Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida
Dry Tortugas National Park is known for its famous bird and marine life, and its legends of pirates and sunken gold. Fort Jefferson, one of the largest coastal forts ever built, is a central feature.
The Tortugas were first discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513. Abundant sea turtles or "tortugas" provisioned his ships with fresh meat, but there was no fresh water-the tortugas were dry. Since the days of Spanish exploration, the reefs and shoals of the Dry Tortugas have been a serious hazard to navigation and the site of hundreds of shipwrecks.
U.S. military attention was drawn to the keys in the early 1800's due to their strategic location in the Florida Straits. Plans were made for a massive fortress and construction began in 1846, but the fort was never completed. The invention of the rifled cannon made it obsolete.
As the military value of Fort Jefferson waned, its pristine reefs, abundant sea life and impressive numbers of birds grew in value. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt set aside Fort Jefferson and the surrounding waters as a national monument. The area was redesignated as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992 to protect both the historical and natural features.
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Dry Tortugas National Park Weather Watch
Current Weather for Dry Tortugas National Park
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Temperature | 87.0° F | Sunrise | 6:37 am |
| Feels Like | 99° F | Sunset | 8:19 pm | |
| Barometer | 30.04 | SE Wind | 9 mph | |
| Dewpoint | 77.0° F | Gusts | none | |
| Humidity | 72% | Visibility | 10 miles | |
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Reported by NOAA on Jun 19 2013, 10:53 am EDT from Key West Airport, FL
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7 Day Forecast for Dry Tortugas National Park
| Wed Jun 19 Scattered Tstorms (20% Chance) |
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| High Temp F | 89° | 89° | 89° | 88° | 89° | 89° | 89° |
| Low Temp F | 83° | 83° | 81° | 81° | 82° | 82° | ° |
| Precipitation | 20% | 10% | 20% | 30% | 30% | 20% | % |
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Dry Tortugas National Park News Watch
Sat, 01 Jun 2013 08:55:17 GMT
Key West center highlights Dry Tortugas - Orlando Sentinel
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©2009 Acme Weatherwerks - Current Weather Conditions and Weather Forecast Reported by NOAA on Jun 19 2013, 10:53 am EDT from Key West Airport, FL 33041 - NWS Watches Warnings or Advisories are updated every 2 minutes.
