[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 281853
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017>050-290100-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
150 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...HURRICANE KATRINA POISED TO BRING HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS TO
PARTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...

...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES ALONG AND
WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON TO TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM FROM 4 PM MONDAY
THROUGH 7 PM CDT TUESDAY...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT PERTAINS TO ALL CENTRAL ALABAMA COUNTIES SERVICED
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES ALONG AND WEST
OF INTERSTATE 65 FROM 8AM CDT MONDAY TO TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM FROM 4 PM MONDAY
THROUGH 7 PM CDT TUESDAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1 PM CDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.6 WEST...OR ABOUT 180 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND A TURN
TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 175 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE...AT LEAST EQUAL TO HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.
SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS...BUT KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY FIVE
HURRICANE.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 205 MILES.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 902 MB...26.64 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA NEED TO MAKE PREPARATIONS AND BRING
THEM TO COMPLETION BY THIS EVENING. HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS CAN
BE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA BEGINNING
EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND INCREASING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE HURRICANE TRACK
WITH THOSE AREAS ALONG THE ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI BORDER LIKELY TO BE
SUSTAINED AT 45 TO 55 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...FROM
LINDEN AND DEMOPOLIS NORTHWARD TO FAYETTE AND HAMILTON. HOWEVER...IF
KATRINA SHIFTS HER TRACK EVEN A LITTLE BIT TO THE EAST...THEN
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR MORE COULD REACH AS FAR EAST
AS THE GEORGIA STATE LINE...AND THE WATCH WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED.

WINDS SUCH AS THESE CAN TOPPLE NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWERLINES...CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE PLANS
AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS SHOULD WARNINGS LATER BE ISSUED. DO NOT WAIT
UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE...CONDITIONS MAY QUICKLY BECOME TOO DANGEROUS.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH ARE
EXPECTED DUE TO A LANDFALLING HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM...IN
THE NEXT 36 TO 48 HOURS.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK OF HURRICANE KATRINA...3 TO 6
INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES...IS
POSSIBLE WEST OF INTERSTATE 65...WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES EXPECTED EAST OF
INTERSTATE 65.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM FROM 4 PM MONDAY
THROUGH 7 PM CDT TUESDAY.

RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA DURING THE PAST MONTH HAS
LED TO SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS...AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY
RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN RAPID RUNOFF AND POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING.

WITH ABOVE NORMAL RIVER FLOW IN MANY LOCATIONS...HEAVY RAINFALL FROM
KATRINA WILL AGGRAVATE RIVER CONDITIONS.  RIVER FLOODING IS LIKELY
TO BECOME A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM BY TUESDAY ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.
THIS FLOODING WILL LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE
WATER BEGINS RISING TO MAKE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIVES AND
PROPERTY. EVACUATIONS FROM LOWLANDS MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE DUE TO
DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES AND RAPIDLY RISING WATER. PREPARATIONS
SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETION BY THIS EVENING.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
KATRINA IS NOW AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE WITH 175
MPH WINDS WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS SET UP A HOT LINE
FOR ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION IN SOUTH ALABAMA.  THE ACCESS NUMBER
IS 1-888-588-2848.

TO REPORT DOWN POWER LINES TO PLEASE CALL ALABAMA POWER AT 800-888-
2726.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AROUND 4PM CDT.

&&

$$
KSUMRALL




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