Tropical Storm Tammy gives northern Florida’s Atlantic coast a soaking

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. ? The center of Tropical Storm Tammy came ashore in north Florida on Wednesday after skirting the coast and sending heavy rain and gusty winds toward Georgia and the Carolinas.

The storm’s center came ashore near Mayport, home to a major naval station about 15 miles east of Jacksonville. But much of the worst weather remained offshore, the National Hurricane Center said.

At 10 p.m. CDT, Tammy’s winds had decreased to 40 mph. The storm was moving northwest at about 13 mph, and was expected to swirl farther inland.

“We’ll probably see most of the brunt of the storm hitting the southeastern coast of Georgia,” meteorologist Chris Sisko said. “They’ll get some pretty squally weather.”

Tammy formed just off Florida’s east coast early Wednesday, dropping rain into north Florida and soaking parts of Georgia and South Carolina. As it tracked along the coast, the worst of its weather remained offshore, north and east of its center.

“It does appear that heavy rainfall from Tammy in Florida is not going to unfold,” Sisko said.

A tropical storm warning was in effect from Fernandina Beach north to the Santee River in South Carolina, meaning tropical storm conditions were expected in those areas within the next 24 hours. Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 200 miles.

Tammy was expected to dump 3 to 5 inches of rain over southeast Georgia, eastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina, with maximum amounts of 8 to 10 inches, the National Hurricane Center said.

The rain will not be entirely unwelcome: Parts of the Carolinas have been suffering from drought.

But at Jacksonville Beach, businesses lamented the approach of another tropical storm. Seven hurricanes have brushed past or hit Florida in the last 14 months, including three this year.

Tourists and business people canceled reservations with the approach of the storm, said Eric Fort, general manager of the Sea Walk Hotel. He estimated business is off 75 percent from this time last year, a triple whammy from the economy, gas prices and fear of the storm.