In focus groups conducted in Florida this year by a company promoting the use of stronger construction materials, potential home buyers ranked safety and durability much higher on their want list than such traditional dream features as granite countertops and cherry wood cabinets.

Source  International Herald Tribune

Desiring stronger homes is most likely as common as the term “hunker down” during hurricane season.  We want to be able to have a home that will stay standing during the storm and remain liveable after the storm is gone.  There is definately a demand;  And being that captilasim still rules, there will be supply.

Maybe stronger homes will help stabilize the rising home owners insurace prices; at least with the insurance companies that are still willing to insure Floridians.

Well manufacturers, for all the Florida residents, I say bring us some stronger, more durable build supplies and we will definately use them.

There is currently a tropical wave located in the caribbean just above the Bahamas. The wave is expected to move to the west-northwest. Weather watches are monitoring the wave for any further development.

Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall near Adams Beach, Southeast of Talllahassee.   The storm did not pick-up strength and become a hurricane, like what was forecasted early yesterday.

Flooding is expected in low lying areas, but not much damaged when compared to storms that have hit Florida in the past years.

Tropical Storm Alberto, the first storm of the 2006 Hurricane season, is now projected to become Hurricane Alberto. Alberto is off the western coast of Florida and expected to make landfall somtime tommorow. Hurricane Warnings, and Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for most of the west coast of Florida. The current track has the storm making landfall north of the Tampa bay area.

However, we do knos that tracks do change. At this point we should all be prepared, but at the same time remain calm. In the previous years, we have been through a lot of wait and see scenarios with these storms. Tropical events are nothing to sneeze, but going into a panic does not remedy the situation.

It you haven’t already, make sure you have all your hurricane supplies. Remember this is just the second week of Hurricane season. Be prepared.

Tropical Storm Alberto’s current track

The first named storm has formed.  Tropical Storm Alberto is still in the western Caribbean.   It is not expected to get to the intensity of an hurricane.  The current track  takes  Alberto across Florida’s Pennisula.  The cone of  error still includes the Tamp Bay area.  Alberto is supposed to make landfall sometime on Tuesday.

 Alberto current track

The latest forecast by the National Hurricane Center has the cone of possibility for Tropical Depression One  shifted north.   Tampa Bay is still included within the that cone we have cone we have come know so well.   Tommorow’s chances of rain is a lot higher as Tropical Depression One drifts closer into the Gulf.

The topical disturbance that forecasters have been watching has now turned into an Tropical Depression One.  Tropical Depression One is expected to become to Tropical Storm Alberto.  The currenct cone of possibility includes much of central and north Florida.

View The National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Depression One Track

A tropical disturbance is brewing between the Yucatan peninsula and Cuba.   According to most weather forecasters it will mostly likely develop into a tropical depression or a tropical storm.  Many tracks having making landfall somewhere in North or Central Florida.  But as you know from other hurricanes seasons, weather predictions change from day to day and sometimes hour to hour.

In case your curious, here are names for the 2006 hurricane season:

1. Alberto
2. Beryl
3. Chris
4. Debby
5. Ernesto
6. Florence
7. Gordon
8. Helene
9. Isaac
10. Joyce
11. Kirk
12. Leslie
13. Michael
14. Nadine
15. Oscar
16. Patty
17. Rafael
18. Sandy
19. Tony
20. Valerie
21. William

Hurricane Season 2006 is supposed to more active than normal.  What is normal?  Well, normal is not the last two hurricane season.  Forecasters do not believe that the season will be as active as last season; when had to begin naming storms with the Greek alphabet.