[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 201851
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-202130-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
250 PM EDT THU OCT 20 2005

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.
PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS HAS BEEN UPDATED.

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

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES ARE NOT YET IN EFFECT. WATCHES
WILL BE ISSUED WHEN TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 200 PM EDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 18.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.5 WEST. THIS WAS ABOUT 470
STATUTE MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN KEY WEST.
MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS WERE NEAR 145 MPH...MAKING WILMA A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE.
STRENGTHENING WAS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 915 MB...OR 27.02 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ACT NOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME AND BUSINESS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
URGES RESIDENTS VOLUNTARILY TO EVACUATE TODAY. DURING THE DAY FRIDAY
A PHASED MANDATORY EVACUATION WILL BEGIN. AT 600 AM MOBILE HOME
RESIDENTS AND SPECIAL-NEEDS CLIENTS WILL GO FIRST. STARTING AT NOON
FRIDAY ALL RESIDENTS FROM THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST WILL
BEGIN. AT 300 PM FRIDAY RESIDENTS FROM LONG KEY TO THE SEVEN MILE
BRIDGE WILL GO. FINALLY...AT 600 PM FRIDAY EVACUATION OF ALL
RESIDENTS LIVING FROM OCEAN REEF TO LONG KEY WILL TAKE PLACE.
OFFICIALS HAVE OPENED THE SHELTER AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY...JUST FOLLOW THE SIGNS. THE BRIDGES AT SNAKE CREEK AND
JEWFISH CREEK WILL OPEN FOR VESSELS ON THE HALF HOUR UNTIL NOON
FRIDAY. THEY WILL BE LOCKED DOWN AT THAT TIME TO ALLOW UNINTERRUPTED
FLOW OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC. THE TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD HAVE BEEN
SUSPENDED. KEY WEST AIRPORT IS FULLY OPERATIONAL TODAY AS IS
GREYHOUND BUS SERVICE. CAR RENTAL AGENCIES WILL HONOR EXISTING
RESERVATIONS. GASOLINE IS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE KEYS. REMEMBER
THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICES SCHOOLS AND PARKS ARE CLOSED TODAY FRIDAY
AND MONDAY. IF YOU HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS CALL THE EMERGENCY
HOTLINE AT 1-800-955-5504.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WE EXPECT TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS TO REACH THE KEYS SATURDAY
NIGHT. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD USE CAUTION. BY FRIDAY WE EXPECT CONDITIONS TO
REQUIRE A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

...NEXT UPDATE...
OUR NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530
PM...OR SOONER IF WE RECEIVE NEW INFORMATION. VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

DFM/AD

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