As of the 4:00 pm CDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center, the center of Ike is about 400 miles ESE of Galveston, Texas. The center is expected to reach the upper-Texas coast by late Friday. Coastal storm surge of more than 20 feet is expected near and to east of where the center makes landfall. In addition, as much as 15 inches of rain is forecasted for some areas.
Hopefully, all people in the area are securing their property and evacuating. Galveston, the site of the U.S.’s worst Hurricane death toll, is especially vulnerable to coastal flooding and erosion. It is a beautiful coastal town which some are betting will become the “Long Island of Texas”. The downtown area has many old Victorian homes and buildings that have stood the test of time.
The coast of Galveston is very similiar to the Atlantic coast of Florida. The houses sit far back from the water at a higher elevation from the beach. This creates a serious problem where the earth under houses erode quite significantly. To help the problem, many use a product called a Geo-Tube, which is a essentially a very long, and very tall, sand bag. The Geo-Tube is buried in the ground to protect from washout.
In the local area, the Gulf appears to be calming somewhat as we approach low tide. It will be a few days before things get back to normal. Hopefully, when the water recedes back to its normal level, our beach will build back easily. Only time will tell.
With Ike in the Gulf, our seas are very rough. Offshore, swells are exceeding 25 feet with seas 8 to 12 feet in shore. Seas aren’t expected to come down until Sunday.
I was at Treasure Island Condominiums earlier and there is no beach between the building and the water. The surf is crashing up against the building and lapping at the pilings of beach homes. After Gustov, we had a little erosion, but we were told at the TDC meeting Tuesday that it would build back naturally. We’ll see after this system moves through. The dock by my house was almost completely covered and boats at a local marina are looking a little high.
Stay tuned to pcbdaily.com for all updates for Hurricane Ike.
I don’t know what these two were thinking. I saw them enter the water near the Rick Seltzer Park. They tried very hard to make it out, but couldn’t even get past the first breaking surf line. It didn’t take much time at all and they were already out of the water. It looked like they had enough and were calling it a day.
See, even locals can make some bad judgments at times. Well, who could blame them.
Do you know it is only a single red flag day?
Other pictures:
Anyone from the area who has some interesting pics, send them to me at cdurta@att.net. I would like to get some from the other areas around the county.
Well, it is 6 a.m., which is right about high tide. I am awakened to the roar of the waves and can tell without even looking that the situation has changed significantly overnight. It is still a bit dark, but from what I can see the water is covering most of the beach and moving fast. It appears that some has even come passed our fence line and into our “yard”. The surf is very rough. The buoy south of Panama City that I reported as recording 10 feet wave heights yesterday, is now showing over 24 feet.
The 4 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricance Center read in part,
AT 400 AM CDT…0900Z…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.2 NORTH…LONGITUDE 87.6 WEST OR ABOUT 620 MILES…995 KM…EAST OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS AND ABOUT 285 MILES…460 KM… SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH…15 KM/HR. A GENERAL WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION OVER THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO IS EXPECTED TODAY AND FRIDAY. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER WILL BE APPROACHING THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST LATE FRIDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 100 MPH…160 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE…AND IT COULD INTENSIFY INTO A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.
IKE IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES…185 KM…FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 255 MILES…410 KM.
AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 946 MB…27.94 INCHES.
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS…ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES…CAN BE EXPECTED WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA. ABOVE NORMAL TIDES OF 2 TO 4 FEET ARE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE ALONG MUCH OF THE NORTHERN COAST OF THE GULF OF MEXICO DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO…BUT WILL BE INCREASING ALONG THE WESTERN GULF COAST AS IKE APPROACHES.
Close out Tapestry Park Cinema with Alvin, Simon & Theodore
PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL (September 9, 2008) – Join Tapestry Park as we welcome the fall with the final installment of Tapestry Park Cinema on Friday, September 26th. This month’s feature film brings three singing chipmunks to the giant 16-foot screen in Savannah Park. Tapestry Park Cinema will also be offering a cash-only concession stand.
Tapestry Park began hosting this four-part event series in June and has seen tremendous support from the community at large. Tapestry Park is currently seeking local businesses interested in sponsoring Tapestry Park Cinema, and other community events, in 2009. The Tapestry Park community hopes to host this event and add additional educational/cultural events that promote a community atmosphere, and is looking for partners to allow family-friendly events to continue into the future. To inquire about event sponsorships at Tapestry Park, please contact Adam Shiland by calling 850.428.0825.
“Everyone who has taken part in our events have thoroughly enjoyed their experiences,” said Mark Tanney, the developer of Tapestry Park. “I know that there are businesses in the area that see the benefit of supporting these programs and in return they will receive tremendous exposure to our guests.”
The final screening will begin at 8:00 p.m.; however, guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure their spot on the lawn. The cash-only concession stand will feature popcorn, sodas, juices and bottled water. Tapestry Park will be collecting pop tabs from all sodas purchased at the event. All collected tabs will be dropped off at the Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida to support their Pop Tab Program.
For more information on Tapestry Park, visit the community online at tapestrypark.com or call us at 850.234.3339. Tapestry Park is located on Clara Avenue, between Hutchinson Boulevard and Hwy 98, in the heart of Panama City Beach. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Savannah Park.
# ABOUT TAPESTRY PARK
Born out of the search for the ideal family neighborhood, Tapestry Park introduces a new approach to the planned community in Panama City Beach, Florida – where owners control the design of their home. Open parks, wide sidewalks, and neighborhood friendliness draw people from all walks of life, and diverse architecture sustains a feeling of individuality. Designed to be primary residences, Tapestry Park offers the permanence of a traditional neighborhood with the beauty of a vacation town setting. For more information, visit http://www.tapestrypark.com.
As Ike makes his way across the Gulf, the coastal waters off Panama City Beach are already starting to swell. Surf conditions are expected to rapidly deteriorate throughout the day today and into tomorrow. This has prompted the National Weather Service to issue advisories to coastal and marine interests.
Satellite Image of Ike This Morning
As of the 11a.m. EDT advisory, Ike was a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds near 90mph with higher gusts. Ike is a large tropical cyclone. Hurricane force winds extended outward up to 80 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds out up to 205 miles. A gradual increase in strength is expected as Ike moves over the loop current and other warm eddies. The official forecast from the National Hurricane Center is for Ike to become a category 3 storm.
In our area, rain and windy conditions should begin tonight and continue to Friday. Tropical storm conditions are not expected, although gusts may reach that level in rain bands. Severe weather is also not expected.
Coastal Flood Watch
A Coastal Flood Watch is in effect for the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend immediate coasts from the Suwannee River Entrance westward to Destin for Wednesday evening to Thursday evening. Below is an excerpt from the statement:
STRONG EAST TO SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL PUSH WATER INTO THE COASTLINE BEGINNING WEDNESDAY EVENING. THIS RISING WATER COMBINING WITH HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL LIKELY PRODUCE A PERIOD OF COASTAL FLOODING ALL ALONG THE COAST. THE EFFECT OF THIS FLOODING WILL BE MAXIMIZED AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE. AREAS PREVIOUSLY IMPACTED BY HURRICANE GUSTAV WILL BE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION.
AT THIS TIME…AREAS FROM THE AUCILLA RIVER TO THE SUWANNEE RIVER ENTRANCE CAN EXPECT STORM TIDE VALUES…WHICH IS THE HEIGHT ABOVE MEAN LOWER LOW WATER…OF 3 TO 5 FEET AROUND HIGH TIDE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
AREAS FROM CAPE SAN BLAS TO SAINT MARKS CAN EXPECT STORM TIDE VALUES BETWEEN 4 TO 7 FEET AROUND THE HIGH TIDE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
AREAS FROM DESTIN TO MEXICO BEACH CAN EXPECT STORM TIDE VALUES BETWEEN 2 TO 4 FEET AROUND HIGH TIDE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
BELOW ARE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE AND LOW TIDE AT SELECTED LOCATIONS ALONG THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND COASTLINES…
SUWANNEE RIVER ENTRANCE…HIGH TIDE 1248 AM THURSDAY…LOW TIDE 555 AM THURSDAY…HIGH TIDE 1135 AM THURSDAY.
SHELL POINT…HIGH TIDE 115 AM THURSDAY…LOW TIDE 620 AM THURSDAY…HIGH TIDE 1227 AM THURSDAY.
SAINT GEORGE ISLAND…HIGH TIDE 138 AM THURSDAY…LOW TIDE 513 AM THURSDAY…HIGH TIDE 1042 AM THURSDAY.
NOTE THAT THE LOW TIDE AMPLITUDE AT THESE THREE SITES IS ONLY AROUND HALF A FOOT LOWER THAN THE HIGH TIDE. THIS MAY LEAD TO A PROLONGED PERIOD OF INUNDATION IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THE COAST.
AT PANAMA CITY…HIGH TIDE 611 AM THURSDAY…LOW TIDE 425 PM THURSDAY.
AT DESTIN…HIGH TIDE 755 AM THURSDAY…LOW TIDE 637 PM THURSDAY.
HIGH SURF OF 9 TO 13 FEET…WITH HIGHER SETS UP TO 15 FEET WILL BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY ALONG THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE COAST FROM DESTIN TO SAINT GEORGE ISLAND IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. MUCH LOWER SURF HEIGHTS OF 3 TO 6 FEET ARE EXPECTED EAST OF SAINT GEORGE ISLAND TO ALLIGATOR POINT.
A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR COASTAL FLOODING ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR ARNINGS…AND TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT PROPERTY.
Small Craft Advisory
A Small Craft Advisory is effect from 8 a.m. EDT this morning through Saturday afternoon. The forecast is as follows:
COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO 20 NM-
TODAY
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FEET ALONG THE COAST…6 TO 9 FEET OFFSHORE. PROTECTED WATERS CHOPPY. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
TONIGHT
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS…BECOMING SOUTHEAST AND INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS BUILDING TO 6 TO 9 FEET ALONG THE COAST…9 TO 12 FEET OFFSHORE. PROTECTED WATERS CHOPPY…INCREASING TO ROUGH AFTER MIDNIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
THURSDAY
SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS…DECREASING TO 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 7 TO 9 FEET ALONG THE COAST…9 TO 12 FEET OFFSHORE. PROTECTED WATERS OUGH…DECREASING TO CHOPPY IN THE AFTERNOON. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
THURSDAY NIGHT
SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 6 TO 8 ALONG THE COAST…8 TO 11 FEET OFFSHORE. PROTECTED WATERS CHOPPY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
FRIDAY
SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS…DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET ALONG THE COAST…7 TO 9 FEET OFFSHORE. PROTECTED WATERS CHOPPY…DECREASING TO A LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP IN THE AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
FRIDAY NIGHT
EAST WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. PROTECTED WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
SATURDAY
SOUTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET…SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. PROTECTED
WATERS SMOOTH TO A LIGHT CHOP.
Current readings from the buoy 115NM ESE of Pensacola (28°47’28” N 86°0’29” W)are reporting wave heights of approximately 10.2 feet with wind gusts to 25.3 kts.
Is anyone else suffering from sinus/allergy problems? My whole family has been sick for the last couple of days. Based on the fact that it happened after spending time outdoors, I think pollen may be the culprit.
Below is a graph from Pollen.com showing the recorded pollen levels for our area over the past 30 days. The pollen levels are on a scale of 12. Low is 0-2.4, Low-Medium is 2.5-4.8, Medium is 4.9-7.2, High-Medium is 7.3-9.6, and High is 9.7-12.0. These levels take into account how much pollen the allergy sufferer is likely to be exposed to for that given period.
As you can clearly see, there has been an major increase in the levels, particularly in the last week. Today’s level is 8.4, which is considered medium-high. The predominent pollens are ragweed and grass. So, if your feeling a bit stuffy, or just plain sick, you may want to stay indoors.
New Tuscan Farmhouse-design restaurant is the first in Bay County
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (September 8, 2008)- Olive Garden welcomes guests to its newest restaurant opening at Pier Park, located in Panama City Beach at 15701 Panama City Beach Parkway on Monday, Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. The beautiful new restaurant, built in the company’s Tuscan-farmhouse design, is the first in Bay County.
Approximately 165 jobs will be created with the opening of the 247-seat, 7,441 square-foot restaurant that is expected to contribute to the state’s restaurant industry growth. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2008 Industry Forecast, restaurant sales in Florida are expected to grow 5 percent this year.
“Panama City Beach supports a strong tourism industry making it the perfect location for the newest member of Olive Garden’s family of local restaurants,” said Valerie Insignares, executive vice president of operations for Olive Garden.
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG), the country’s largest owner, developer and manager of high quality retail real estate, is pleased to boast another exciting restaurant for its Pier Park development. “The Olive Garden is a fantastic addition to the dominant restaurant lineup at Pier Park,” says Felicia Cook, director of mall marketing at Pier Park. “This restaurant will help further the center as the regions premier shopping and dining destination.”
Pier Park is a 900,000-square-foot open-air regional lifestyle center offering premiere retail, dining and entertainment choices located on 93 acres that covers land from Front Beach Road (at the City Pier) to the heavily traveled Highway 98 (Back Beach Road).
Tuscan Inspiration
The Olive Garden in Panama City Beach has a rustic stone exterior, typical of the buildings in the Italian countryside, and an interior accented by Italian imports designed to make the dining experience here a tribute to the restaurant’s Italian inspiration. Ceilings supported by exposed wood beams, stone and wood accents throughout, and terra cotta tile highlight the interior.
The bar top is crafted from lava stone, then hand-painted by artisans in Italy with design created exclusively for Olive Garden; vibrant imported fabrics decorate windows and dining seats; hand-painted plates adorn rustic stone and stucco walls; and the lighting fixtures are all distinctly Italian.
“We are extremely excited to share the breathtaking setting of our new Tuscan Farmhouse-design Olive Garden with the Panama City Beach community,” said Mark Swartz, general manager. “It was designed after our Riserva di Fizzano restaurant in Tuscany, Italy, which is rustic, charming, warm and beautiful – the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a genuine Italian dining experience.”
To recognize Swartz’s role as head of the Olive Garden family in Panama City Beach and to emphasize the importance the company places on its general managers, Olive Garden honored Swartz by setting his name in stone. Travertine marble imported from Tuscany was chiseled with Swartz’s name and placed prominently by the front door.
Most new Olive Garden restaurants have been built in the Tuscan Farmhouse-design since February 2000.
Olive Garden is the leading restaurant in the Italian dining segment with 653 restaurants, more than 80,000 employees and $3.1 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a division of Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE:DRI), the world’s largest full-service owned and operated restaurant company. For more information, visit Olive Garden’s Web site at http://www.olivegarden.com.
Panama City Beach Olive Garden at a glance:
Opening Date: Monday, Sept. 8
Employees: 165
Square Footage: 7,441 square feet
Number of Seats: 247
Hours of Operation: From Monday, Sept. 8 – Sept. 14 the restaurant will serve dinner only:
– Sunday through Thursday: 4 – 10 p.m.
– Friday and Saturday: 4 – 11 p.m.
The restaurant will be open for lunch beginning Monday, Sept. 15. Lunch will be served starting at 11 a.m. every day.
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Motion to addopt strategy plan made, passed and held. Approved. Check pcbdaily later for a digital copy of the plan #
Dan rowe wants to start an “adopt the beach” program to help protect our natural resources #
Dan rowe and jack bishop want to build more permanent festival infrastructue #
40 percent of all tourist revenue comes in june and july #
8 of the 9 board members were in attendance.Rick Russell was absent.
Bed Tax Collections:Ms. Charlene Honnen, Tourist Development Tax Specialist, reported that while YTD collections were up 1.8%, the July collections were down from the prior year.She also reported that there are currently 1522 collectors representing approximately 12,000 units registered with her office.
PCB Seafood, Wine & Music Festival:Mr. Jack Bishop made an extensive presentation on his organization’s planning for the October festival.The CVB is the festival’s primary sponsor and is contributing $50,000.00 in financial support.He gave a walk-through of the festival’s web site, explained all of the marketing efforts, and also explained the festivals “green” efforts.He also explained that his organization will be collecting demographic date from all ticket purchasers and expects to provide extensive date to the CVB.Bishop also reported that his organization was already considering hosting a spring festival for 2009 during the shoulder season between Easter and Memorial Day.Finally, he expressed his belief that the community should continue to make improvements to the grounds at Frank Brown Park to assist with future festivals.He discussed the electrical improvements made by the circus and explained how they were more specifically geared to the needs of the circus than he would have desired.He reported that his organization hopes to make permanent facility upgrades with each festival that will be helpful to future users.
Fall Promotion Update:Ms. Susan Estler, the CVB’s VP of Marketing, explained the extension of the Summer White Sale through October.Although online marketing designed to draw visitors to the CVB’s site continues, the primary print and radio advertising has been completed.The partner offers have been recently updated and now include 52 partners.Since the program began, there have been 85,000 website sessions and 23,000 coupon downloads.
Strategic Plan:President Dan Rowe thoroughly discussed the final Strategic Plan that is the result of two public sessions and input from the board and community.The final key initiatives are: 1. Enhance the visitor experience at Panama City Beach; 2. Develop Panama City Beach into a year-round destination; 3. Effectively market Panama City Beach to build occupancy;4. Diligently protect Panama City Beach’s primary natural resource – the beach.“Potential strategies for funding the initiatives” has been added as a separate section.At the President’s request, the board unanimously voted to adopt the plan.
Marketing Committee Update:Committee Chairman Buddy Wilkes advised the board that he had made the decision to make some changes to the committee membership to add some new voices.Phillip Griffitts, Jr. (Sugar Sands Resort/La Quinta) and Russ Smith(Towne of Seahaven/Sharky’s/Hammerhead Fred’s) will retain their seats.New appointees are: Felicia Cook(Marketing Director for Pier Park), Amy Harris(Royal American Hospitality), Annie Holcomb(Oaseas Management), Lee Ann Leonard (By the Sea Resorts), and myself, Bryan Durta.The board voted unanimously in support of the new committee.I would like to thank Mr. Wilkes for including me on the committee as an involved citizen.The committee will continue to meet on an as needed basis as the board requests.The first meeting has been scheduled for September 23rd.
Off Shore Drilling: President Rowe discussed the possibility of the board reconsidering previous positions opposing drilling off the shore of Florida.Rowe explained that a meeting of Florida CVB’s is being held next month to discuss the issue and he suggested the board delay any action until he can report back.
Beach Damage from Hurricane Gustav: President Rowe reported that it is still unknown whether there has been any damage to the beach resulting from Gustav.While the profile is currently deflated(flatter), Ms. Lisa Ambruster has advised that the height will likely build back.There is a possibility of seeking emergency repair funds from governmental agencies if the board desires.This will likely require a survey costing approximately $100,000.00 and Rowe suggested that the board wait for a recommendation from its beach contractors before making a decision.
Interactive Agency Search:President Rowe reported that the application deadline has passed and 6 proposals have been received.The sub-committee will bring its recommendation to the board after a complete analysis.
Delta In-flight Magazine Article:Although it was not an agenda item, Board Member Yonnie Patronis brought up an issue concerning a 10 page article on the Emerald Coast that appears in the current magazine.Mr. Patronis reported that the article included information on Coastal Vision 3000 and most of the panhandle, while totally ignoring Panama City Beach.
My Last Meeting Report:Due to my appointment to the CVB’s Marketing Committee announced today, my personal standards require that I discontinue preparing the TDC/CVB meeting reports for PCBDaily.I would like to thank Jason for providing the opportunity to write them over the past year, and know that Jason and Kirk are ready to take up the slack.I will, of course, still be here contributing to the site where appropriate.I have enjoyed preparing the reports and hope that everyone has found them to be informative and fair.I welcome comments and suggestions from anyone interested in our destination, regardless of whether you are a resident or a visitor.Thank you.
PCBDaily 