[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTBW 101159
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
758 AM EDT SUN JUL 10 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE DENNIS CLOSING IN ON THE NORTHERN
GULF COAST...
...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM BONITA BEACH NORTH
TO THE SUWANNEE RIVER...

...NEW INFORMATION...
HURRICANE DENNIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM 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.

A TORNADO WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT FOR LEVY...CITRUS...
SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...
MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...CHARLOTTE...AND
LEE COUNTIES.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT FOR LEVY...CITRUS...
SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...
MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...CHARLOTTE...AND
LEE COUNTIES.

...STORM LOCATION...
AT 7 AM EDT...THE EYE OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
28.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.2 WEST OR ABOUT 225 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF
THE MOUTH OF TAMPA BAY. THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT 200 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CEDAR KEY.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
AREAS WELL TO THE NORTH OF THE TAMPA BAY REGION WILL REMAIN IN THE
PRIMARY DEVELOPMENT AREA FOR TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS THIS MORNING
HOWEVER A OTHER SHORT LIVED TORNADOES OR MARINE WATERSPOUTS WILL BE
POSSIBLE OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THROUGH THIS
EVENING. SEVERAL SMALL SHORT LIVED TORNADOES OCCURRED YESTERDAY AND
ADDITIONAL TOUCHDOWNS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY. 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 LATE THIS MORNING.

RAINBANDS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING...AND
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITHIN THESE BANDS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
WINDS CONTINUE TO 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 NOW 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 WILL BE 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 7 AM EDT...
FORT MYERS PAGE FIELD...4.46 INCHES
FORT OGDEN...4.20 INCHES
PUNTA GORDA...4.01 INCHES
BUCKINGHAM...3.80 INCHES
FORT MYERS SOUTHWEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...3.60 INCHES
NORTH PORT...3.57 INCHES
NOCATEE...3.89 INCHES
SARASOTA...3.23 INCHES
ST. PETERSBURG ALBERT WHITTED...1.98 INCHES
TAMPA INTERNATIONAL...1.73 INCHES

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SEAS ARE RUNNING IN THE 10 TO 15 FOOT RANGE 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.

$$

JCM

This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net