30 Year Anniversary Of Hurricane Frederic
September 13, 2009
This weekend marked the 30th anniversary of the landfall on Hurricane Frederic along our portion of the Gulf Coast.
Frederic formed on August 29, 1979, as a tropical depression over the far eastern Atlantic, and became a hurricane on September 10 over the Gulf of Mexico. Frederic strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane over the Central Gulf with maximum sustained winds near 132 mph.
On Wednesday, September 12, 1979 at 5 a.m., the National Weather Service posted hurricane warnings from Panama City, Florida. west to Grand Isle, Louisiana. Frederic continued to strengthen, with highest winds estimated at 130 mph and central pressure of 28.05 inches of mercury. With a slightly increased forward speed at 12 mph, the hurricane continued moving northwest about 220 miles south of the Alabama coast.
Hurricane Frederic was expected to produce a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet above normal in the area where the center made landfall. By 11 a.m. on September 12th, Frederic was located 175 miles south of Pensacola moving north-northwest at 12 to 15 mph. The diameter of the hurricane eye was reported to be about 10 miles. Reports from hurricane hunter reconnaissance aircraft and coastal weather radar networks indicated the eye of Frederic would cross the coast between Gulfport and Pensacola. Evacuation of the coast was nearing completion at that time. By 5 p.m., the center of Hurricane Frederic was about 80 miles south of Gulf Shores moving north at 15 mph.
Conditions began to rapidly deteriorate during the afternoon of September 12th as Frederic made it’s final approach to the Alabama Gulf Coast. Hurricane Frederic approached the coast with a forward speed of 15 mph. The eye of the storm measured 50 miles in diameter east to west, and 40 miles north to south. In the opinion of some weather forecasters at the time, Frederic had the largest storm center they had ever recorded.
Shortly before 10 p.m. on the evening of September 12th, 1979, the northern eyewall of Frederic move ashore on Dauphin Island. As the eye struck land, it decreased in size to about 15 miles in diameter. The storm center crossed over the western end of Dauphin Island at 10 p.m. An automated wind gust recorder, located at the top of the Dauphin Island Bridge, recorded a peak wind gust of 145 mph. around 9:40 p.m.
At landfall, Frederic was as strong category 3 on the Saffir Simpson hurricane intensity scale, raking the Mobile Bay area with winds gusting from 100 to 145 mph for several hours from the evening of September 12th until the early morning of September 13th. Hurricane wind gusts were experienced as far inland as Choctaw County Alabama during the early morning hours of September 13th.
The damage cost from Frederic was $2.3 billion. Five deaths were directly attributable to the storm. A storm surge of 12 to 15 feet on the Gulf beaches and 8 to 10 feet on northern Mobile Bay destroyed numerous coastal buildings. Storm surge damage was documented for 80 miles along the coast.
The winds from Hurricane Frederic damaged or destroyed many homes and businesses. Many homes and businesses well inland suffered severe damage when large pine trees fell onto them or their roof structures failed. Along with peak wind gusts of 145 mph at the Dauphin Island Bridge, wind gusts of 97 mph from the east were recorded at Mobile Regional Airport. At midnight, Mobile County Civil Defense reported measured wind gusts at 101 mph, along with massive damage in Mobile and surrounding areas. At midnight, wind gusts from the north at 98 mph were reported by Biloxi Civil Defense, with north winds gusting to 115 mph at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula.
On Thursday, at 2 a.m., the National Weather Service issued an intermediate advisory reporting the center of Hurricane Frederic had passed just west of Mobile and the hurricane force winds began to slowly subside in Mobile as Frederic continued to move north along the Alabama/Mississippi border. Extensive reports of damage in the Mobile metropolitan area were beginning to come in.
After moving inland from the coast, the hurricane moved north and then northeast, increasing its forward speed to 23 mph. It did not lose hurricane intensity until it was in the vicinity of Meridian, Mississippi, at about 7:00 the following morning. By 8 a.m. September 13, Frederic was downgraded to a tropical storm. It maintained that intensity as it moved north through Mississippi, crossing back into Alabama west of Tuscaloosa. Late that Thursday afternoon, what had been Hurricane Frederic was further downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved north through Alabama.
Numerous large swaths of significant wind damage were documented in the days immediately following the landfall of Frederic. Fallen trees were a significant impact to residents, bringing down thousands of power lines and blocking roads for several days. Some areas of Mobile County experienced electric power outages for five weeks.
Over 500,000 people evacuated from the central Gulf Coast region ahead of Frederic, the largest evacuation along the Gulf Coast up to that time. Frederic was the first hurricane to strike Mobile directly since 1932. Before Frederic, the last hurricane with Category 3 winds to directly strike the Alabama Gulf Coast occurred in 1916.
Information and photos courtesy the National Weather Service.
Firemen Called To Rescue Trapped Dog
September 13, 2009
Members of the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue were called to rescue a dog early Saturday evening.
The dog was reported to be trapped in a ditch near the intersection of Pond Street and North Century Boulevard about 6:40 p.m. Saturday. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office called for the fire department’s assistance after the dog was found in the ditch. Deputies said the dog was unable to escape the ditch because of a vine wrapped around one of its hind legs.
Firemen were able to quickly free the dog from the ditch. The dog did not sustain any major injuries in the incident.
Download Northview Vs. South Walton MP3
September 13, 2009
To download the MP3 audio from the September 4 Northview High School game against South Walton, click here.
Note that this is a 21 MB MP3 file. The file will take almost one hour to download on a dialup internet connection. On cable, satellite, DSL and high speed wireless connections, the file will download in just minutes. This file is for personal use only. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited. © 2009 NorthEscambia.com
Video: Northview Chiefs
September 13, 2009
This exclusive NorthEscambia.com video includes some of the most exciting plays, the cheerleaders, mini-cheerleaders, the band, and an exclusive interview with Chief Head Coach Sid Wheatley.
Click the video below to watch.
If you do not see a video above, it is because your employer, school or firewall is blocking external video.
Photo Gallery: Hurricane Football
September 13, 2009
Southern Choctaw beat the Flomaton Hurricanes Friday night, 25-14. It was the first loss of the season for the Canes, now 2-1-0. Both of the Hurricanes’ touchdowns came from Ryheem Davis. Flomaton will host 2A’s top team Leroy next week.
For more photos, click here for a gallery and then visit mikenewtonphotography.
Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click toe enlarge.23
Another Wet Day
September 13, 2009
Expect more rain for your Sunday in North Escambia and surrounding areas. Here’s your official forecast:
- Today: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Monday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 84. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.
- Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Pelicans Force Championship-Deciding Fifth Game with 7-2 Victory
September 13, 2009
The Pelicans and Saltdogs will play the deciding game five of the American Association Championship Series Sunday at 4:05 p.m. after Pensacola topped Lincoln 7-2 Saturday night. The Saltdogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but Pensacola closed within one after the fifth, and scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth. Both starting pitchers were fantastic, as Pensacola’s Dane DeValk and Lincoln’s Jarrett Gardner combined to allow just four runs while striking out 14.
The Saltdogs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Rafael Alvarez doubled and scored on a single by Gavin Dickey. Lincoln added another run when Shawn McGill hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth.
The Pelicans would close the gap to one in the bottom of the fifth inning when Marcos Rodriguez broke up Gardner’s no-hitter with a triple. Dallas Christison hit a bloop single to right field, plating Rodriguez and cutting Lincoln’s lead to 2-1.
Pensacola rallied in the last of the eighth to force a game five. Palmisano singled with one out, and Darby singled as well. Kevin Reynolds hit Palmisano in with a base hit to tie the game and move Darby to third, and Jason Diaz put a bunt down that moved Darby 90 feet to provide the winning run. Four more Pelicans would score as Antoin Gray was intentionally walked and Marshall McDougall hit a two RBI double to score Reynolds and Diaz. Rodriguez was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Burch walked to force home Gray. McDougall scored from third when Dallas Christison hit a sacrifice fly to left to give the Pelicans a 7-2 lead.
Dane DeValk pitched seven innings for Pensacola, yielding two runs on three hits. Devalk struck out a season-high nine batters without allowing a walk. Ron Hill allowed only a hit in the eighth inning, striking out one, and though Hunter Davis gave up a hit and a walk in the ninth inning, no runs would score and the Pelicans will compete for the championship Sunday.
Tickets to Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. deciding game five are available now online at www.pensacolapelicans.com, via phone at (850) 934-8444, or in person at the Pelicans Box Office, open at 3 p.m. at Pelican Park on the campus of the University of West Florida. Tickets start at just $9.
Online Audio: Listen To Entire Northview Vs. South Walton Game
September 13, 2009
Northview Chiefs fans can now listen to entire Northview football games here on NorthEscambia.com — the new official voice of the Northview High School Chiefs.
Join us each Sunday for a complete game playback from the Northview Chiefs. You will be able to listen to each game online, or even download the game to your MP3 player and take it with you.
The audio from Friday night’s game against South Walton should play automatically on this page. If it does not, click the play icon below.
To download the entire game (MP3 format) for your iPod or other MP3 player, click here.
NorthEscambia.com needs sponsors to make this broadcast possible each week. Email news@northescambia.com for more information.
In order to listen online, do not close this page or window. You can continue surfing the net while you listen by opening a new browser window. You can pause the audio or change the volume using the controls below the photo.
[mp3 autostart="true" repeat="true"]http://www.northescambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/NHS-southwaltonbroadcast.mp3[/mp3]
This audio file is for personal use only. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited.
© 2009 NorthEscambia.com
Man Arrested After Running From Deputies Late Friday Night
September 12, 2009
A Century man was arrested after running from deputies Friday night in Century.
Clark Gable Burt, 36, of Jackson Street, Century, was charged with trespassing and resisting an officer after an incident at Century Woods Apartments late Friday night.
When Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy James Gilman spotted Burt at the apartment complex, Burt fled on foot. After a short foot chase, he was taken into custody and booked in the Escambia County Jail.
Burt remained in jail on $1,000 bond early Saturday morning.
Jay Royals Slam Holmes County 28-7
September 12, 2009
The Jay Royals opened their football season in big way Friday night, slamming Holmes County 28-7.
The Royals were three for three inside the three — three times the Blue Devils were inside the three ,and three times the Royals defense prevented them from scoring.
On their opening drive, the Royals were on the board after a Steven Brabham quarterback keeper. Brabham scored again in the second quarter. Both kicks were good, the Royals were up 14-0 in Bonifay.
With about three minutes to go in the half, Holmes County scored on a 24-yard touchdown pass.
In the third, the Royals’ Rush Hendricks rushed 56 yards to the one. A dive into the end zone from Hendricks and a good kick put the Royals on top 21-7 with about nine minutes in the third.
With 4:25 in the half, QB Brabham had a 56-yard TD pass to Hunter Boutwell for another half dozen. The kick was good, as the Jay Royals beat Holmes County 28-7.