[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[Nashville EMWIN]

WTUS82 KEYW 121909
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-122200-

HURRICANE CHARLEY LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
300 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004

...CHARLEY STRENGTHENS TO A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE WITH WINDS OF 105
MPH...

...HURRICANE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO BEYOND
DRY TORTUGAS...

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE SEVEN
MILE BRIDGE INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...

...MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR VISITORS AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLES HAS
BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS AND MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS
FROM SEVEN MILE BRIDGE THROUGH KEY WEST...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
EVACUATION INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.
STORM INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.
STORM IMPACT INFORMATION UPDATED.
GREYHOUND BUS SCHEDULE INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR VISITORS AND NON RESIDENTS FOR ALL OF THE
KEYS. A MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR RECREATIONAL VEHICLES IN ALL THE
FLORIDA KEYS HAS BEEN ORDERED. IN ADDITION...AS OF 11 AM THIS
MORNING...THERE IS A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER FOR ALL MOBILE HOME
AND SPECIAL NEEDS RESIDENTS FROM THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST.
MONROE COUNTY HAS ACTIVATED THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN
MARATHON. RUSH TO COMPLETION ALL PROTECTIVE ACTIONS...INCLUDING
SECURING YOUR HOUSE AND PROPERTY...AND OBTAINING HURRICANE SUPPLIES
BEFORE NIGHTFALL. STAY TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION FOR ANY
NOTICES FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

RESIDENTS OF LOW LYING AREAS ON THE OCEAN SIDE OF THE LOWER KEYS
SHOULD NOT REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES TONIGHT. THE PEAK INTENSITY OF
HURRICANE CHARLEY WILL BE ARRIVING AT HIGH TIDE DURING THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS. THE HIGH TIDE WILL COMBINE WITH STORM TIDE TO PRODUCE
WATER LEVELS AROUND 4 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL ON THE OCEAN SIDE OF MUCH
OF THE LOWER KEYS. AREAS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN WOULD BE STOCK
ISLAND...RAMROD KEY...GEIGER KEY...INCLUDING TAMARAC PARK...VENTURE
OUT...BAY POINT...SEA SIDE...AND THE BAY SIDE OF BIG COPPITT.

FOR THOSE NEEDING TRANSPORTATION FOR EVACUATION...GREYHOUND BUS
LINES WILL HAVE TWO BUSES LEAVING KEY WEST AT 545 PM AND AN
ADDITIONAL TWO BUSES LEAVING AT 830 PM. CONTACT GREYHOUND IN KEY
WEST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON DEPARTURE TIMES...STATION
LOCATIONS...AND SEAT AVAILABILITY.

ALL COMMERCIAL AIRLINES HAVE CEASED FLYING INTO AND OUT OF KEY
WEST...ALTHOUGH THE AIRPORT REMAINS OPEN FOR PRIVATE AIRCRAFT.
FLORIDA KEYS MARATHON AIRPORT IS OPEN FOR PRIVATE AIRCRAFT AS WELL.
THE TWO DRAWBRIDGES ON U.S. 1...JEWFISH AND SNAKE CREEK
BRIDGES...WILL NOT RAISE FOR BOATS AFTER 400 PM. THEY ARE TO REMAIN
OPEN FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT DETAILS SPECIFIC PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY ACTIONS TO
BE TAKEN IN THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY CONCERNING THE AFFECTS
OF HURRICANE CHARLEY.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS IN MONROE
COUNTY...FROM THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO BEYOND DRY TORTUGAS. A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS IN MONROE
COUNTY FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE...INCLUDING FLORIDA
BAY. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS...INCLUDING
WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER AND STORM SURGE...ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 24
HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS...INCLUDING WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH AND STORM SURGE...ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION....
AT 200 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 20.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 285 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST. CHARLEY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR
17 MPH...AND A TURN TO THE NORTH NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOW NEAR 105 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ESTIMATED
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 980 MB...28.94 INCHES.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN NEAR NORMAL THROUGH TONIGHT. THE NEXT
ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL BE AT 951 PM THIS EVENING...AND 842 AM
FRIDAY MORNING AT KEY WEST HARBOR. HIGH TIDES AT VACA CUT IN
MARATHON WILL BE AT 840 PM THIS EVENING...AND 731 AM FRIDAY MORNING.
STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS
EXPECTED...BEGINNING DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS ON FRIDAY. THE
GREATEST THREAT OF STORM SURGE WILL BE IN THE LOWER KEYS AND KEY
WEST. AS HURRICANE CHARLEY IS CURRENTLY FORECAST TO PASS JUST WEST
OF THE LOWER KEYS...THE GREATEST THREAT OF STORM SURGE WILL BE ALONG
THE SOUTHERN...ATLANTIC SHORES OF THE KEYS...ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER
KEYS AND KEY WEST.

...WIND IMPACTS...
CURRENTLY...WINDS OVER THE KEYS ARE SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 MPH. ALONG THE
REEF...AUTOMATED COASTAL STATIONS REPORTED MAINLY SOUTH WINDS NEAR
15 KNOTS. THESE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING AS THE STORM APPROACHES. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL
DEVELOP OVER THE LOWER KEYS AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS BY LATE
TONIGHT INTO EARLY MORNING FRIDAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA...IN THE LOWER KEYS AND
KEY WEST...EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

...LOCAL MARINE IMPACT...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND HIGH SEAS WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP OVER
THE COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT. MARINERS SHOULD USE THE TIME THROUGH THE
REST OF THE AFTERNOON TO SECURE THEIR CRAFT...AND ARE ADVISED NOT TO
LEAVE PORT. CONDITIONS OVER THE FLORIDA STRAITS ARE EXPECTED TO
DETERIORATE RAPIDLY THIS EVENING.

...LOCAL FLOOD IMPACT...
RAINFALL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH HURRICANE CHARLEY
LATE THIS EVENING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY
PRODUCE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS ACROSS THE LOWER
KEYS AND KEY WEST. ESPECIALLY IF STORM SURGE FLOODING PREVENTS
RAINWATER DRAINAGE.

...LOCAL TORNADO IMPACTS...
THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE LOCATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT QUADRANT OF
HURRICANE CHARLEY...WHICH IS HIGHLY FAVORED FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE
INDUCED TORNADOES. SUBSEQUENTLY...THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL RISK FOR
TORNADOES IN THE OUTER RAINBANDS OF CHARLEY WHICH SHOULD BEGIN
AFFECTING THE FLORIDA KEYS...ESPECIALLY THE LOWER KEYS AND KEY
WEST...LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

...LOCAL TRAFFIC IMPACTS...
MOTORISTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO USE EXTREME CAUTION UPON EXITING THE
KEYS THIS AFTERNOON. YOU MAY ALSO USE CARD SOUND ROAD AS AN
ALTERNATE TO EXIT THE FLORIDA KEYS.

...PROBABILITIES...
THE CHANCE THAT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WILL PASS WITHIN 75
MILES OF KEY WEST IS CURRENTLY 53 PERCENT...AND 33 PERCENT FOR
MARATHON.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE IMPACTS OF HURRICANE CHARLEY
TO THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED AT 600 PM EDT.
$$

DEVANAS/FUTTERMAN



















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