Hurricane Gathers for Assault on Florida; 100,000 Take Flight : Storm Weakened by Dry Air but Remains Threat

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Hurricane Kate drew back 100-m.p.h. winds for an assault on Florida’s Panhandle today, and 100,000 people heeded warnings of “extreme danger” and fled the first November hurricane to lash the U.S. mainland in 50 years.

Kate collided with dry air that weakens a tropical storm “like taking a log out of a fire,” as it churned at 10 to 15 m.p.h. this afternoon toward the tourist-rich Panhandle.

But forecasters warned that the late-season hurricane’s winds and 12-foot storm tides are capable of inflicting heavy damage, and the leading edge of Kate threw blinding squalls at the coast and kicked up waves that washed out highways.

“The winds are blowing pretty good and the tides are rising,” Deputy Sheriff Lewis Julius said in Apalachicola.

Hurricane warnings flew from Pensacola to tiny St. Marks, Fla., and Gov. Bob Graham ordered the evacuation of 13 Panhandle counties in the storm’s path. An estimated 100,000 people boarded up homes and headed inland or gathered in shelters to wait out the storm.

Moving North-Northeast

At noon, PST, Kate was centered about 65 miles southwest of Apalachicola and moving north-northeast toward an evening landfall on a 50-mile stretch of coast between Panama City and Apalachicola.

Kate will become the fourth hurricane to pound the Gulf Coast in four months.

A storefront sign in Apalachicola read, “Here We Go Again.”

Hurricane Danny caused $50 million damage and claimed three lives in August, Hurricane Elena caused $1.5 billion damage and killed three people in September and Hurricane Juan claimed eight lives and caused $1.5 billion in damage last month.

Kate roared through “Hurricane Alley” on Tuesday, hammering the northern coast of Cuba with 110-m.p.h. winds and lashing Key West before plunging into the Gulf of Mexico and strengthening to a 115-m.p.h. storm.

Many Ignore Orders

Hurricane forecaster Gil Clark said Kate was weakened and slowed today by dry air from land. After the reports of the weaker but still powerful winds, many residents ignored evacuation orders, prompting a plea from the National Weather Service: “If you receive word to leave, go.”

Rodger Jacovy, manager of a convenience store at Pensacola Beach, said many of his customers came in and got “gas and booze. Quite a few people said they were going to stay and party.”

But most residents in the evacuation area reportedly heeded the storm warnings, including Ken Spratt, 27, and his wife, Lianne, 25, who is eight months pregnant. They packed up their car and left Pensacola Beach within hours of the evacuation order.

“Evidently, now I don’t know this for sure, but low pressure makes you have your baby. I have to either go to the hospital or get away,” Lianne Spratt said.