Tropical Storm Fay - August 14-28,
2008 A tropical wave moved across the Atlantic, accompanied by an
area of low pressure. The system began to
organize near the northern Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico before it
was determined that the system had a
well defined center. The system was then classified as a tropical
storm, named Fay, on August 15. Fay moved
westward, crossing southern Hispaniola and across central Cuba before
emerging into the Florida Straits. On the
18th, Fay strengthened while passing ove Key West, and then struck Cape
Romano as a moderate tropical storm.
As conditions aloft remained ideal, Fay's structure continued to
improve after landfall, forming an eye feature.
Observations from South Florida Water Management District reported
higher winds over Lake Okeechobee then
any location prior to landfall, which allowed the National Hurricane
Center to increase Fay's maximum sustained
winds while crossing central Florida.
Moving north-northeast, Fay subsequently weakened as it moved offshore
near Melbourne on the 19th, then stalled,
dropping heavy rains for a prolonged period along the coast of
east-central Florida. Fay moved back ashore near
Flagler Beach on the 21st, moving slowly across the northern Florida
peninsula before emerging into Appalachee
Bay on the 23rd. Fay made landfall again near Carrabelle, and
slowly weakened while finally moving inland.
The system briefly dropped southwest and stalled over Mississippi on
the 24th as the tropical depression waited for
the next upper trough and frontal system to steer it back to the
northeast on the 25th. Fay became an extratropical
cyclone on the 26th, bringing heavy rainfall to the southern
Appalachians. By the 28th, the low pressure area
associated with Fay dissipated across southern Ohio, absorbed by
an approaching cyclone from the west.
Below are the overall storm total graphics associated with Fay. Rain
guage data for the first three was compiled from the National
Weather Service River Forecast Centers, and storm reports from the Miami,
Melbourne, Tallahassee, Mobile, and Greenville-Spartenburg
Forecast Offices. The fourth image includes radar-derived information.
Below is a zoom-in of Florida.
Note the maxima across east-central Florida and eastern panhandle.
Below is a zoom-in of the southern Appalachians. Over a foot of
rain fell across portions of northeast
Georgia and western North Carolina.