Will Dean Develop?

On this, the third anniversary of Hurricane Charley, we still have yet to see any major hurricane activity this season. As noted in earlier posts, we are entering the historically peak time for hurricanes. This morning there are reports of a tropical disturbance out in the eastern Atlantic, just west of Africa. If its winds top 39 mph, this storm will be named Tropical Storm Dean, the fourth named storm of the season. Forecasters are quick to point out that is is still many miles away from any landmass, but it is still worth keeping an eye on. As a side issue, check out some of the comments posted to this article. They make even more interesting reading than the story!!

Out in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Flossie, upgraded this morning to hurricane status, continues to bear down on the Hawaiian Islands. Although it is expected to weaken considerably before striking any land, experts are still warning people to take precautions as the storm approaches.
One statement from Dave Curtis, of the state Civil Defense Agency was particularly relevent, even for us here in Florida. In an AP article by Jaymes Song, Curtis is quoted as saying "If this thing fizzles out, so what? Everyone should still be prepared." Seems like sound advice to me...

Regards,
Stormy