Tropical Storm Bonnie over eastern gulf

MIAMI, July 23 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Bonnie headed into the Gulf of Mexico Friday after making landfall in Florida, disrupting efforts to contain the BP oil spill, officials said.

Bonnie, the season's second named tropical storm -- the first was Alex, which became a hurricane -- came ashore at Cutler Bay, bringing heavy winds and a good soaking, but producing no flooding and little damage, The Miami Herald reported.

Miami International Airport reported 1.5 inches of rain.

Watches were issued for several areas and tropical storm warnings were in effect for the northwestern Bahamas and the Florida east coast from Deerfield Beach south, including the Florida Keys, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

At 8 p.m. EDT, Bonnie was about 75 miles west-northwest of Fort Myers, Fla., moving toward the west-northwest at 17 mph, with top sustained winds of 35 mph, forecasters said. The storm was expected to continue along the same general track and lose forward speed during the next two days.

After crossing the eastern Gulf of Mexico Friday night and Saturday, Bonnie is expected to reach the northern gulf coast late Saturday.

The storm's projected path prompted the federal government and BP officials to temporarily shut down efforts to plug the crippled well that began spewing oil into the gulf April 20.

The NHC said Bonnie could dump 3 inches to 5 inches of rain in the watch area. A storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 1 to 2 feet above ground over the northern Bahamas, the Keys and Florida's southern peninsula, the center said.

Bonnie's path prompted closures of government offices and recreational facilities in areas along the storm's path, the Miami Herald reported. Dry Tortugas National Park was closed, as were 16 state parks in Miami-Dade, Monroe, Collier and Lee counties. The three state courts in the Florida Keys were closed Friday along with the upper and middle campuses of Florida Keys Community College.

Residents were advised to secure outdoor furniture and to stay inside, the Herald said.