NPWTLH URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 329 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND EASTERN PANHANDLE...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... HURRICANE FRANCES IS MAKING LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST. FRANCES IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN TO A TROPICAL STORM AS IT MOVES WEST NORTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH ACROSS THE FLORIDA PENINSULA TODAY. AS FRANCES MOVES NORTHWEST ACROSS APALACHEE BAY TONIGHT AND MONDAY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY GRADUALLY SPREAD ACROSS INLAND PORTIONS OF THE AREA. ALZ065>069-FLZ009>011-013-016-026-GAZ120>131-142>148-155-156-161- 070300- BAKER GA-BEN HILL GA-BERRIEN GA-CALHOUN GA-CALHOUN FL-CLAY GA- COFFEE AL-COLQUITT GA-COOK GA-DALE AL-DECATUR GA-DOUGHERTY GA- EARLY GA-GADSDEN FL-GENEVA AL-HENRY AL-HOLMES FL-HOUSTON AL-IRWIN GA- JACKSON FL-LANIER GA-LEE GA-LIBERTY FL-MILLER GA-MITCHELL GA- QUITMAN GA-RANDOLPH GA-SEMINOLE GA-TERRELL GA-TIFT GA-TURNER GA- WASHINGTON FL-WORTH GA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TIFTON...SYLVESTER...PUTNEY...PELHAM... OCILLA...NEWTON...NASHVILLE...MOULTRIE...MORGAN...LEESBURG... LAKELAND...GEORGETOWN...FORT GAINES...FITZGERALD...DONALSONVILLE... DAWSON...CUTHBERT...COLQUITT...CAMILLA...BLAKELY...BAINBRIDGE... ASHBURN...ALBANY...ADEL...VERNON...MARIANNA...CHIPLEY...BONIFAY... BLOUNTSTOWN...OZARK...HEADLAND...GENEVA...FORT RUCKER...ENTERPRISE... ELBA...DOWNTOWN DOTHAN...DALEVILLE...COTTONWOOD AND ABBEVILLE 329 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND EASTERN PANHANDLE...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY...WITH WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE IN SOME OF THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORM FORCE WINDS WILL FIRST AFFECT THE SOUTHEAST BIG BEND LATE THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SPREAD NORTHWARD AND WESTWARD TONIGHT AND MONDAY. THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST TRACK AND INTENSITY OF FRANCES SO THIS WATCH MAY HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED AS THE DAY GOES ON. MINOR DAMAGE MAY OCCUR IN OLDER MOBILE HOME PARKS. NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SHRUBS MAY BE UPROOTED IF NOT SECURED PROPERLY. SOME SMALL TREES AND BRANCHES MAY BE BLOWN DOWN ON POWER LINES...CAUSING SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES. RESIDENTS SHOULD MOVE UNFASTENED ITEMS...SUCH AS GARBAGE CANS AND DECK FURNITURE...INDOORS.