Storm prompts warning along Florida coast

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Tuesday, September 6, 2005; Posted: 1:06 p.m. EDT (17:06 GMT)

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- About 120 miles of Florida's Atlantic coast were under a tropical storm warning Tuesday as a new system formed just offshore and threatened to dump up to 15 inches of rain in parts of the state.

The tropical depression could strengthen into Tropical Storm Ophelia by Wednesday, which prompted the warning from north of Jupiter to Titusville, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It could bring tropical storm conditions of winds of at least 39 mph to the state by Wednesday morning.

"The primary concern is very heavy rains," hurricane specialist Richard Pasch said. Five to 10 inches were expected over the next few days, with some isolated areas possibly getting 15 inches.

At 11 a.m. EDT, the depression had top sustained winds of about 30 mph and was centered about 180 miles southeast of Cape Canaveral. It wasn't moving, but it should start heading north-northwest later Tuesday, forecasters said.

Ophelia would be the 15th tropical storm of the 2005 season. There are only six remaining names on this year's list of such storms, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Two other storms were out in the open ocean Tuesday as the busy hurricane season continues. Tropical Storm Nate intensified south of Bermuda, while Hurricane Maria weakened on its way to the colder waters of the north Atlantic.

Nate, the 14th named storm of the season, was centered about 275 miles south-southwest of Bermuda with top sustained winds near 60 mph. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said it could reach hurricane strength, with winds of at least 74 mph, by Wednesday.

It wasn't moving, though it was expected to eventually make a turn to the northeast, forecasters said.

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