[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 200905
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-201230-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
500 AM EDT THU OCT 20 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.

...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 500 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 18.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.0 WEST...OR ABOUT 480 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST. HURRICANE WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE
WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH. A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER
TODAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 150 MPH... WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. WILMA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON
SCALE. SOME RE-STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS REPORTED AT 899 MB...OR 26.55
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 MAY BEGIN AT NOON
TODAY. OFFICIALS PLAN TO OPEN THE SHELTER AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY 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 TO ALLOW UNINTERRUPTED FLOW OF VEHICULAR
TRAFFIC. 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. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING BRIEF...
LOCALLY STRONGER WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AT TIMES. TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS ARE NOW EXPECTED TO REACH THE KEYS BY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON
OR SATURDAY EVENING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS NEAR 15 KNOTS...MAY INCREASE TO 15 TO 20
KNOTS FRIDAY. SMALL CRAFT ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION FRIDAY. SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO SET IN FRIDAY NIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 830 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.

$$

CB





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