[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 200245
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-200630-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1100 PM EDT WED OCT 19 2005

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

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED.

...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 1100 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 18.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.3 WEST...OR ABOUT 475 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST. HURRICANE WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST
NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH. A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED ON
THURSDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 155 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. WILMA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON
SCALE. FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. WILMA COULD REGAIN CATEGORY FIVE STATUS ON THURSDAY. THE
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 894 MB...OR 26.40 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.
COUNTY AND STATE PARKS THROUGHOUT THE KEYS ARE CLOSED. 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 HOMES AND BUSINESSES. A PHASED
MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR RESIDENTS OF THE KEYS IS LIKELY TO BEGIN AT
NOON ON THURSDAY. OFFICIALS PLAN TO OPEN THE SHELTER AT FLORIDA
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ON THURSDAY TO ACCEPT RESIDENT EVACUEES.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS DO NOT PLAN ON OPENING SHELTERS IN
THE KEYS. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
ALL GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN MONROE COUNTY WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY. THE DRAWBRIDGES AT SNAKE CREEK AND JEWFISH CREEK WILL BE
LOCKED IN THE DOWN POSITION AT NOON ON THURSDAY. 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
FRIDAY MORNING. 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 AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY
NIGHT.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
EAST WINDS NEAR 15 KNOTS TONIGHT...MAY INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 KNOTS
EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. SMALL CRAFT ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION
BEGINNING THURSDAY MORNING.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 230 AM EDT...OR SOONER IF
NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST WEBSITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$
BS

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