[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 191805
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-192130-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
205 PM EDT WED OCT 19 2005

...MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS...
...NO HURRICANE WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY...
INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
THERE ARE NO HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN
EFFECT FOR ANY PORTION OF THE FLORIDA KEYS AT THIS TIME...SINCE
TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE WATCHES ARE ISSUED WHEN TROPICAL STORM
OR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 200 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 17.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 83.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 500 MILES SOUTH
OF KEY WEST. HURRICANE WILMA IS WOBBLING GENERALLY TOWARD THE WEST
NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH...AND A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165
MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WILMA IS CURRENTLY A CATEGORY FIVE
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON SCALE. FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE
LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS
ESTIMATED AT 900 MB...OR 26.58 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A MANDATORY
EVACUATION OF ALL VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS
BEGINNING AS OF NOON TODAY. COUNTY AND STATE PARKS THROUGHOUT THE
KEYS HAVE BEGUN TO CLOSE BEGINNING AT NOON TODAY...AND ALL
RECREATIONAL AND HIGH-PROFILE VEHICLES ARE DIRECTED TO LEAVE THE
KEYS. LIVE-ABOARD BOAT RESIDENTS ARE ALSO DIRECTED TO EVACUATE.
RESIDENTS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS SHOULD BEGIN MAKING THEIR HURRICANE
PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT THEIR HOME AND BUSINESS...AND BE READY TO
EVACUATE WHEN ORDERED BY MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
EVACUATION ORDERS FOR RESIDENTS ARE LIKELY TO BE ISSUED DURING THE
DAY THURSDAY. A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY HAD BEEN DECLARED BY MONROE
COUNTY AT 800 AM THIS MORNING. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. ALL GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN MONROE COUNTY WILL BE
CLOSED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD HAVE BEEN
SUSPENDED. THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY INFORMATION HOTLINE IS
1-800-955-5504.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THROUGH
THURSDAY NIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING VERY
BRIEF...LOCALLY STRONGER WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AT TIMES. TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE KEYS AS EARLY AS
SATURDAY MORNING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE
DAY SATURDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
EAST WINDS OF 15 KNOTS TODAY...MAY INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 KNOTS
TONIGHT. SMALL CRAFT ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION BEGINNING TONIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE KEY WEST WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530 PM EDT. FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST WEBSITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

RIZZO











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