[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[Nashville EMWIN]

WTUS82 KTBW 121254
HLSTBW
FLZ050>052-055>057-060>062-065-121600-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE CHARLEY LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
848 AM EDT THU AUG 12 2004

...HURRICANE CHARLEY STILL ON TRACK FOR THE FLORIDA SUNCOAST...

...THE HURRICANE WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

  CHARLOTTE                        DE SOTO
  HILLSBOROUGH                     LEE
  MANATEE                          PINELLAS
  SARASOTA

INCLUDING...
THE COASTAL WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO TARPON SPRINGS
CHARLOTTE HARBOR
TAMPA BAY

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
SPECIFIED AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.  RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE NOW TO TAKE
IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN CASE A HURRICANE
WARNING IS ISSUED LATER TODAY.

...STORM LOCATION...
AT 8 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WAS LOCATED NEAR 19.2
NORTH...80.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 620 MILES SOUTH OF TAMPA.  CHARLEY WAS
MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT 16 MPH...AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO
MOVE AT AROUND THIS SPEED WHILE GRADUALLY TURN TO THE NORTH NORTHWEST
OVER THE NEXT 18 TO 24 HOURS.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE 85
MPH...AND SOME STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED AS THE STORM MOVES OUT OF
THE CARIBBEAN AND INTO THE GULF.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 986
MB...29.12 INCHES.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
WITH CHARLEY EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY...THEN ACCELERATE...ALONG THE
SUNCOAST...THE THREAT OF A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING STORM SURGE IN THE
STORM'S SOUTHERN SEMICIRCLE IS GREAT.  THE EXACT LOCATION AND
STRENGTH OF THE SURGE SHOULD BECOME MORE CLEAR LATER TODAY.  FOR
NOW...ALL COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF
MODERATE TO MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY.

A SURGE OF 10 OR MORE FEET IS POSSIBLE IN THE SOUTHERN SEMICIRCLE OF
THE STORM JUST AFTER LANDFALL.

...WIND IMPACTS...
CHARLEY IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY TO A STRONG CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE
AS IT APPROACHES THE SUNCOAST ON FRIDAY...WITH WINDS IN THE INNER
EYEWALL PERHAPS AT LEAST 100 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  HOWEVER...NO
MATTER WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES...CURRENT FORECAST DATA SUGGEST
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH WILL AFFECT ALL AREAS
OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SOMETIME BETWEEN FRIDAY MORNING
AND SATURDAY MORNING.

DETAILS ON SPECIFIC DAMAGE IMPACTS WILL BE PROVIDED LATER TODAY.

...RAINFALL...
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE LIKELY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO
EARLY SATURDAY AS THE STORM MOVES NORTH.  IN ALL AREAS...THESE RAINS
WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES IN RIVERS...CREEKS...AND STREAMS.
HOWEVER...IN AREAS NEAR TAMPA BAY WHERE SOME RIVERS ARE IN FLOOD AND
ALL RIVERS ARE RUNNING HIGH...MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE
DURING AND AFTER THE PASSAGE OF CHARLEY.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS A RISK OF TORNADOES FROM THE OUTER RAINBANDS OF
CHARLEY...ESPECIALLY 50 MILES OR MORE AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF
CIRCULATION.  TORNADOES WOULD BE MOST LIKELY BEGINNING FRIDAY AND
CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY NIGHT WELL EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER.

THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE TAMPA BAY AREA FORECAST
OFFICE WILL BE ISSUED AROUND NOON TODAY.

&&

$$

BSG
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