Hurricanes skipped over Florida in 1998

By DAVID BALLINGRUD

©St. Petersburg Times, published June 3, 1997

Numerous storms do not necessarily mean widespread death and destruction.

Many storms stay over water, and sometimes even exposed states such as Florida, Louisiana and Texas just get lucky.

Take last year, for example.

There were 13 named storms in 1998, nine of which became hurricanes. Six of the hurricanes were considered major storms, with winds in excess of 110 mph. 1998 was the eighth most active season on record in 110 years, causing at least 136 deaths in the Caribbean, Central America and the United States.

But only two hurricanes -- Bertha and Fran -- made landfall in the United States, both near Wilmington, N.C.

In Florida the season was marked by the appearance of Tropical Storm Josephine, which forced the closing of the four major bridges across Tampa Bay and caused flooding along the state's west coast from Fort Myers to Cedar Key. Damage was estimated at $130-million, with more than 4,000 homes flooded throughout the state, mostly in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Elsewhere, the damage was more serious.

In July, Hurricane Bertha was blamed for more than 10 deaths and $250-million in damage. Hurricane Fran was worse. Blamed for 34 deaths, Fran formed Aug. 24 and lasted through Sept. 6. Winds of 120 mph knocked out power across North Carolina. Hurricane Edouard, the most intense storm of the season with winds up to 145 mph, brushed Cape Cod, Mass., and Nova Scotia but did not make a direct hit.

This year hurricane activity won't be quite as great as last year, according to Colorado State University's hurricane guru William Gray. However, experts like to point out that devastating Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992, a year in which there were relatively few storms.

David Bilodeau, director of emergency management for Pinellas County, says now is the time to pick an evacuation destination -- not as a storm approaches. And don't just assume you can head down the road to Orlando, he said. Too many other people will have the same thought.
-- Information from Times files was used in this report.