Dud

That sums up Ernesto.

Ernesto surprised forecasters by failing to strengthen Tuesday before reaching the southern tip of the state, where it delivered drenching rain but none of the heavy winds or damage that had been feared. And even rains weren't that bad -- about half an inch fell at Miami International Airport as of early Wednesday.

State emergency response team chief David Halstead said initial reports indicated a relatively minor storm had gone through the Keys. But he cautioned that it was early and full damage assessments weren't likely to be completed until later in the day. Then, there could be dangers such as power lines down and road flooding.

Briefly a hurricane Sunday, Ernesto lost much of its punch crossing mountainous eastern Cuba. The decaying system made landfall at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday on Plantation Key with 45-mph winds. It was expected to continue over Florida as a weak tropical storm and head toward the Carolinas and possibly strenghten. Its top sustained winds decreased to 40 mph and one of the highest wind gusts recorded was 58 mph in Key Biscayne.

Ernesto wasn't more than a minor squall where I lived. The wife and I slept through the night without interuption.(Unlike with Frances or Wilma) Dear Wife even went to work this morning.

The latest from the National Hurricane Center.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TODAY
AS THE CENTER OF ERNESTO MOVES OVER LAND ALONG THE FLORIDA PENINSULA. HOWEVER... RAINBANDS CONTAINING STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ONSHORE TODAY IN THE
WARNING AREAS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE FLORIDA EAST COAST.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES...165 KM FROM THE CENTER. WINDS HAVE BEGUN TO SUBSIDE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS.

As I said earlier, I doubt we had 40 MPH winds in Lantana. Nor does it appear likely we will.

Ernesto was a fizzle but South Florida can't become complacent. We have three more months of hurricane season to go.

Linked to- Bullwinkle Blog, Bright & Early,