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Highlands Today

Fay Delivers Much Needed Rain

EOC: WORST EXPECTED AT ABOUT 4 P.M.

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

From left: Gabi Birnie of Sebring plays in the wind and rain with her daughters, Cassidy and Brooke Turner on Tuesday at Veteran's Beach in Sebring. Birnie took her kids outside to enjoy Tropical Storm Fay because they were bored in the house all morning long.

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HIGHLANDS TODAY STAFF

Published: August 19, 2008

Video: Tropical Storm Fay in Highlands

By 1 p.m. winds were howling across the Sebring area as rain was driven sideways toward the south. The EOC noted that sustained winds had risen to 31 mph and the highest recorded gust was 48 mph.

The worst is yet to come, they said. At about 4 p.m. when the eye passes the southeast portion of Highlands County, winds are expected to reach 45 mph and gusts are expected to reach 57 mph.

Director Bill Nichols said the EOC plans to keep key people on staff and will leave shelters open well into the afternoon. However, residents in shelters are free to go home as weather permits.

The center will continue to monitor Fay as rain bands pass through Highlands County. Nichols advised to expect rain throughout the day.

Paul McGehee, business development manager with Glades Electric Cooperative said his company has worked hard in shoring up and hardening its systems. He was proud to say it only had 13 members who lost power in Highlands County, four in Glades and 10 in Hendry counties.

"System-wide we've held up pretty well," he said.

At 11:10 a.m. Nichols provided rainfall totals: 2.8 inches for Lake Placid, 2.3 inches for Sebring and 1.4 inches for Avon Park.

"There is substantial rain headed our way," Nichols added, saying it was raining hard in Glades County and those bands were expected in Highlands County shortly.

Steve Coltharp, Highlands County Emergency Medical Services interim director, confirmed that a 54-year-old Lake Placid man died Saturday, Aug. 16, due to asphyxiation during a generator accident.

The case remains under investigation, he said.

Highlands Today reporter Bill Rettew said the flags in the Sebring Circle were flapping hard late morning. Several businesses were open including Sandy's Circle Café.

The Sebring Marriot Hotel was about half full. Many of the guests came in from the coast, the Naples and Bonita Springs area because it is a pet-friendly hotel and they brought their pets with them.

For the most part grocery stores are open.

A water soaked mail man was downtown delivering the mail.

Traffic was extremely light. Exercise normal driving precautions in windy and rainy weather, said Sebring Police Cmdr. Steve Carr.

Tampa weather stations indicated that the Lake Placid area had already received more than 2 inches of rain thanks to Fay, as storm bands approached with heavier weather.

Flooding is expected to be an issue in some areas of the county.

Sheriff's Capt. Paul Blackman said there were no significant storm-related events to report.

Highlands County remains under a tornado watch, which means conditions are favorable for development of a tornado.

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