page_title: Tropical Storm Becky (1970)
section_title: Preparations
hierarchical_section_title: Tropical Storm Becky (1970) / Preparations
caption_attribution_description: English: Storm total rainfall map of Tropical Storm Becky during July 1970.
context_page_description: Tropical Storm Becky was the second tropical cyclone and named storm of the 1970 Atlantic hurricane season. Becky formed from a tropical depression that was designated on July 19. The next day it organized over the Yucatán Channel and became Tropical Storm Becky. Initially thought to have attained minimal hurricane status, Becky reached peak winds of 65 mph, but the storm began to deteriorate shortly thereafter. The storm made landfall on the Florida Panhandle on July 22, and rapidly weakened over land. Overall, damage was related to heavy rainfall that caused flooding in Tallahassee, Florida; 104 families suffered flood-related losses. About $500,000 in damage was attributed to the storm. Further north, the heavy rainfall swelled rivers. Becky may have been partially responsible for spawning tornadoes that destroyed or damaged several houses.
context_section_description: Offshore, Shell Oil removed some workers and equipment from offshore platforms. A hurricane warning was issued from Fort Walton, Florida to Port St. Joe, Florida. Similarly, a gale warning was posted for coastal areas of Alabama and Florida. A hurricane watch was issued for locations in Mississippi and Louisiana. On July 22, a tornado watch was posted for northern Florida. Tornado warnings were also issued, and a flash flood watch was declared for parts of western North Carolina. Gale warnings were posted from Panama City, Florida to St. Marks, Florida, with the expectation of winds to 50 mph (80 km/h). Heavy rainfall of up to 8 inches (200 mm) was predicted, and tides of 2 to 4 feet (0.61 to 1.22 m) forecast. Isolated tornadoes were possible as the storm made landfall.
  Thousands of residents were evacuated from the Panhandle of Florida, including Santa Rosa Island and Destin, as well as other low-lying locations. Some residents evacuated to storm shelters that were set up in various cities along the coast. A store in Destin reported increased sales in hurricane-related supplies such as canned goods and flashlights. Florida Governor Claude Kirk ordered health units and law enforcement to operate on emergency alert. Small craft in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico were advised to remain in port until the high seas subsided.
caption: Storm total rainfall from Becky
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