Sanibel Captiva Island Message Board

[Kim]

*Sigh* I guess I can't ignore Bonnie any longer.

We will be tracking Bonnie and posting the updates here. As in past years, I'll start tracking her here and if more action is required, separate areas and catagories will be opened on the Board.

For those who weren't with us in past years, I put all updates given in a day in the same post up top. Even though you won't see that thread as 'new' each time, keep checking it throughout the day.

If you are following activity, NOAA, Weather Underground and Stormpulse are all very good, reliable sites. *Stay away from The Weather Channel!! They have proven themselves to be inaccurate and more concerned about making news out of weather and trying to panic everyone.
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7/23
2am EDT
23.8N 77.5W - 220 miles SE of Miami, Florida
TS - 40mph sustained winds; pressure 29.74"/1007mb; moving NW at 16 mph

5am
24.1N 78.6W - Aprox. 165 miles ESE of Marathon, Florida
TS - 40 mph sustained winds; pressure 29.77"/1008mb; moving WNW at 18 mph

8am
24.7N 79.8W - Aprox. 75 miles E of Marathon, Florida
TS - 40 mph sustained winds; pressure 29.77"/1008mb; moving WNW at 19 mph

11am
25.4N 80.3W - Over Biscayne Bay. Current path has Bonnie exiting into the Gulf over Marco Island.
TS - 40 mph sustained winds; pressure 29.77"/1008mb; moving WNW at 18 mph

2pm
25.8N 81.1W - Aprox. 75 miles SE of Ft. Myers. Bonnie is less organized over land.
TS - 40 mph sustained winds; pressure 29.77"/1008mb; moving WNW at 18 mph

*There is currently a Tropical Storm warning for South Florida, including Ft. Myers, Sanibel & Captiva. Tropical Storm force winds will be moving over South Florida today (including the islands) with 1 - 3" of rain.

Wind, rain and rough surf on the islands for the next couple of days folks.

[Snowbird]

Wink Doppler has a pretty good weather radar so you can at least see the rain pattern and movement.
http://www.winknews.com/weather/doppler

[Kim]

Current path has Bonnie exiting into the Gulf over Marco Island. The Gulf is so warm. Fingers crossed for no strengthening once she gets there.

[Kim]

I'm still going to watch Bonnie, but unless she does something drastic the islands are done with her.

Bonnie has been downgraded to a Tropical Depression with 35 mph winds. At the 5pm report she is in the Gulf, aprox. 35 miles S of Ft. Myers. All tropical watches and warnings have been dropped. Thunderstorms and rain, along with rougher surf will last probably until she makes landfall somewhere.

I have talked to several people on Sanibel today and according to them, this was on par with the afternoon showers. A good soaking.

[Neptunesmuse]

Yea!! No damage and a good soaking rain. That is the best kind of Tropical Storm .

[penguinmoon]

On North Captiva now, and some big ka-booms, lightning, rain and gusty winds, but nothing too scary for this north-easterner!

[Snowbird]

Whew!!