Fay Closes Schools On Tuesday, Shelters Open

Neither County officials nor the National Weather Service knows exactly what to expect from Tropical Storm Fay.

Whether it turns out to be weak like 2006's Ernesto or another devastating Charley, a few things are certain: several hurricane shelters will open this evening, schools will close Tuesday and garbage collections that day for Avon Park, Sebring and the unincorporated parts of the county will be postponed. It was not known by press time if Lake Placid will stop garbage collections that day.

The Board of County Commissioners will also have an emergency meeting at 8 a.m. today to determine if other county services will be halted Tuesday, when Fay is expected to reach Highlands County.

Emergency operations director Bill Nichols expected Fay to be "a rain event" rather than a storm that could cause a lot of wind damage, but he wanted the county to be prepared.

"This may be a good opportunity for a dress rehearsal," Nichols said. "We have to be ready regardless of what happens."

According to the National Hurricane Center's forecasts as of 2 p.m. Sunday, Fay was moving west-northwest at 17 mph south of Cuba and its eye should be over the island Monday morning. Fay was expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane when it makes landfall shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday near Port Charlotte.

Projections from the National Weather Service in Ruskin indicate that the eye will ride the Hardee-Manatee county line and the Polk-Hillsborough county line.

Lake Placid may start feeling tropical storm-force winds as early as 6 a.m. that day, with winds reaching Sebring and Avon Park by 8 a.m.

National Weather Service meteorologist Ernie Jillson said that the area could get anywhere between 3 and 8 inches of rain Tuesday, with some additional rain Wednesday as Fay continues north.

The outer bands of showers on the storm's right side, Jillson added, could cause tornadoes. Typically, the upper right quadrant of a hurricane or tropical storm creates the most wind.

"We'll be looking at widespread nuisance-type flooding and some flash flooding and river flooding as well," Jillson said.

This was Nichols' biggest concern as he held a teleconference between several county officials and the National Hurricane Center Sunday morning. By noon Monday, he said there will be filled sand bags available on Sheriff's Tower Road.

For more information on any hurricane preparations or cautions, call the Emergency Operations Center Hotline at 385-1112 after 8 a.m. today.

The following locations will be converted to hurricane shelters at 6 p.m. today:

•Lake Placid High School - 202 Green Dragon Drive, Lake Placid

•Woodlawn Elementary School - 781 Fielder Blvd., Sebring

Avon Park Recreational Center - 207 E. State Road, Avon Park

For special needs, the Highlands County Agri-Civic Center will open at 5 p.m. today.

Pets can be taken to the following locations:

The Dawg House - 69 Dawg Drive, Lake Placid

Dog Design by Dana - 701 Thunderbird Hill Road, Sebring

Avon Park Holiness Camp - 1001 West Lake Isis Ave., Avon Park

If you use a shelter, bring food for Monday or eat before you arrive.

Filled sand bags can be picked up at 800 Sheriff Tower Road in Sebring. Empty sand bags can be picked up at the Emergency Operations Center at 6850 W. George Blvd. in Sebring.