[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 210552
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-210930-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
200 AM EDT FRI OCT 21 2005

...VOLUNTARY EVACUATION FOR ALL FLORIDA KEYS RESIDENTS...

...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...
HURRICANE OR 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 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 19.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.1 WEST...OR ABOUT 445 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST. WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 6
MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 150 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS...MAKING WILMA A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON
SCALE. WILMA COULD REGAIN CATEGORY FIVE STRENGTH AS IT APPROACHES
THE YUCATAN PENINSULA LATER TODAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS
930 MB...OR 27.46 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE HURRICANE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT HOMES
AND BUSINESSES. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A
VOLUNTARY EVACUATION FOR ALL FLORIDA KEYS RESIDENTS. THE SHELTER AT
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IS OPEN FOR EVACUEES. A PHASED
MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR RESIDENTS OF THE KEYS THAT WAS PLANNED FOR
FRIDAY HAS BEEN DELAYED. OFFICIALS WILL DETERMINE LATER TODAY IF
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR SATURDAY. THE BRIDGES AT
SNAKE CREEK AND JEWFISH CREEK WILL OPEN FOR VESSELS ON THE HALF
HOUR. TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND GREYHOUND BUS SERVICE ARE FULLY
OPERATIONAL. GOVERNMENT OFFICES...SCHOOLS...AND PARKS ARE CLOSED
FRIDAY. THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY INFORMATION HOTLINE IS
1-800-955-5504.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL OF HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THROUGH
AT LEAST FRIDAY NIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
PRODUCE BRIEF...LOCALLY STRONGER WIND GUSTS NEAR 35 MPH AT TIMES
TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO REACH THE KEYS AS EARLY AS SUNDAY EVENING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
ARE POSSIBLE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
EAST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED ON KEYS WATERS TODAY...
AND THEREFORE OPERATORS OF SMALL CRAFT ARE URGED TO EXERCISE
CAUTION. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS MAY SET IN FRIDAY NIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530 AM...OR SOONER IF NEW
INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT
THE KEY WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

CB



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