[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTBW 100915
HLSTBW
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-856-870-
873-876-101530-

HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
515 AM EDT SUN JUL 10 2005

...DENNIS IS A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT HEADS TOWARD THE NORTH CENTRAL
GULF COAST...
...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM BONITA BEACH NORTH
TO THE SUWANNEE RIVER...

...NEW INFORMATION...
HURRICANE DENNIS CONTINUES TO BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED WITH MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 145 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS...WHICH MAKES
DENNIS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY.  ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF
THE HURRICANE WILL CROSS THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST LATER
TODAY.

STORM SURGE ESTIMATES FOR AREAS FROM PASCO COUNTY NORTH THROUGH LEVY
COUNTY HAVE NOW INCREASED.  WATER LEVELS ARE NOW EXPECTED TO RISE
3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL.

THE TORNADO WATCH FOR CITRUS...HERNANDO...LEVY...PASCO AND SUMTER
COUNTIES HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE AREA CONTINUES UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...CITRUS...
CHARLOTTE...DESOTO...HERNANDO...HILLSBOROUGH...LEE...LEVY...
MANATEE...PASCO...PINELLAS...SARASOTA...HARDEE...HIGHLANDS...POLK...
SUMTER...

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM BONITA BEACH NORTH
TO THE SUWANNEE RIVER.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CHARLOTTE...CITRUS...DESOTO...
HARDEE...HERNANDO...HIGHLANDS...HILLSBOROUGH...LEE...LEVY...
MANATEE...PASCO...PINELLAS...POLK...SARASOTA AND SUMTER COUNTIES
UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING.

...STORM LOCATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...THE EYE OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
27.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.1 WEST OR ABOUT 210 MILES WEST OF THE
MOUTH OF TAMPA BAY. THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT 210 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF CEDAR KEY.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
AREAS WELL NORTH OF THE TAMPA BAY REGION WILL REMAIN IN THE PRIMARY
DEVELOPMENT AREA FOR TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS THIS MORNING. SEVERAL
SMALL SHORT LIVED TORNADOES OCCURRED YESTERDAY AND FURTHER TOUCHDOWNS
ARE POSSIBLE. REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE TORNADO WARNINGS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS
FROM AROUND ENGLEWOOD NORTHWARD. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...
WITH HIGHER GUSTS...ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE IMMEDIATE BEACHES OF THE
WESTERN PENINSULA OF FLORIDA THROUGH THIS MORNING.

RAINBANDS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH ACROSS THE AREA WITH WIND GUSTS
TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER STORMS...INCLUDING INLAND
LOCATIONS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL BECOME MORE ONSHORE THIS MORNING WITH WATER LEVELS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE RISING FROM AROUND ENGLEWOOD NORTHWARD.
GENERAL WATER LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
FROM THE TAMPA BAY REGION SOUTHWARD AND 3 TO 5 FEET NORTH OF THE
TAMPA BAY REGION. THE PEAK WATER LEVELS ARE OCCURRING IN THE FORT
MYERS AREA. THE TIMING OF THE PEAK WATER LEVELS WILL BE THROUGH 9 AM
FOR TAMPA BAY...AND FROM 8 AM TO 2 PM FOR CEDAR KEY. THE HIGHEST TIDE
VALUES WILL BE ALONG SOUTH FACING EXPOSURES.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
THE CURRENT FORECAST MOVEMENT OF DENNIS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING
OCCASIONAL BANDS OF TORRENTIAL RAIN ACROSS THE REGION TODAY.

AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL WITH SOME LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. SEVERAL RIVERS IN CENTRAL
FLORIDA REMAIN NEAR OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE...AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINS
WILL PERPETUATE FLOODING IN THESE AREAS.

SOME STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR DENNIS THOUGH 4 AM EDT...
FORT MYERS PAGE FIELD...4.46 INCHES
FORT OGDEN...4.03 INCHES
PUNTA GORDA...4.01 INCHES
BUCKINGHAM...3.80 INCHES
FORT MYERS SOUTHWEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...3.60 INCHES
NORTH PORT...3.57 INCHES
NOCATEE...3.48 INCHES
SARASOTA...3.23 INCHES
ST. PETERSBURG ALBERT WHITTED...1.98 INCHES
TAMPA INTERNATIONAL...1.62 INCHES

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SEAS ARE 10 TO 15 FEET NEAR SHORE AND 15 TO 20 FEET WELL OFFSHORE.
LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG AREA BEACHES
THROUGH TODAY WITH BREAKING WAVES OF 6 TO 8 FEET POSSIBLY UP TO
10 FEET PRODUCING DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND MODERATE BEACH EROSION.
MARINERS AND SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS
SUBSIDE. IF VISITING THE BEACH HEED THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND
THE BEACH PATROL.

...NEXT STATEMENT...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN RUSKIN WILL BE ISSUED BY 1130 AM OR EARLIER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

$$

PRC



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