Tropical Storm Barry was a rapidly forming tropical cyclone that made landfall on Florida in early June. The second Atlantic named storm of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, Barry developed from a trough of low pressure in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on June 1. It tracked rapidly northeastward, reaching peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) before weakening and making landfall near Tampa Bay as a tropical depression. Barry quickly lost tropical characteristics after wind shear removed much of the convection, and early on June 3 it completed the transition into an extratropical cyclone. The extratropical remnants tracked up the East Coast of the United States, and were absorbed by a larger extratropical cyclone on June 5. The precursor trough produced heavy rainfall across the western Caribbean Sea, which on Cuba unofficially reached over 7.8 inches (200 mm). Outer rainbands in Pinar del Río Province injured three and damaged 55 houses. In Florida, Barry dropped moderate precipitation across the drought-ridden state that peaked at 6.99 inches (178 mm). The rainfall caused some flooding and wet roads, which led to two indirect traffic fatalities. Rough seas killed one surfer in Pinellas County. In Florida and Georgia, the precipitation assisted firefighters in combating severe wildfires. Overall damage from the storm was minor.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Barry_%282007%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1786:

The Marriage of Figaro, an opera buffa composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Marriage_of_Figaro

1840:

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland first issued the Penny Black, the first official adhesive postage stamp. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Black

1885:

The original Chicago Board of Trade Building opened for business. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Board_of_Trade_Building

1893:

The World's Columbian Exposition, a World's Fair to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, opened in Chicago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Columbian_Exposition

1898:

The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo at the Battle of Manila Bay, the first engagement of the Spanish–American War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Manila_Bay_%281898%29

1931:

New York City's Empire State Building , at the time the tallest building in the world, opened. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building

1956:

A doctor in Japan reported an "epidemic of an unknown disease of the central nervous system", marking the official discovery of Minamata disease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

mayday (interj): An expression used by aircraft and shipping to call for help or assistance http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mayday

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

When an angel by divine command

With rising tempests shakes a guilty land, Such as of late o'er pale Britannia passed,

Calm and serene he drives the furious blast; And, pleas'd th' Almighty's orders to perform,

Rides in the whirlwind, and directs the storm. --Joseph Addison http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Joseph_Addison