West Palm Beach, Fla. – Ernesto weakened to a tropical depression over Florida, doing little damage as its rain swept northward today. But it was still threatening enough that North and South Carolina mobilized National Guard troops as a precaution.
Midmorning, the storm’s sustained wind topped out at 35 mph, 4 mph below tropical storm strength. Ernesto’s rain bands were expected to moved into the Atlantic later today and possibly regain strength on a course toward the Carolinas.
A tropical storm warning remained in effect from Sebastian about halfway up Florida’s east coast to Cape Fear in North Carolina.
Warnings was cancelled for the southern part of Florida, including Miami, and all hurricane watches were discontinued.
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley today activated National Guard troops and the State Emergency Response Team to prepare for possible flooding and power outages.
“Ernesto should not be a major event for North Carolina, but it is still important that citizens be prepared,” Easley said, urging residents to make a disaster plan and have a kit of emergency supplies.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford announced Tuesday that nearly 250 National Guard were being mobilized there to help direct traffic if evacuations were ordered.
“The best-laid plans can be disrupted by Mother Nature, in the event this storm were to stall out over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and intensify,” he said.
At 11 a.m. EDT, Ernesto’s center of the storm was about 55 miles west-southwest of West Palm Beach and moving north near 10 mph.
