[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KJAN 281214
HLSJAN
MSZ025>033-036>039-042>066-072>074-281700-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
710 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY
AND HEAD FOR THE CENTRAL GULF COAST REGION...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
INLAND HURRICANE WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI...AND INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR
MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI.

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST
FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA
BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM
EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM WEST
OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 7 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.7 WEST OR ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. KATRINA IS MOVING
TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE
NORTHWEST EXPECTED LATER TODAY.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR
160 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES KATRINA A RARE AND EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE STORM ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
KATRINA IS CURRENTLY FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL OVER SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE
MONDAY MORNING. KATRINA WILL LIKELY REMAIN A HURRICANE WELL INTO
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...AND A STRONG TROPICAL STORM AS IT MOVES INTO
NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI.

PEOPLE SHOULD BEGIN TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS NOW FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR
VERY STRONG...DAMAGING WINDS. LOOSE OBJECTS OUTDOORS SHOULD BE MOVED
INSIDE. PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF PROLONGED POWER OUTAGES OF
SEVERAL DAYS TO PERHAPS A FEW WEEKS. PEOPLE RESIDING IN HOMES THAT
ARE NOT WELL CONSTRUCTED MAY WANT TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS
TO RIDE THE PASSAGE OF THE STORM OUT...PARTICULARLY OVER AREAS SOUTH
OF INTERSTATE 20 AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 55 WHERE HURRICANE FORCE
WINDS COULD OCCUR.

***IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT MOST OF THE DEATHS IN SOUTH
FLORIDA FROM KATRINA WERE FROM SIGHT SEERS WANTING TO EXPERIENCE THE
THRILL OF A HURRICANE.  KATRINA WAS ONLY A MINIMAL HURRICANE AT THAT
TIME...AND IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE STRONGEST HURRICANES EVER TO MOVE
INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.  DO NOT RISK YOUR LIFE BY ATTEMPTING TO
RIDE OUT AND WITNESS THIS STORM.  MOVE AS FAR INLAND AS POSSIBLE AND
SEEK A SUBSTANTIAL STORM SHELTER.***

...INLAND WIND IMPACTS...
BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH COULD AFFECT THE AREA ALONG AND
EAST OF A NATCHEZ TO VICKSBURG TO EUPORA LINE...WITH GUSTS IN
EXCESS OF HURRICANE FORCE...74 MPH...POSSIBLE. WITHIN THIS
AREA...SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS GREATER THAN 74 MPH COULD
OCCUR SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 55. AREAS ALONG
THE INTERSTATE 59 AND HIGHWAY 98 CORRIDORS FROM HATTIESBURG TO
LAUREL SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH.  THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI MONDAY
MORNING...AND SPREAD NORTH INTO THE HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR BY LATE
MONDAY NIGHT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE LANDFALL OF KATRINA IS STILL
ABOUT 24 HOURS AWAY...SO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES COULD STILL OCCUR TO
THE FORECAST TRACK. A TRACK FARTHER TO THE WEST WOULD CAUSE THE
STRONGEST WINDS AND HEAVIEST RAIN TO SHIFT FARTHER WEST AND
OVERSPREAD THE AREA TOWARD THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...WHILE A TRACK
FARTHER EAST WOULD CAUSE THE WORST WEATHER TO BE CONFINED TO EASTERN
MISSISSIPPI.

...INLAND FLOODING IMPACTS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH LOCALIZED
GREATER AMOUNTS...COULD OCCUR IN THE AREA ALONG AND TO THE EAST OF
THE TRACK. THIS COULD CAUSE URBAN FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING OF
SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS.

...PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
THE EXPERIMENTAL PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ASSOCIATED
WITH KATRINA FOR JACKSON IS 65 PERCENT. THE PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS IS 15 PERCENT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED BY NOON CDT.

$$

CRAVEN

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