[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 290619
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017-022>025-030>035-039>044-290800-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
119 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

...HURRICANE KATRINA TO BRING HIGH WINDS...HEAVY RAINS...AND THREAT
OF TORNADOES TO CENTRAL ALABAMA...

...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 WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES ALONG
AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 FROM 8AM MONDAY TO 4 PM TUESDAY.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES EAST OF INTERSTATE 65
FROM 1 PM MONDAY UNTIL 4 PM TUESDAY.

A 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 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 28.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.6 WEST OR ABOUT 75 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  THIS IS
ABOUT 350 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MONTGOMERY...AND 410 MILES SOUTH-
SOUTHWEST OF BIRMINGHAM.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...AND A
TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. ON THE
FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL BE VERY NEAR THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST EARLY MONDAY MORNING...AND AN EXPECTED MOVEMENT
ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI THROUGH THE REST OF MONDAY
AND MONDAY NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 160 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND UP TO 100 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND UP TO 225 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA SHOULD HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR
NECESSARY PREPARATION PLANS. HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS CAN BE
EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA STARTING TOMORROW MORNING.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH THE DAY
ON MONDAY...BEGINNING IN THE SOUTH AND SPREADING NORTHWARD.  THE
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THEIR HIGHEST STRENGTH BETWEEN 6 PM
MONDAY AND 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING.

THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE HURRICANE
TRACK...AFFECTING AREAS NEAR THE ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI STATE LINE
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45 TO 60 MPH...AND GUSTS NEAR HURRICANE
FORCE. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL EXTEND AS FAR EAST AS
INTERSTATE 65...WHERE WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.
LOCATIONS EAST OF INTERSTATE 65 CAN EXPECT WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH...WITH
GUSTS TO 45 MPH.

WINDS AT THESE SPEEDS...IN COMBINATION OF SATURATED SOILS...CAN
TOPPLE NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES...CAUSING POWER OUTAGES.

...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...ARE
POSSIBLE WEST OF INTERSTATE 65...WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES EXPECTED EAST OF
INTERSTATE 65.

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 HAVE
ALREADY BEEN BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETION BY THIS EVENING.

...TORNADO THREAT...
AS RAIN BANDS ROTATE NORTHWARD INTO CENTRAL ALABAMA EARLY MONDAY...
THEY WILL BRING THE THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES TO THE AREA.  THE
THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL BE ENHANCED DURING THE DAY MONDAY...WHEN
DAYTIME HEATING WILL PROVIDE ADDED INSTABILITY AND LIFT TO SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL EXTEND WELL INTO
MONDAY NIGHT...AND POSSIBLY INTO EARLY TUESDAY.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...

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.  THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE
DEPARTMENT'S WEB SITE...AT HTTP://WWW.DOT.STATE.AL.US/.

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

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...OR DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE KATRINA...CALL
OUR STORM REPORTING HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED BY 3 AM CDT.

&&

$$



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