daytona Beach, a shelter for people needing oxygen, was full. Atlantic High, a Port Orange shelter for blind or hearing-impaired people, was near capacity Friday evening, as was Creekside Middle, a general special-needs shelter also in Port Orange.

Elsewhere, the St. Cloud Senior Center also filled up by Friday afternoon, prompting officials to open another shelter at Central Avenue Elementary School in Kissimmee.

Highlands Elementary School, a general special-needs shelter in Winter Springs, temporarily ran out of cots. That didn't sit well with one woman who was sent to Layer Elementary, a similar shelter a few miles down the road.

"I just think it should have been better-organized," said Deborah McCarroll, who was taking shelter with her mother, Gloria Vanterpool.

To make things run as smoothly as possible, shelter organizers say it helps if people bring many of their own supplies, including enough medicine to get them through several days.

"We have very limited medical supplies," said Mike Napier, administrator for the Seminole County Health Department.

Residents also are encouraged to bring pillows and blankets. And, because the number of cots may be limited, it can't hurt to bring your own.

Generally, the shelters serve meals, but people on special diets should bring their own food. "We're eating kids' school food," Napier said.

People who don't truly need the higher level of care should go to a general shelter instead. Organizers have seen all kinds of people coming in who don't understand the purpose of special-needs shelters.

"We're getting some people who are coming in, and it is not appropriate for them to be here," said Kevin Lenhart, spokesman for the Lake County Health Department. "Unless we deem it medically necessary, we are going to refer them to a more appropriate shelter."

Health Department nurses screen people to be sure they qualify for the special-needs designation. Generally, that means seriously ill people, particularly those who need oxygen or electricity to run medical equipment. While department nurses are available, people are expected to have caregivers with them to help administer medications, get dressed or simply get around. However, patients generally cannot bring several members of their extended families.

Officials in many counties recommend people call county help lines before going to a shelter, particularly if they need to arrange transportation.

Some cases are too extreme for the shelters to handle. If someone cannot get out of bed at all, for example, a special-needs shelter probably won't be able to handle the person. But officials will generally make arrangements to get that person to a hospital, nursing home or assisted-living facility.

But if people plan to get to a shelter today, they should do it soon. As the winds increase, officials will likely stop providing transportation.

Even before then, "it's going to be crazy," Napier said. "We really want to be able to be prepared and manage people."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- GETTING PLUGGED IN

Homes rank last in hierarchy of power


September 4, 2004


Power companies have a simple rule when it comes to electrical emergencies: Households are the first to go black and the last to come back.

Hospitals, nursing homes, water treatment plants and lift stations, police and fire stations and emergency broadcasting and communications all have top priority. Shelters and businesses follow them. Only then do homes -- the majority of customers for any of the area's four major utilities -- get any attention.

The theory: Taking care of the infirm, ensuring public safety and restarting commerce is more important than air-conditioning a home. In theory, even a Wal-Mart or 7-Eleven convenience store takes precedence.

"That way people can at least get out to buy gas and ice," said Chris Gent, spokesman for the Kissimmee Utility Authority.

More than 800,000 customers lost power when Charley roared through Central Florida three weeks ago Friday. Two weeks passed before most had their power restored.

At first, homeowners were understanding, but as the days passed without power, they became upset, questioning where the power trucks were and why they remained without electricity.

Eddie Stephens of Kissimmee spent 13 days without power after Charley. With several downed trees in his neighborhood, Stephens said, he understood the problem. But seeing commercial areas nearby with power wasn't easy.

"We were probably all a little agitated," he said. "But there's not a lot they can do. They [KUA] had their hands full."

Once a power company turns its attention to homes, it will focus first on areas that can be fixed easily and restore power to the greatest number of people.

"It's like the low-hanging fruit," Gent said. "We do the easy stuff first. Then, on the second sweep, we do the people that are more difficult to get on."

There is one caveat: If transmission lines go down, they also get top priority, said Bill Habermeyer, chief executive officer of Progress Energy Florida. Transmission lines carry electricity from the power plants, so they have to be restrung before any customer gets power.

Residential power lines are last in line for repair, Habermeyer said. If a household is lucky enough to be on one of the feeder lines, or on the same grid as a high-priority site, it will get power sooner.

That's what happened to Osceola County School District spokeswoman Dana Schafer. She was one of the first Osceola residents to get her power back -- about six hours after Hurricane Charley passed through.

"We were extremely grateful," said Schafer, who lives in a neighborhood behind a Wal-Mart and Home Depot in St. Cloud. "We were miserable that first night."

A customer of the Orlando Utilities Commission, which has 10,000 customers in Osceola, Schafer was grateful to have electricity so that the four children staying in her home would be comfortable.

"I guess we just didn't tell them that when the power goes off, so does the air conditioning,"she said. "About 20 minutes after the power went out the kids were like 'What's going on?' "

Frances could pose more difficulties for restoring electrical service than Charley. Frances is twice the size of its predecessor and promises torrential rain. Flooding could delay how quickly crews are able to get out to assess damage even after winds die down, he said.

Government and OUC officials also are worried about drinking water becoming contaminated if pipes break and cannot be repaired quickly because of the hurricane.

OUC spokeswoman Roseann Harrington recommended that customers periodically test their taps. If the water comes out slowly, that could mean the water pressure is down -- a possible sign of a pipe break and contamination.

Boil water when in doubt, Harrington said. "We need people to really watch their taps."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- DEALING WITH DEBRIS

Many take cleanup into their own hands


September 4, 2004


Storm-debris collection slowed almost to a halt Friday as contractors and public employees left work to prepare their own homes for Hurricane Frances.

Chest-high piles of limbs and trunks remained along mile after mile of Central Florida streets, prompting fears they could blow around in the storm.

What began three weeks ago after Hurricane Charley as a fascinating sight has turned into an eyesore for many residents and a growing source of community disputes.

On Friday morning, Charlotte Kuester got so mad she called 911 about tree debris dumped in the back yard of her Hidden Springs home near Dr. Phillips Boulevard.

The piles of branches and stumps had grown taller than the 6-foot wall surrounding the subdivision -- and no one was picking them up.

Like many other Orange County residents, she learned that people in gated communities had started leaving debris on public rights-of-way, where county government will cart it away for free.

"I am afraid all that debris will be flying around or blocking Dr. Phillips Boulevard," Kuester said.

Rather than rely on local governments to clear their neighborhoods, residents across Central Florida found their own solutions, including using their SUVs to get rid of the piles or setting them on fire.

"We just decided to take matters into our own hands," said Paul Zambouros, president of the Lakeshore Landing Homeowners Association in Waterford Lakes. "The county has its emergency operations plan. We have our own cul-de-sac emergency operations plan."

On Friday, Orange County officials said they had collected 800,000 of the estimated 2 million cubic yards of debris left by Charley. All pickups were discontinued late Friday until Frances passes.

Orlando cleared 500,000 of the estimated 1.2 million cubic yards of debris within the city limits. Removal efforts ended by 3 p.m. Friday when city workers were sent home, said Alan Oyler, deputy public-works director.

In Lake, county Environmental Services Director Blanche Hardy said residents were helping by dropping off yard waste, aluminum siding, plywood, fence posts and other debris at dump facilities.

"We've been very busy today," she said. "We've had lines -- not long lines -- but lines all day."

In Seminole, more than 40 vans, SUVs and pickups backed up along State Road 434 in Winter Springs as people waited to leave debris at a site near the Central Florida GreeneWay.

A short distance away, residents in the Tuscawilla development boarded up their homes to protect themselves from what the motorists were dumping.

"We never boarded up before, but we have boarded up everything across the back," Lona Love said. "It's a major concern."

Some residents in unincorporated Osceola County set their brush piles on fire to keep them from possible hurricane winds. Kissimmee and St. Cloud officials said burning debris is not allowed within city limits.

In Volusia, officials estimated that only about 35 percent of the debris from Charley had been collected before crews turned their attention to preparing for Frances.

Luis Vasquez of DeBary torched the massive pile in his front yard. Asked why, he gave the same answer as many other homeowners Friday: "We don't need flying objects hitting the house."

 

[Tim G]

Meal deliveries reveal potluck of perspectives


September 4, 2004


Mike Jacobshagen wiped pearls of sweat from his brow as he piled two boxes into the back seat of his Saturn.

That it was a typical summer day in Florida -- sun-drenched and dripping with humidity -- seemed awfully two-faced with Hurricane Frances barreling toward the Sunshine State.

Which is why on Thursday, Jacobshagen was lugging around hurricane rations and not managing databases in the air-conditioned confines of Seniors First Inc.

To ensure its homebound clients were supplied with six days of worst-case-scenario rations, the Orlando agency called in the cavalry to help with its Meals on Wheels deliveries.

And Jacobshagen, who once made and coordinated deliveries, re-upped. His mission: tend to 10 stops along the First Baptist Church of Orlando route through west Orlando.

"A lot of this was a last-minute thing," he said, studying a map to his first stop, Nancy Walker, a shut-in with diminished vision. "Thrown together."

At Crossroads Apartments, red tape striped the windows of an upstairs unit. Walker lives downstairs. Nothing on her windows.

Holding two "shelf-stable" meals -- two cans of orange juice, a can each of beef stew and chicken-noodle soup, two packs of crackers, a can of mixed fruit, raisins and a big cookie -- Jacobshagen rapped on the door. Twice.

"This is from Meals on Wheels, 'cause we're going to be closed tomorrow and Tuesday for the hurricane," he said, passing the packages to the woman who answered the door.

It wasn't Walker. She was in the kitchen, Bible cracked. The food was a blessing, but her faith is her comfort.

"Didn't have money to go to a hotel," Walker, 61, says of Hurricane Charley. "I just rode it out, prayed and thanked God for making it through."

She did little preparation for Charley. For Frances, she has added cans of Vienna sausages to go with her prayers. Though she says the streak of back-to-back hurricanes is enough to chase her back to New York, where she moved from six years ago, she's not freaking over Frances.

"Nothing you can do about it 'cause it's God's work."

A few stops later, Jacobshagen's work took him to Crescent Club Apartments, home to four clients.

Charley uprooted a newly planted tree at the complex but wreaked little other havoc. Still, Brownie Jones, 77, hasn't waived watching the news for weather updates.

"All day and night -- when I'm awake," she says. "Charley was frightening to me." She's convinced Frances might be the big one.

"We're in God's hands," she says.

Jacobshagen arrived at his last stop about 12:45 p.m. He knocked several times. Finally, William Horton trundled to the door in a wheelchair.

Horton, who had seen his share of tornadoes living in Illinois, "thought [Charley] was going to be one of those things where the breeze comes through and it's over."

He has revised his opinion on Frances. Horton, 88, might have ridden it out at his daughter's home. But Charley dropped a tree on her roof. So he plans to weather the storm at his apartment.

In tense times like those to come this weekend, he subscribes to this sanity-saving philosophy: Manage what you can control; don't obsess over what you can't.

"I don't worry about it," he says of Frances, " 'cause I figure it's going to be where it wants."

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- HOMES

Precautions cut damage


September 4, 2004


Even homes that are not in flood-prone areas can be damaged by water when the circumstances are just right -- as they may be with Hurricane Frances.

"Most hurricanes don't pack as much water as this one, and they don't sit as long as this one, so you've got a double whammy," says Wendy Fontaine, spokeswoman for the Institute for Business & Home Safety in Tampa, an insurance-industry group.

Excessive amounts of water can cause drains to back up and neighborhoods to flood.

"Homeowners should take preventive measures before the storm arrives, experts say. When preparing a hurricane emergency kit, include supplies to prevent and clean up after water-related problems. This means tarps, plastic sheeting, tape, bleach and bug spray.

Homeowners who use sandbags should understand that "there is a right and a wrong way to use them," says Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes in Tallahassee, a nonprofit organization that promotes ways to protect families from natural and man-made disasters.

Fill up sandbags only halfway, so they don't become unstable. Sandbags will not stop the flow of water, but they will help direct where the water goes, she says.

Close and lock all windows, doors, skylights and vents, Fontaine says. Use plastic sheeting and tape to seal windows and doors. Even if you've boarded the windows, wind-driven rain can push through cracks and crevices that aren't sealed.

"If you know you're in a flood-prone area, elevate couches, electronic equipment, anything that will be in harm's way," Fontaine says.

Once the storm passes, take time to inspect your home even if you don't immediately notice any water damage, she says.

Taking immediate action can help reduce the amount of damage to your home and the number of items that have to be replaced.

"Clean up quickly so you're not going to have the problems that come [later] . . . mold, things like that," she says. "If there is standing water in the house once the storm passes, sweep out as much as you can, as quickly as you can. If possible, run the air conditioner and a dehumidifier or blowers and fans."

Although carpet padding probably will have to be replaced if it has become soggy, carpeting that has been wet for less than two days may be salvaged by using a wet-dry vacuum to remove the moisture.

If the wallboard has been saturated, cutting 4-inch-diameter holes through the walls about 1 foot above the floor will help the house dry out, Fontaine says. But if you have extensive water intrusion, it's best to talk to your insurance agent before taking such drastic measures, she says.

Cover broken windows or holes in the roof with a tarp. Use bleach to disinfect any flooded areas.

 

[Al]

Good luck everybody, stay safe :wave:

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- VEHICLES

Storm checklist maps out care for cars

Dealers and lessons from Charley offer ways to limit damage and promote safety during 2nd storm


September 4, 2004


The early numbers are in: Hurricane Charley damaged about 7,000 new vehicles at automobile dealerships in Florida. As for the total number of vehicles damaged, one rough estimate places it at about 25,000, but other sources insist that is low.

And now comes Frances.

The Florida Automobile Dealers Association in Tallahassee compiled a list of storm-preparation suggestions based on conversations with dealers who had just gone through Charley.

While the majority of suggestions apply to auto businesses, a couple of the dealer association's suggestions, as well as some personal observations made during a visit to Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda immediately after the hurricane made landfall there, lend themselves to a checklist appropriate for anyone who owns an automobile.

<LI>If possible, garage it. But keep in mind that if you lose power, and you have an electric garage door opener, the opener won't work. Do you know how to override the system to manually open the door? Now is the time to find the owner's manual for the electric garage door opener and read the power-out instructions. And be careful, because openers using gears and chains can be dangerous to handle, even when the electricity is out.
<LI>If you can't garage it, use a car cover. The cover may not prevent damage, but it won't hurt -- unless you have one of those inexpensive covers that have only an elastic band holding the cover around the bottom. Even a mild wind can rip those covers off. Better covers have grommets for attaching bungee cords or ropes. The other end of the cords or ropes should attach to some strong points beneath the car, such as holes in the frame. Get the cover as tight as you can. A flapping cover can damage paint.
<LI>No cover? We spoke to one man in Punta Gorda who stretched a blanket over the windshield of his car and closed the ends of the blanket in the doors, which held it tight. The windshield made it through the hurricane but the uncovered rear and side windows didn't, suggesting that the blanket might have helped.
<LI>While Charley's wind alone broke multiple car windows, flying objects launched by the wind broke many more. Even the storm's feeder bands might have enough wind velocity to pick up a flower pot, garbage can lid, barbecue grill or plastic birdbath and send it into your car -- or through a window in your house. Anything that you can pick up, odds are the wind can too.
<LI>Although hurricanes typically have some degree of wind rotation -- meaning that a hurricane coming from the southeast won't always have winds blowing only from the southeast -- the approaching direction of the storm is, a least, worth consideration. I'd park an uncovered car with the rear facing the approaching storm. It may mean only an incremental benefit, but I've rather have wind, rain and debris blowing into the rear of the car than into the front, with its more vulnerable grille, radiator, headlights and windshield.
<LI>Notice that many car dealers, when they have the space, park their cars in a tight cluster when a storm approaches, with convertibles in the middle. If you have multiple vehicles, I'd be tempted to try to use the larger or less valuable vehicles to shield the smaller or more expensive ones.
<LI>The dealers association reminds its members to have insurance and registration papers located in advance and stored in the safest possible place, and that's good advice for anyone. Also, it's a good idea to photograph or videotape your possessions before and after a storm.
<LI>After the storm, start the vehicle and let it idle for at least 15 minutes. This should generate enough heat to dry the engine and other components under the hood. (Don't, of course, do this in a closed garage.) Make sure your spare tire is inflated and the jack is where it should be, and know how to use them. It's also wise to carry a can of aerosol tire repair and inflator -- there will likely be a maze of broken glass, roofing nails and other sharp objects on the road.
<LI>Never drive through standing water unless you are positive it isn't deep -- just because that Hummer made it through doesn't mean your Hyundai will. For most small cars, any standing water over 6 inches constitutes a gamble, especially if other passing vehicles are sending waves into your vehicle. If you get water in the gas tank, either through storm activity or from a gas station with leaky storage tanks, any auto parts store has pour-in additives that absorb water from the gas tank. For massive amounts of water, you'd have to have a mechanic drain the gas tank and fuel system. If you suspect water in the tank, pour in the additive -- it can't hurt.
<LI>If you have broken glass and must drive, tape clear plastic, not a black garbage bag, over the missing window.

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- FOOD

Think 'cool' to protect food


September 4, 2004


The stress and strain of power outages can cause consumers to overlook the basics of food safety.

"It's important to safeguard food supplies right away," said Steven Cohen, spokesman for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Before the storm hits, Cohen recommends that consumers go to the agency's Web site, www.fsis.usda.gov, and print the current alert "Keeping Food Safe During An Emergency."

"A few simple steps will extend the time food will stay safe," Cohen said.

Here's what you need to do now, according to the inspection service's experts:

<LI>Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.
<LI>Turn the temperature dials of your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest positions.
<LI>Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
<LI>Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than four hours.
<LI>Buy or make ice cubes and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.
<LI>Group food together in the freezer. This helps the food stay cold longer.

After the storm hits and if power is out, here are some points to remember, according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences:
<LI>Drink only bottled water if flooding has occurred.
<LI>If no outside air has been allowed in, food in a freezer remains frozen only one or two days.
<LI>Food stored in a closed refrigerator is safe for at least the first 24 hours.

Food starts to spoil when the temperature rises above 40 F, a threshold that's quickly reached in Florida's subtropical climate. After that you must throw out raw or cooked meats, seafood, shellfish, dairy products, cooked and fresh pasta, deli salads, cheese-based pies, eggs, egg substitutes, luncheon meats, frozen pizzas, soft and semisoft cheeses, casseroles, stews, cooked soups, garlic packaged in oil, condiments (such as mayonnaise, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, creamy dressings, tartar sauce), refrigerator-cookie dough and cream-filled pastries.

Basically, when in doubt, throw it out.

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- FOOD

Mix safety into the recipe before firing up the grill


September 4, 2004


Safe post-storm cooking procedures

<LI>Provide sufficient clearance around grills, making sure awning overhangs, hanging plants and other easily combustible items won't ignite.
<LI>Never use a gas or charcoal grill inside a house, tent or canopy. Fumes create carbon monoxide, which becomes highly toxic in an enclosed area.
<LI>Never leave a heated grill unattended.
<LI>Cooking in fireplaces after a severe storm is not recommended and is dangerous because the chimney could have been damaged.
<LI>If using a charcoal grill, use only approved accelerant fluids for charcoal fires, following the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations.
<LI>Never use gasoline. Once the barbecue has been ignited, never add more fuel to the fire.
<LI>Allow charcoal briquettes 48 hours to cool before disposing of them. Thoroughly soak used charcoal in water before tossing.
If using a propane-fueled gas grill: When lighting, always open the lid before you start the flow of gas. Failure to do so can result in a gas buildup and explosion

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- YARDS

Too much water can ruin your landscape


September 4, 2004


Deep Florida sands can absorb lots of water if the water falls slowly over a period of time. But sudden downpours and extended rainfalls can cause flooding in even the best of soils. The result is soggy landscapes with saturated root systems.

Most well-drained landscape plantings should be able to survive the deluges. But what about the pockets of poorly drained soils found in many yards or home sites with underlying compressed soils, clays and organic matter? Here you can expect flooding and plant damage.

There is still time to divert some of the water away from the poorly drained areas. Consider digging small ditches or swales to move the water to better-drained portions of the landscape or to the street where the water can flow to neighborhood retention ponds.

Water running down small slopes or into poorly drained areas could be diverted with sandbags or even bags of mulch.

Many plants are poorly rooted in the wet soils. Combine this with hurricane winds, and they are more likely to fall over. Where practical, consider giving these plants extra support. Pieces of hose threaded with strong ropes could be used to pull the trees or shrubs in three directions, and the ropes could be anchored in the ground by stakes.

Some areas are poorly drained because of compacted or water-resistant soils. Often, aeration in affected lawns or beds can be accomplished with mechanical aerators or even a pitchfork punched into the ground at 6-inch intervals.

For soils that have compacted underlying layers, a posthole digger may be used to reach better soil.

Container gardens also are subject to flooding. If possible, move containers to a protected site or turn them over on their sides near a home, fence or wall. If you have time, you may consider drilling additional drainage holes.

Trees, shrubs, flowers and lawns that remain saturated for several days or longer are going to show the effects of oxygen-deprived and damaged root systems. Symptoms can include yellowing and falling leaves. If the soil is well-drained, the plants should recover and resprout green shoots as the ground dries.

 

[Tim G]

HURRICANE FRANCES -- TELEVISION

Frances big story for national TV


September 4, 2004


Dan Rather delivered the CBS Evening News from Palm Beach. Brian Williams presented NBC Nightly News from Sebastian. CNN's Bill Hemmer and Anderson Cooper anchored from Melbourne.

Hurricane Frances on Friday drew major TV journalists to Florida, and news executives predicted the nation would see a lot of the state over the weekend. They attributed the heavy coverage to the storm's size, the large-scale evacuations and Frances' arrival so quickly after Charley.

"Your area is being hit a second time from the other side, which is a major story," said Sue Bunda, CNN's senior vice president for news.

NBC News devoted more resources to Frances than it did to Charley and dispatched nine reporters, including Al Roker of Today and Robert Hager.

"One reason we have so many people down there is they have to cover for NBC and MSNBC," said Neal Shapiro, president of NBC News. "It enables us to put a lot of resources on a story."

For Fox News Channel, Geraldo Rivera flew into the storm's eye on a hurricane-hunter aircraft and hoped to present his show from Florida this weekend. Fox News had five reporters in the state. Shepard Smith anchored a Frances special Friday, and Neil Cavuto will present another at 10 this morning.

Frances commanded attention on cable news networks despite other big stories, such as terrorism at a Russian school and former President Bill Clinton's heart problems.

Fox News put more resources into Frances than Charley, said John Stack, vice president of news gathering.

"The advance billing was more intense for Frances, but part of that was the reality of Charley," he said. "That was fresh in everybody's mind."

Frances also offered strong competition to President Bush locally Thursday. WOFL-Channel 35's newscast placed first in the 10 p.m. hour with 148,600 households. WOFL General Manager Stan Knott attributed the strong showing to chief meteorologist Glenn Richards, who logged 10 years at WFTV-Channel 9.

At the same time, Bush's address to the Republican National Convention aired on many channels. WESH-Channel 2 placed second in the slot with Bush.

WESH won the 8 p.m. hour Thursday with a Frances special and came in second at 9, after a CSI rerun on WKMG-Channel 6, with more hurricane coverage.