NOAA News Online (Story 2314)

LARGE CIRCULATION CENTER OF FRANCES EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATER MONDAY

(DISCLAIMER: See the NOAA National Hurricane Center for the latest information and more frequent updates on this storm. Complete advisories are posted at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. All times are Eastern. Advisories are posted more frequently as the storm nears the USA mainland.)
Latest NOAA Satellite Image of Frances (Visible)	Latest NOAA Infrared Satellite Image of Frances	Latest NOAA Tallahassee, Fla., Radar Image	NOAA Satellite/Radar Time Conversion

NOAA satellite image of Tropical Storm Frances taken at 12:15 p.m. EDT on Sept. 6, 2004, as the center of the storm was close to the Florida Panhandle.

Sept. 6, 2004 — At 11 a.m. EDT, the large circulation center of Tropical Storm Frances was located near latitude 29.5 north, longitude 84.0 west or about 60 miles east-southeast of Apalachicola, Fla. Frances is moving toward the northwest near 8 mph. On this track, the center of Frances should move over the Florida Panhandle later Monday, according to the NOAA Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Storm Frances taken at 12:15 p.m. EDT on Sept. 6, 2004, as the center of the storm was close to the Florida Panhandle. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Only a small increase in the winds could bring Frances to hurricane status before landfall.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the center.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 980 mb, 28.94 inches.

NOAA National Weather Service Tallahassee, Fla., Doppler radar image of Tropical Storm Frances taken at 12:41 p.m. EDT on Sept. 6, 2004, showing the center of the storm just off the coast of the Florida Panhandle.

Storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels is expected south of Cedar Key. Storm surge flooding of 5 to 10 feet above normal tide levels is expected along the northeast Gulf Coast of Florida to the north of Cedar Key, especially to the east of the track. (Click image for larger view of NOAA National Weather Service Tallahassee, Fla., Doppler radar image of Tropical Storm Frances taken at 12:41 p.m. EDT on Sept. 6, 2004, showing the center of the storm just off the coast of the Florida Panhandle. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches, with locally higher amounts, are expected over portions of the southeastern United States, especially along and to the east of the path of Frances.

Isolated tornadoes are possible Monday over portions of north and central Florida and the Florida Panhandle, southeast Alabama and southern Georgia.

NOAA image of 11 a.m. EDT Tropical Storm Frances tracking map for Sept. 6, 2004.

At 11 a.m. EDT, a hurricane warning was downgraded to a tropical storm warning from the Suwannee River to Anna Maria Island and from west of Indian Pass to Destin. (Click NOAA image for larger view of 11 a.m. EDT Tropical Storm Frances tracking map for Sept. 6, 2004.)

A hurricane warning is now in effect from the Suwannee River to Indian Pass.

A tropical storm warning is now in effect from the Suwannee River to Anna Maria Island and from Indian Pass to Destin.

The tropical storm warning south of Anna Maria Island was discontinued. The tropical storm warning for the Florida east coast and the Georgia coast was discontinued.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices and statements from local emergency management officials.

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