On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 22:30:29 +0100, "Keith \(Southend\)"
wrote:

Now that's what I call a storm warning.

Keith (Southend)

snip

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
FLZ045-046-053-144-282145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
453 PM EDT MON JUL 28 2003

...STRONG STORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE ORLANDO METRO AREA
THROUGH SUNSET...

AT 445 PM...BOTH THE EAST AND WEST COAST SEA BREEZES HAD PUSHED INTO
THE INTERIOR COUNTIES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD
FORMED ALONG BOTH BOUNDARIES...SPECIFICALLY OVER SOUTHWEST VOLUSIA
COUNTY IN THE EAST...AND OVER MARION AND SUMTER COUNTIES IN THE
WEST. MANY OF THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE
LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

THROUGH SUNSET...THE EAST AND WEST COAST SEA BREEZES WILL MERGE OVER
CENTRAL FLORIDA IN THE VICINTY OF THE ORLANDO METRO AREA. AS THEY
DO...ADDITIONAL STRONG LIGHTNING STORMS WILL DEVELOP...SOME OF WHICH
MAY BECOME SEVERE. FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED WITH
MANY OF THESE STORMS...ESPECIALLY OVER DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AND POINTS
WEST.

RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SHOULD MONITOR THE LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS
CAREFULLY THROUGH SUNSET...AS SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL DEVELOP WITH
LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING. MOVE INDOORS IF LIGHTNING IS SEEN OF IF
THUNDER IS HEARD...AND REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL 30 MINUTES PAST THE
FINAL CLAP OF THUNDER. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING IS THE FIRST
THUNDERSTORM HAZARD TO ARRIVE...AND THE LAST TO LEAVE.
snip
Satellite:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/k/h/khogue22/flvisnc.html--
************************************************* *"Weather Home and
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From my experience having spent some time in central Florida in the
summer, these sorts of weather conditions are entirely normal (with
the added excitement of hurricanes later on) and the warnings are no
more than the residents expect. Along with the weather channel and
flash warnings on regular radio and TV, there were also
cable/satellite channels showing local and regional radar in real time
- this was particularly useful and it showed you areas to avoid (or
head for if you're an enthusiast).

Two things always puzzled me: why put all the tourist theme parks in
central Florida? (ok at other times of the year, I suppose) and why
have the main space center in one of the most lightning prone areas of
the world?

JPG

have the main space center in one of the most lightning prone areas of
the world?

I can only attempt to give an answer to this last part:
for space launch, you want a place as close as possible to the
equator (Kourou/formerly Sahara desert for the French for example).
In the US, Texas and Florida would qualify. Then you want a large area
of water around the space launch facility where the rockets/booster can
crash. The gulf of Mexico might or might not qualify when rockets
are launched from Texas. Vandenberg (CA) and Florida are both next to
large areas of water so I assume safety is one of the key points
in choosing the lauch area.

Just a few guesses, Jean-Michel