Fay Weakens, Heading Slowly West

Two new areas of interest

Tropical Storm Fay weakened somewhat overnight as it slogged slowly westward across the northern Florida peninsula, headed toward the panhandle and a possible re-emergence over the water of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Maximum winds had decreased by 8 am to 45 mph and remained the same at 11 am; little change in strength is expected through tonight. Movement is toward the west at 5 mph from a position about 40 miles northeast of Cedar Key, Florida.

Image: St. Augustine radar from My-Cast

Meanwhile, two new areas of interest in the tropical Atlantic are given a medium potential for development by the National Hurricane Center:

• A disorganized stormy area about 400 miles east of the Windward Islands: Conditions are expected to gradually become favorable for development.
  
• A tropical wave about halfway between African and the Lesser Antilles: Some development is possible in the next couple of days.

Here are updated storm total rainfalls from Fay, although some readings are only through Thursday:

OFFICIAL NWS ASOS SITES. STORM TOTALS (08/18/08-08/21/08)

SANFORD (SFB): 13.28
FT. PIERCE (FPR): 11.58
VERO BEACH (VRB): 11.20
DAYTONA BEACH (DAB): 6.38
ORLANDO (MCO): 5.87
ORLANDO (ORL): 5.77
LEESBURG (LEE): 5.27

MELBOURNE NWS FORECAST OFFICE: 19.28 (THROUGH 8 AM 08/22/08)

CAPE CANAVERAL (USAF FIELD MILL 21): 22.83 (THROUGH 1 AM 08/22/08)

COCORAHS OBSERVERS (72 HOUR TOTALS ENDING 7 AM 08/21/08):
PALM SHORES 1.4 W (FL-BV-2): 20.75 (THROUGH 6 PM 08/21/08)
PALM SHORES 4.3 NNW (FL-BV-20): 19.95
MELBOURNE 7.0 NW (FL-BV-22): 19.75
PALM SHORES 2.9 NW (FL-BV-16): 18.87
MELBOURNE 1.1 N (FL-BV-6): 17.39
MALABAR 2.9 NNW (FL-BV-9): 17.22
MICCO 4.5 NW (FL-BV-7): 15.10
HOBE SOUND 3.9 NW (FL-MT-5): 14.11
MELBOURNE BEACH 3.9 SSE (FL-BV-11): 12.98
JENSEN BEACH 0.6 SW (FL-MT-6): 12.95
PALM BAY 2.6 SSE (FL-BV-1): 12.44
ROCKLEDGE 1.1 WSW (FL-BV-13): 12.42
PORT ST. LUCIE 1.7 WSW (FL-SL-3): 11.66
COCOA 2.6 WNW (FL-BV-23): 11.64
STUART 3.7 SW (FL-MT-7): 11.35
FT. PIERCE 2.8 SSE (FL-SL-5): 9.82
DELTONA 2.9 SE (FL-VL-7): 7.99
SANFORD 0.4 ENE (FL-SM-4): 7.56
UNION PARK 2.9 SSE (FL-OR-1): 6.40
ST. CLOUD 1.7 SSW (FL-OS-15): 6.15
DE LAND 4.5 NW (FL-VL-3): 5.85
DE LAND 5.7 NW (FL-VL-9): 5.47
CHULUOTA 0.9 N (FL-SM-8): 5.28
DE LEON SPRINGS 0.4 SE (FL-VL-4): 5.21
NEW SMYRNA BEACH 1.5 E (FL-VL-1): 5.09
MOUNT PLYMOUTH 0.2 WSW (FL-LK-5): 4.65
LONGWOOD 2.3 WNW (FL-SM-5): 4.50
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS 1.3 N (FL-SM-1): 4.19
WINDERMERE 1.3 NW (FL-OR-2): 3.99
MIMS 7.5 NNW (FL-BV-3): 3.98
ST. CLOUD 0.1 WNW (FL-OS-16): 3.69
EUSTIS 1.2 SE (FL-LK-2): 3.55
EDGEWATER 2.4 N (FL-VL-6): 3.43
POINCIANA PLACE 2.6 NNW (FL-OS-1): 3.29
OCOEE 0.5 SSW (FL-OR-6): 3.06
EDGEWATER 3.3 SE (FL-VL-2): 2.13
GROVELAND 1.7 E (FL-LK-3): 1.97
BASSVILLE PARK 1.0 NE (FL-LK-4): 1.53

NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS (72-HR TOTALS ENDING 8 AM 08/22/08)
FORT PIERCE 14.25
STUART 14.27
PALM BAY 13.40
NETTLES ISLAND 12.21
VERO BEACH 12.06
DELAND 12.20
SANFORD 14.25
WINDERMERE 5.94
SCOTTSMOOR 11.79
KISSIMMEE 3.80 (LAST UPDATE 8AM 08/21/08)
PLYMOUTH 11.14
TITUSVILLE 12.18
CLERMONT 5.27

UNOFFICIAL PUBLIC OBSERVATIONS
MELBOURNE/WINDOVER FARMS (THROUGH 6 AM 8/22/08): 26.65
SEBASTIAN (SCRIPPS SPACE COAST REPORT THROUGH 8 AM 08/22/08): 22.25
VIERA (THROUGH 8 AM 8/22/08): 20.75
INDIALANTIC (THROUGH 5 PM 08/21/08): 17.40
MERRITT ISLAND 1S HWY 520 (THROUGH 2 AM 08/22/09): 14.56
PORT ST. JOHN (THROUGH 2 PM 08/21/08): 12.74
ASTOR 2.0 S (THROUGH 3 PM 08/21/08): 7.20
ORLANDO (THROUGH 1 PM 08/21/08): 5.00

OTHER UNOFFICAL REPORTS (4-DAY TOTALS 08/18/08-08/21/08)
MERRITT ISLAND 8S HWY 520 (KFLMERRI16): 19.23
MERRITT ISLAND 3S HWY 520 (KFLSMERR1): 13.93