7/10/2005 (9:00 p.m. Eastern Time): Hurricane Dennis is now a Tropical Storm with 60 mph Sustained Winds. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (8:16 p.m. Eastern Time): Bay Minette fared pretty well with minimal damage. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (7:47 p.m. Eastern Time): President George W. Bush declares Federal Disaster Areas in AL, FL and MS. (Source: Fox News Channel)

 

7/10/2005 (7:40 p.m. Eastern Time): Hurricane Dennis weakens to a Category 1 Storm with 80 mph Sustained Winds. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (7:32 p.m. Eastern Time): Tropical Storm Warning along the Florida Panhandle and Alabama Coast and Inland Hurricane Warning in effect for inland sections of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.

 

7/10/2005 (7:13 p.m. Eastern Time): Escambia County, FL Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Briefing Details: Damage from Dennis much less extensive than Ivan, but a lot of clean-up needs to be done. North End of County is in bad shape due to possible tornado damage and a lot of downed trees (near Highway 4). Sheriff Ron McNesby instructs residents to stay off of the roads on the North End of the County. Bridges still need to be inspected before they reopen. Three Mile Bridge is now reopen for traffic. Pensacola Beach did suffer damage (more power pole damage than structural damage). Curfew in effect from 8 p.m. Sunday Night until 6 a.m. Monday Morning due to power outages and damage. The overall situation looks like the best case scenario considering what could have happened, but there is extensive damage throughout the county. Santa Rosa county is in the same shape as Escambia County (OK on the south end, worse on the North End).

 

City Manager Tom Bonfield of Pensacola, FL said the city did have damage at the airport (3 buildings with major damage in outlying perimeter). However, significant leaks did occur in the airport terminals, so the airport will open within 48 hours. The Northeast part of Pensacola had the most damage with downed trees (some on top of some houses). All roads within the City of Pensacola have been cleared. The downtown faired very well (less the usual flooding on some city streets). (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (6:37 p.m. Eastern Time): TORNADO WARNING: MONROE COUNTY AND BALDWIN COUNTY, AL UNTIL 6:15 PM CENTRAL TIME (Source: CNN and WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (6:24 p.m. Eastern Time): Navarre Beach, FL reporte a 123 mph peak wind gust (Source: The Weather Channel)

 

7/10/2005 (6:10 p.m. Eastern Time): Fulton County and Dekalb County (Metro Atlanta) under Tornado Warning until 6:30 p.m.(Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (5:58 p.m. Eastern Time): Storm Surge/Tides in Dauphin Island at 3 feet; Pensacola at 4 feet; Panama City Beach at 6 feet; Apalachicola at 8 feet (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (5:55 p.m. Eastern Time): President George W. Bush declares 45 counties in the Alabama area as Designated Federal Disaster Areas. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (5:53 p.m. Eastern Time): Santa Rosa County, FL reports a tornado touchdown. 911 Reports confirm damage as a result. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (5:51 p.m. Eastern Time): Road Tunnels under Mobile Bay may reopen in a few hours. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (5:48 p.m. Eastern Time): SANTA ROSA COUNTY, FL curfew in effect immediately. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (5:45 p.m. Eastern Time): TORNADO WARNING for Dekalb County, GA until 6:15 pm EDT. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (5:26 p.m. Eastern Time): Nearly 9,000 Residents are now in Evacuation Shelters. 40,000 Residents without power and U.S. 98 washed out in Okalooska County.  (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (5:18 p.m. Eastern Time): Florida Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings: 2,600 National Guard Members Activated for duty. 700 Law Enforcement Officers ready to assist in storm's aftermath. Stay where you are currently at until tomorrow to allow officials to get a good start on the clean-up process. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (5:08 p.m. Eastern Time): Police Departments Along Gulf Coastline Evacuated. (Source: Fox News Channel)

 

7/10/2005 (4:43 p.m. Eastern Time): 140,000 Utility Customers in FL without power. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (4:41 p.m. Eastern Time): Tornado Warning for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in NW Florida and Escambia County, AL until 4:30 pm CDT. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (4:39 p.m. Eastern Time): Dennis is now a Category 2 Hurricane with 105 mph Sustained Winds. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (4:32 p.m. Eastern Time): Bernie Fogarty of Alabama Power: 12,000 Utility Customers Without Power. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (4:09 p.m. Eastern Time): MSNBC's Donna Gregory in Panama City, FL: Waterspout comes onshore near Treasure Island. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (3:56 p.m. Eastern Time): CNN's Anderson Cooper and John Zarrella in Pensacola, FL: Ramada Inn Sign rips apart and flies across the parking lot. Tree limbs ripping apart. Wind direciton changing at their location. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (3:51 p.m. Eastern Time): MSNBC Exclusive Video: Extensive damage in Pensacola, FL. Walls of buildings blown down and windows blown out causing damage to property inside. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (3:48 p.m. Eastern Time): MSNBC Meteorologist Sean McLaughlin and Bill Boss: 3:25 p.m. Eastern Time was time of official landfall for Hurricane Dennis. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (3:45 p.m. Eastern Time): National Hurricane Center: Dennis has officially made landfall in the Florida Panhandle. (Source: Fox News Channel)

 

7/10/2005 (3:42 p.m. Eastern Time): MSNBC Reporter Lisa Daniels:  Ramada Inn sign in front of her hotel ripped apart.  (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (3:34 p.m. Eastern Time): Tornado Warning for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in NW Florida until 3:30 pm CDT. (Source: WKRG.com and NWS Mobile, AL)

 

7/10/2005 (3:26 p.m. Eastern Time): Tom Stewart, Santa Rosa County Commissioner: Roofs torn off of houses and/or buildings according to NWS Mobile, AL.  Power outages across most of Santa Rosa County.  (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (3:17 p.m. Eastern Time): Here is the latest information on conditions across Florida, Alabama and Mississippi (Source: NWS Office in Tallahassee, FL):

 

Latest Wind Reports (as of 1 p.m. Central Time):

 

TALLAHASSEE...30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 43 MPH.

EGLIN AFB...36 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 56 MPH.

BAINBRIDGE...23 MPH GUSTS OF 33 MPH.

PANAMA CITY...23 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 45 MPH.

MARIANNA...20 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 33 MPH.

CRESTVIEW...28 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 58 MPH.

DOTHAN...31 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 47 MPH.

OZARK...29 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 41 MPH.

PERRY...24 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH.

CROSS CITY...17 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 31 MPH.

CEDAR KEY...39 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 43 MPH.

C TOWER...48 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 56 MPH.

BUOY 42039 (PANAMA CITY BUOY)...40 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 49 MPH.

BUOY 42036 (APALACHICOLA BUOY)...40 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 52 MPH.

 

Latest Rainfall Totals (as of 2 p.m. Central Time):

 

TALLAHASSEE 5.29 INCHES

IRON CITY 4.64 INCHES

BAINBRIDGE 4.35 INCHES

DESTIN 4.00 INCHES

PANAMA CITY 3.32 INCHES

DOTHAN 2.67 INCHES

 

7/10/2005 (3:14 p.m. Eastern Time): TORNADO WARNING FOR BUTTS COUNTY AND MONROE COUNTY IN CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL 330 PM EDT (Source: NWS Peachtree City, GA)

 

7/10/2005 (3:08 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Meteorologist Alan Sealls: Fort Walton Beach, FL: Sustained Winds SE at 55 mph with Gusts at 74 mph. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (3:06 p.m. Eastern Time): Severe Thunderstorm Warnings currently in effect for MULTIPLE counties in Central and Western Georgia. (Source: NWS Peachtree City, GA)

 

7/10/2005 (3:02 p.m. Eastern Time): All Evacuation Shelters in Mobile County, AL are now full. (Source: FOX News Channel/WALA-TV)

 

7/10/2005 (3:00 p.m. Eastern Time): Dennis Making Landfall about 20 miles East of Pensacola, FL. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (2:54 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Meteorologist Alan Sealls: Sustained Winds have decreased to 120 mph, now a Category 3 Storm. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:53 p.m. Eastern Time): Eyewall making landfall near Fort Walton Beach, FL. (Source: CNN)

 

7/10/2005 (2:52 p.m. Eastern Time): One Child's Death occurred during Hurricane Evacuations on Saturday; death isn't due to Hurricane Dennis coming onshore. (Source: FOX News Channel)

 

7/10/2005 (2:49 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Meteorologist Alan Sealls: Eye of Dennis is about 8 miles in diameter according to WKRG's Doppler Radar Estimate. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:46 p.m. Eastern Time): TORNADO WARNING FOR...OKALOOSA COUNTY, ESCAMBIA COUNTY AND SANTA ROSA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...UNTIL 230 PM CDT (Source: NWS Mobile, AL and WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:44 p.m. Eastern Time): FLOOD WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... BROOKS...DECATUR...DIXIE...EARLY...GADSDEN...GRADY JEFFERSON...LAFAYETTE...LEON...LOWNDES...MADISON MILLER...SEMINOLE...TAYLOR...AND THOMAS...IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA UNTIL 500 PM EDT SUNDAY AFTERNOON (Source: NWS Tallahassee, FL)

 

7/10/2005 (2:36 p.m. Eastern Time): FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR OKALOOSA COUNTY, ESCAMBIA COUNTY AND SANTA ROSA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA UNTIL 715 PM CDT. (Source: NWS Mobile, AL)

 

7/10/2005 (2:32 p.m. Eastern Time): 51 mph sustained winds and 62 mph wind gust as of 1:05 p.m. (Central Time). (Source: National Data Buoy Center)

 

7/10/2005 (2:29 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG VIPIR Radar indicates that the center of Dennis is about 22 miles away from shore. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:28 p.m. Eastern Time): Curfew Issued for Residents in Montgomery, AL. (Source: Fox News Channel)

 

7/10/2005 (2:26 p.m. Eastern Time): MSNBC Meteorologist Sean McLaughlin: Eye of Dennis will begin to move onshore within the hour. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (2:25 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Reporter Jennifer Mayerle: The Causeway is still open as of 1:30 p.m. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:20 p.m. Eastern Time): Foley and Grove Hilton reporting power outages due to Dennis. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:10 p.m. Eastern Time): Mississippi Governor Haywood Barber: Go stay elsewhere if in mobile home in insubstantial housing. High winds, tornadoes and torrential rain expected. Storm expected to last through the night in Mississippi.  People in North and Central Mississippi should rush Hurricane preparations to completion. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:04 p.m. Eastern Time): CNN Meteorologist Jacqui Jeras: Eye of Dennis only 22 miles from shoreline according to Titan Radar. (Source: CNN.com)

 

7/10/2005 (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time): Mississippi Governor News Conference expected shortly. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:58 p.m. Eastern Time): Buoy offshore near Panama City, FL reports a 33 foot wave height. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (1:54 p.m. Eastern Time): Hail reported in the near the Midtown Loop in Mobile, AL. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:52 p.m. Eastern Time): Here is the latest information on conditions across Florida, Alabama and Mississippi (Source: NWS Office in Tallahassee, FL):

 

Latest Wind Reports (as of 12 p.m. Central Time):

 

TALLAHASSEE...28 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 35 MPH.

EGLIN AFB...43 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 56 MPH.

BAINBRIDGE...30 MPH GUSTS OF 49 MPH.

PANAMA CITY...23 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 46 MPH.

MARIANNA...18 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 33 MPH.

CRESTVIEW...28 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 43 MPH.

DOTHAN...23 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 38 MPH.

PERRY...21 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 33 MPH.

CROSS CITY...14 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 21 MPH.

C TOWER...52 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 58 MPH.

BUOY 42039 (PANAMA CITY BUOY)...43 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 56 MPH.

BUOY 42036 (APALACHICOLA BUOY)...36 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 56 MPH.

 

Latest Rainfall Totals (as of 12 p.m. Eastern Time):

 

TALLAHASSEE 4.18 INCHES

THOMASVILLE 3.00 INCHES

PANAMA CITY 2.90 INCHES

DESTIN 2.48 INCHES

DOTHAN 2.37 INCHES

 

THE LATEST SEA HEIGHTS MEASURED AT THE OFFSHORE BUOYS WERE 28 FEET AT THE BUOY SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY...AND 25 FEET AT THE BUOY SOUTH OF APALACHICOLA.

 

7/10/2005 (1:49 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Reporter Glenn Austin: Have experienced incredible Downbursts in Pensacola near Three Mile Bridge over Escambia Bay. Higher Water Levels from the bay. A lot of sightseers riding around in the storm (not a good idea in this extremely dangerous storm. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:42 p.m. Eastern Time): Mobile Register Reporter Rena Havner: Baker High School has seen less evacuees during Dennis than during last year's Ivan. The thinking is that more people have left the area than have come into shelters. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:38 p.m. Eastern Time): 1.4 Million People Evacuated due to Hurricane Dennis. (Source: MSNBC)

 

7/10/2005 (1:27 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Reporter Tiffany Craig in Cedar Point: Residents riding it out in Dauphin Island. Conditions deteriorating rapidly in Cedar Point and Dauphin Island. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:25 p.m. Eastern Time): Estimated about 6,000 residents in evacuation shelters in Mobile County, AL. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:22 p.m. Eastern Time): WKRG Reporter Debbie Williams in Robertsdale, AL: 90% Evacuation Rate in Baldwin County, AL after an automated call by the EOC out to its residents. Electricity turned off at Pleasure Island yesterday as a precaution. Sporadic Outages have been reported. Alabama DOT crews ready to come in and clear roadways in Baldwin County after Dennis passes through. Curfews in effect throughout Alabama, Florida Panhandle and Extreme Southeast Mississippi. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:15 p.m. Eastern Time): Alabama Power Representative:  3500 crews from 17 states (in addition to 2500+ Alabama Power crew members) on stand-by to help after Dennis passes through. Widespread and long power outages expected. Outages could last several weeks. Priority given to essential services before beginning to get residential power restored. To report power outages in the district served by Alabama Power, call the automation hotline at 1-800-888-2726. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:12 p.m. Eastern Time): American Red Cross Representative at Governor's Press Conference: 87 Red Cross Shelters currently open in Southern Alabama. Only a short window of opportunity for residents of Northern and Central Alabama to go to shelters. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:10 p.m. Eastern Time): NWS Meteorologist (Mobile, AL) at Governor's Press Conference: Hurricane Force winds confined within 20 miles from the center of the hurricane. A 74 mph wind gust has been reported in SE part of Alabama. Possibly 10 inch rainfall totals when storm ends. Tornado Watch currently in effect for southern 1/3 of Alabama, may be extended to whole state. Hurricane force winds expected on land around 1:00-1:30 p.m. Central Time and expected landfall around 3:00 p.m. Central Time. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:07 p.m. Eastern Time): Alabama Gov. Bob Riley at Governor's Press Conference: No way to determine the exact location of landfall. Destruction is expected in the path of Dennis. All disaster recovery teams are on stand-by when the storm lets up. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:02 p.m. Eastern Time): Press Conference from Alabama Governor Bob Riley expected shortly (Clanton, AL). (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (1:00 p.m. Eastern Time): Winds at 135 mph and 55 miles SSE of Pensacola, FL. Landfall still expected between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (12:57 p.m. Eastern Time): National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Ed Rappaport explains to WKRG Meteorologist John Nodar that Hurricane Force Winds will extend at least 100 miles inland due to the compact nature of Dennis' Eye. 46 mph wind gust reported at Fort Walton Beach, FL during the 11 a.m. Hour (Central Time). (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (12:46 p.m. Eastern Time): Military Personnel and Fleet have been evacuated at Pensacola NAS and Eglin AFB; Mandatory Evacuation orders were in effect. (Source: WKRG.com)

 

7/10/2005 (12:43 p.m. Eastern Time): At 11:51 am Eastern Time, Minor Flooding in Wakula County, FL associated with a rain band from Dennis; Rainfall estimates between 2 and 2.5 inches per hour (Source: NWS Tallahassee, FL)

 

7/10/2005 (12:32 p.m. Eastern Time): FLASH FLOOD WARNING: LEON COUNTY, FL (CITIES OF TALLAHASSEE, FL) UNTIL 12:30 PM CENTRAL TIME (Source: NWS Tallahassee, FL)

 

7/10/2005 (12:30 p.m. Eastern Time): Wind Reports from a Buoy south of Biloxi reporting wave heights of 12 feet and winds speed from the North at 37 mph.  47 mph winds gusting up to 54 mph at Dauphin Island. No reports of inland tornadoes so far. (Source: WKRG.com and National Data Buoy Center)

 

7/10/2005 (11:45 a.m. Eastern Time): Here is the latest information on conditions across Florida, Alabama and Mississippi (Source: NWS Office in Tallahassee, FL):

 

Latest Wind Reports (as of 11 a.m. Eastern Time):

 

TALLAHASSEE...30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 46 MPH.

EGLIN AFB...38 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 46 MPH.

BAINBRIDGE...29 MPH GUSTS OF 38 MPH.

PANAMA CITY...29 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 44 MPH.

CRESTVIEW...24 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40 MPH.

PERRY...21 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 31 MPH.

C TOWER...56 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 63 MPH.

BUOY 42309 (PANAMA CITY BUOY)...47 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 64 MPH.

BUOY 42036 (APALACHICOLA BUOY)...43 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 64 MPH.

 

Latest Rainfall Totals as of 10 a.m. Eastern Time:

 

TALLAHASSEE 3.19 INCHES

APALACHICOLA 3.09 INCHES

BAINBRIDGE 2.70 INCHES

ST MARKS 2.70 INCHES

STEINHATCHEE 2.70 INCHES

DOTHAN 1.91 INCHES

DOWLING PARK 1.30 INCHES

BRISTOL 1.30 INCHES

NEWTON 1.15 INCHES

TIFTON 1.05 INCHES

 

7/10/2005 (11:30 a.m. Eastern Time): It is reported by WKRG.com that Hurricane Force Winds are about 40 miles in diameter within Dennis, as compared to about 100 miles in diameter for Ivan in September 2004. On the supply front, Alabama Governor Bob Riley is in touch with FEMA in getting the necessary supplies to affected areas.

 

7/10/2005 (11:15 a.m. Eastern Time): WKRG.com is reporting the winds have decreased to 140 mph and the eye wall has decreased to 10 miles in diameter. The main threat so far has been wind-driven rain rather than isolated tornadoes. WKRG Chief Meteorologist Alan Sealls points out that the focus on landfall has shifted to Escambia County and the city of Pensacola, FL. Landfall of Hurricane Dennis is expected around 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Central Time. Current winds are between 20 mph and 30 mph with higher gusts. A buoy 20 miles south of Biloxi is experiencing winds of 35 mph (near Tropical Storm Force).

 

7/10/2005 (11:05 a.m. Eastern Time): The National Weather Service in Birmingham, AL has reported wind gusts up to 60 mph about 5 miles South of Opelika, AL in association with heavy shower. Also, WKRG.com is reporting that during a Robertsdale, AL Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Briefing, Hurricane Dennis is currently encountering a cooler pool of ocean water along the coast and has weakened to 130-135 mph winds. Emergency Officials also expect the storm to make landfall between Gulf Shores, AL and Pensacola, FL.

 

7/10/2005 (10:45 a.m. Eastern Time): Hurricane Dennis continues to be a Category 4 Hurricane with winds at 145 mph. At a press conference held by Florida Governor Jeb Bush via WKRG.com, Dennis is taking a more North-Northwest turn as it heads toward the Florida Panhandle and Southern Alabama near Mobile Bay. Most recovery operations will commence Monday Morning (7/11/2005). Gov. Bush states that in cases where a Search and Rescue Operation is necessary, weather conditions will dictate whether those operations could be carried out. FEMA is in place working on a Federal Disaster Declaration along with Florida State Government to expedite relief to the region.