[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KMOB 090735
HLSMOB
ALZ061>064-FLZ001>006-091200-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
230 AM CDT SAT JUL 9 2005

...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST
FLORIDA GULF COASTS...

...HURRICANE DENNIS HAS MOVED INTO THE SOUTHEAST GULF
AND IS TAKING AIM ON THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS
OF THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF MOBILE AND
BALDWIN COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...AS WELL AS ESCAMBIA...SANTA
ROSA...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN THE EXTREME WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE.  THIS WILL LIKELY BE UPDATED TO A HURRICANE WARNING
LATER TODAY.  INLAND HURRICANE WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE INLAND
PORTIONS OF MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES IN ALABAMA...AND THE INLAND
PORTIONS OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE.  THESE WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED INTO
THE INLAND COUNTIES LATER TODAY.

A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT FOR SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND THE EXTREME WESTERN
FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 200 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 23.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.6 WEST OR ABOUT 90 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA.  DENNIS IS MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST
NEAR 14 MPH WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 100 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF
COAST...POSSIBLY THE EXTREME NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE OR ALABAMA
COASTS...ON SUNDAY AS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SHELTERS ARE BEING OPENED IN SOME AREAS...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL
EMA OFFICE OR WATCH LOCAL TV FOR LOCATIONS OF THESE SHELTERS.  SOME
TYPE OF EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF THE COASTAL
COUNTIES.  AGAIN CHECK LOCAL TV FOR THE LATEST EVACUATION
RECOMMENDATION.  IF YOU LIVE NEAR THE WATER AND ARE ORDERED TO
EVACUATE...DO SO. EVERY HURRICANE IS DIFFERENT AND JUST BECAUSE YOU
HAVE MADE IT THROUGH OTHER STORMS WITH VERY LITTLE DAMAGE...DONT
ASSUME THAT DENNIS WILL BE THE SAME. DON'T BE A STATISTIC...OBEY ALL
EVACUATION ORDERS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR AROUND MIDDAY ON SUNDAY...AND
COMBINED WITH THE SURGE FROM DENNIS...COULD RESULT IN A STORM SURGE
BETWEEN 10 AND 14 FEET IN AND NEAR WHERE DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL.  THIS
WILL RESULT IN MAJOR DESTRUCTION ALONG COASTAL AREAS...SIMILAR TO
WHAT HURRICANE IVAN PRODUCED LAST YEAR.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT
THE COASTAL AREAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...WHICH WILL MAKE DRIVING
CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...75 MPH OR GREATER...
WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE AREA AROUND MIDDAY SUNDAY AND PERSIST
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  AS DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO BE
AT LEAST A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE WITH WINDS AROUND 120 MPH...MAJOR
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS LIKELY WITH DENNIS.

...RIP CURRENTS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS...
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DUE TO
INCREASING SURF AND WINDS.  PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM SWIMMING...
SURFING AND RECREATIONAL BOATING UNTIL DENNIS MOVES OUT OF THE AREA.

WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE AS DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL
AND TRACKS INLAND. GROUND CONDITIONS ARE STILL FAIRLY MOIST DUE TO
HEAVY RAINFALL FROM TROPICAL STORM CINDY EARLIER IN THE WEEK...THIS
WILL PROMOTE MORE RUNOFF AND RESULT IN A DANGEROUS FLASH FLOOD
SITUATION AS DENNIS MOVES INLAND. IF FLOODING IS ENCOUNTERED...
REMEMBER TO TURN AROUND AND DON'T DROWN.

...TORNADO THREAT...
THE THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL BE INCREASED AS DENNIS APPROACHES THE
COAST AND MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

...NEW INFORMATION...
I-65 WILL BE REVERSED LANED NORTH BEGINNING AT 800 AM SATURDAY. THE
REVERSE LANING WILL BEGIN NEAR THE STOCKTON EXIT (EXIT 31) AND END
JUST SOUTH OF MONTGOMERY.  TRAFFIC GOING SOUTH ON I-65 SOUTH OF
MONTGOMERY WILL BE DIVERTED TO OTHER ROADWAYS.

WHEN TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS BEGIN TO AFFECT PENSACOLA BAY...THE
I-10 BRIDGE ACROSS PENSACOLA BAY WILL BE CLOSED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED
AROUND 700 AM.

$$

BEELER/CULLEN

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