here we go again (hurricane frances)

[newsguy]

the eye of hurricane frances is just now making landfall in the palm beach area. the good news is this storm is now a category 2 hurricane (a few days ago it was nearly a cat 5). updated track has the eye of the hurricane going over my bureau in port richey, which is in pasco county and where i'll be all day and probably night on sunday. we are told to expect tropical storm force winds starting at about 1 a.m. sunday, increasing to about 60 mph winds at 8 a.m. sunday, which is around when i'll be heading from my apt. in clearwater up to the bureau. because of the size of this storm and its slow speed, we are told to expect 60 mph winds (with gusts of 70-plus) lasting from 8 a.m. sunday until about midnight sunday, then gradually subsiding. my wife is up in her apt. in gainesville, which i came back from earlier this evening. if the storm holds course, she should only be getting winds of *about* 40 mph all day sunday. down here, we're expected to get about a foot of rain, with up to 20 inches in certain areas. eye of storm expected to go over my bureau at about 8 p.m. sunday. gonna be a lot of wind damage and flooding. will check in when i get to the office tomorrow, if we have power. if not, will check back in whenever power is restored. if you know people on the east/central coast of florida, keep them in your thoughts and prayers. they are getting *pounded* and the eye of this huge storm is only now making landfall there.

p.s. my "hurricane" wine tonigt is the '02 justin cab, which i picked up on a whim thursday night. beautiful young wine. great fruit (black cherry, plums and currants), plus good acidity and tannins. perfect balance, and at least a medium-term ager. the first "serious" '02 cab i've had and it's definitely a winner. 91+

[This message has been edited by newsguy (edited 09-04-2004).]