[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 262106
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-270030-

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
505 PM EDT FRI AUG 26 2005

...EYE OF HURRICANE KATRINA MOVING WEST ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO
JUST NORTH OF THE DRY TORTUGAS...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS INCLUDING
FLORIDA BAY AND THE DRY TORTUGAS...
...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS FROM UPPER
SUGARLOAF KEY TO KEY WEST...
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS UNTIL SATURDAY
MORNING...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED WIND IMPACTS.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.
UPDATED RAINFALL IMPACTS.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY...
INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
FLORIDA BAY...AND THE DRY TORTUGAS. A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS FROM UPPER SUGARLOAF KEY TO KEY WEST UNTIL
800 PM EDT. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS
CONTINUING UNTIL EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.6 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 70 MILES
WEST-NORTHWEST OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 100
MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE. SOME
STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND KATRINA
COULD BECOME A CATEGORY THREE OR MAJOR HURRICANE ON SATURDAY.
KATRINA IS MOVING WEST SOUTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH...AND THIS MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS EVENING...WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST
ON SATURDAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED AT 965
MB...OR 28.50 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY OFFICIALS HAVE CAUTIONED RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO
REMAIN INDOORS TONIGHT. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS NOT
ISSUED ANY EVACUATION ORDERS AND NO SHELTERS ARE OPEN. RESIDENTS AND
VISITORS SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KATRINA AND LISTEN FOR ANY
BULLETINS FROM OFFICIAL MONROE COUNTY SOURCES. FLORIDA KEYS VISITORS
SHOULD CHECK WITH THEIR FRONT DESK FOR ANY OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AND
FLORIDA KEYS MARATHON AIRPORTS REMAIN CLOSED. ALL BUS SERVICE OUT OF
THE KEYS IS CANCELLED FOR TONIGHT...AND WILL RESUME TOMORROW
MORNING. KEYS ELECTRIC COMPANY REPORTS TEN THOUSAND CUSTOMERS ARE
WITHOUT POWER BETWEEN BIG PINE KEY AND KEY WEST. A SAILBOAT IS TIED
UP IN THE TRANSMISSION LINES AT PINE CHANNEL. KEYS ELECTRIC STATES
IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO TURN OFF ALL POWER TO THE LOWER KEYS FOR A
HALF HOUR IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE CRAFT. FLORIDA KEYS ELECTRIC CO OP
REPORTS UP TO FIFTEEN HUNDRED CUSTOMERS ARE WITHOUT POWER IN THE
MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS. CREWS WILL ASSESS CONDITIONS AND MAKE REPAIRS
WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. THE FLORIDA KEYS AQUEDUCT AUTHORITY
REPORTS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE WATER SUPPLY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...INCLUDING WINDS RANGING BETWEEN 39 MPH
AND 73 MPH...ARE EXPECTED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS FOR THIS
EVENING...MAINLY OVER THE LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS. THROUGH 800
PM...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS FROM THE SOUTH-
SOUTHEAST...WITH GUSTS OF 50 TO 70 MPH OR MORE...ON THE SOUTHEAST
EDGE OF KATRINA'S CORE...WILL AFFECT THE FLORIDA KEYS...ESPECIALLY
THE LOWER KEYS AND KEY WEST. AN AUTOMATED PLATFORM AT SAND KEY OFF
KEY WEST REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 70 MPH AT 301 PM...AND KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 67 MPH AT 353 PM. AN
AUTOMATED PLATFORM AT DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK REPORTED A WIND
GUST OF 104 MPH AT 340 PM.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
HAZARDOUS WINDS AND SEAS WILL AFFECT KEYS WATERS TONIGHT THROUGH
PROBABLY SUNDAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL AFFECT THE GULF OF
MEXICO WATERS AROUND AND NORTH OF THE DRY TORTUGAS AS HURRICANE
KATRINA MOVES WEST OVER THE AREA. A PRIMARILY SOUTH WIND DIRECTION
TONIGHT WILL SEE SPEEDS OF 40 TO 60 KNOTS OR MORE OVER MOST WATERS
ADJOINING THE FLORIDA KEYS...WITH GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS OR MORE. SEAS
WILL REACH 8 TO 15 FEET OR HIGHER IN OPEN WATERS...WHILE BAY AND
NEARSHORE WATERS WILL BE EXTREMELY ROUGH. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN
IN PORT.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES MAY RUN UP TO 2 FEET HIGHER THAN NORMAL...WITH MINOR FLOODING
OF DOCKS AND SOUTH-FACING COASTAL STREETS TODAY...INCLUDING SOUTH
ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD IN KEY WEST.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS FROM UPPER
SUGARLOAF KEY TO KEY WEST...UNTIL 800 PM EDT. WIDESPREAD FRESHWATER
FLOODING CONTINUES IN ISLAND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE LOWER
KEYS...ESPECIALLY FROM UPPER SUGARLOAF KEY TO KEY WEST. DOPPLER
RADAR ESTIMATES AND STORM SPOTTER REPORTS INDICATE 5 TO 10 INCHES OF
RAINFALL HAS ACCUMULATED SINCE 800 AM...AND ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
ACCUMULATIONS OF AT LEAST 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY 800 PM IN THE
WARNING AREA...AS MULTIPLE PASSING RAIN BANDS WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS
SWEEP OVER THE KEYS. SINCE THIS MORNING...OVER 8.6 INCHES OF
RAINFALL HAS BEEN RECORDED AT KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...
MAKING TODAY THE FIFTH WETTEST CALENDAR DAY IN KEY WEST SINCE
RECORDS BEGAN IN 1871.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON HURRICANE KATRINA FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE AROUND 830 PM EDT...OR WHEN NEW
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK
OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEY WEST.

$$

FELTGEN








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