At Pensacola Beach, Lee brings wild surf, flooding, sand everywhere - Pensacola News Journal
Intervals of heavy rains pounded Pensacola Beach this morning, bouncing from a steady drizzle to slamming rain and wind-blown stinging sand.
At Quietwater Beach, water covers the entire sand area up to the parking lot. Roads are flooded in some areas.
Fort Pickens Road is closed because the storm surge has washed over the road. Park officials are waiting for the weather to calm down to inspect the road.
The beach had only a few people coming early to see the storm impact, and leaving quickly.
Maryland residents Julia Kokosinski, 7, and her mother Janet, 34, watched the waves this morning at the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier. They can't believe their luck.
"We had an earthquake. Then Hurricane Irene, and we come here and we have Tropical Storm Lee. This is crazy," Janet said.
She was terrified this morning when a bad squall came through. Her door at Travelodge was rattling.
The Kokosinskis are in town for a beach wedding at 4 p.m. today. She doesn't know where the wedding will be held.
Forecasters estimate that between 12 and 17 inches of rain will be dumped on the area over the next several days.
Jeff Garmon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mobile, said we can expect thunderstorms and 30- to 45-mph wind gusts today.
There also is the possibility of isolated tornadoes, he said. Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties are under a tornado watch and a flash flood watch. There also are flood warnings for the Blackwater River, Coldwater Creek, Perdido River and Styx River.
Johnson Beach Road on Perdido Key was closed by late Saturday, with sand covering the entire length of the roadway.
Santa Rosa Island Authority Executive Director W.A. "Buck" Lee said there were no issues with erosion Saturday at Pensacola Beach. He plans to look for signs of damage today.
This morning, sand had been blown across walkways and piled high in some pockets.
On Saturday, 10-foot waves slammed Pensacola Beach. Lifeguards and firefighters made several rescues, despite red flags and warnings for people to stay out of the rough surf churned up from the storm.
At least seven people were pulled from the water, Pensacola Beach Public Safety Supervisor Bob West said. Four of those rescued were kayaking in Santa Rosa Sound and two were surfing in the Gulf. No one was injured.
"It's foolish to be out there," West said. "And their foolish activities put my folks at risk."
05 Sep, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHS9QB5F8ePonT6iiIV-Ia70-E9FQ&url=http://www.pnj.com/article/20110904/HURRICANE/110904004/At-Pensacola-Beach-Lee-brings-wild-surf-flooding-sand-everywhere
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