Late Look at ERNESTO--5:30 pm Report

Tropical Depression (not Tropical Storm) Ernesto late this afternoon was centered 25 miles west of Vero Beach, Fla., or 55 miles SE of Cape Cnaveral.

He was moving north at 14 mph. Sustained winds onl;y 35 mph. Rain is the big story with Ernesto.

+ 3 to 5 additional inches of rain in Florida
+ 4 to 8 inches from along coastal South Carolina north through the Mid-Atlantic states.
+ Maximum of 12 inches possible.

The flood potential is obvious.

Little or no change in the track forecast:

+ Offshore later tonight from NE Florida
+ Back onshore north of Charleston tomorrow afternoon
+ Then north through the central parts of North Carolina and Virginia
+ Through the panhandle of West Virginia
+ Finally into Western Pennsylvania

SPOT REPORTS FROM FLORIDA AT 6 PM EDT
St. Augustine...partly sunny...wind east at 14 mph
Orlando...rain...north at 21
Daytona...rain...NE 14
Vero Beach...south 25...gusts to 37
Key West...cloudy...SW 12 (their weather is calming down)
West Palm Beach...cloudy...SW 23...gusts 37
Fort Lauderdale...cloudy...SW 22...gusts 39

This link has much information about Ernesto, including a tracking map

http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/tropics.hrb