NAPLES, Fla. — Tropical Storm Fay rolled ashore Tuesday in Florida short of hurricane strength but mysteriously gained speed as it headed over land, bringing heavy rain, high wind and tornadoes.
The storm dumped knee-deep water in some streets, downed trees and plunged 58,000 homes and businesses into the dark. A tornado ripped through Brevard County, damaging 51 homes, nine severely.
But overall, residents said it wasn’t as bad as they had feared.
“We’re still here,” said Corey Knapp, resident manager of the Ivey House, a bed and breakfast in Everglades City.
Still, forecasters were watching as the storm gathered strength, its top sustained winds increasing by 5 mph to 65 mph at 3 p.m. The development was unusual because the storm was away from its energy source of warm ocean waters.
Flooding remained a concern as Fay headed up the Florida peninsula with rainfall amounts forecast between 5 and 15 inches. The storm could also push tides 1 to 3 feet above normal and spawn more tornadoes.
Farther north, farmers in drought-stricken North and South Carolina were hoping for a drenching from Fay, but they may have to keep their fingers crossed for a few more days.
National Weather Service meteorologist Doug Outlaw said it was not clear whether the storm would track north to the Carolinas or veer west over Tennessee. A high-pressure system was expected to stall it over Florida and Georgia this week.
