Tropical Tammy Troubles Florida

Tropical Storm Tammy formed just off Florida's east coast Wednesday and could bring tornadoes, heavy rains and coastal erosion to northern Florida and parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.

Wary residents were carefully watching the storm, while beach businesses were bemoaning the loss of customers and reservations.

Tammy was centered about 40 miles north-northeast of Cape Canaveral and 130 miles southeast of Jacksonville at 11 a.m. EDT and was moving to the north at 14 mph. It is expected to parallel the coast and gradually slow its forward motion.

"It is weak tropical storm, the maximum sustained winds about 40 mph. There's some chance of some strengthening, but we're not looking for very much, National Hurricane Center meteorologist Colin McAdie told CBS Radio News.

It is unlikely that it will reach hurricane strength of 74 mph.

A tropical storm warning has been issued from Cocoa Beach north to Santee River, S.C., meaning tropical storm conditions are expected in those areas within the next 24 hours.

The path is expected to be very similar to Ophelia, the storm in early September that hugged the coast for days before coming ashore in North Carolina as a hurricane, but where Tammy will make landfall is hard to predict, because it is moving parallel to the coast.

Rainfall is expected to be 3 to 5 inches in most areas with some isolated spots getting from 8 to 10 inches. High tides are expected to be 2 to 3 feet above normal.

"Although it's a weak system, there is some chance of an isolated tornado or two," said McAdie.

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

"I'm just watching the news to see what is going to do," said Eric Fort, general manager of the Sea Walk Hotel.

Tourists and business people are canceling reservations with the approach of storm, Fort said. 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.

"It has a lot to do with Katrina," he said. Hurricane Katrina struck South Florida as a Category 1 storm on Aug. 25, four days before it devastated Louisiana and Mississippi as a Category 4.

Dave Lindville, an oyster shucker at a beachside restaurant, Bukkets Baha Beach Club, said shortly before noon that he had no customers.

"Nobody comes to the beach when the weather is like this," Lindville said.

"It is pretty ominous out there," said Lindville, whose restaurant is across a dune from the Atlantic.

Lifeguard Jesse Broemer at Jacksonville Beach said the beach was virtually empty with heavy bands of rain and churning waves. One or two surfers tried to brave the 3- to 4-foot waves.

"But they couldn't make it out there," he said.

In Clay County, emergency officials were keeping a sharp eye on flood-prone Black Creek.

The creek was expected to crest at 16 feet late Wednesday. Although that is above flood stage, it will not cause any flooding of two dozen nearby homes, most of which are built on stilts, said Capt. Bernita Bush with Clay County Fire-Rescue Department.

"We do not get worried or order any evacuations until it gets above 20 feet," Bush said.

Tammy is the 19th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

This season is tied for second-busiest on record since record-keeping started in 1851. The record for tropical storms and hurricanes in one year is 21, set in 1933.