[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 211527
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-211830-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1120 AM EDT FRI OCT 21 2005

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

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

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

...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 1100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 20.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.5 WEST...ABOUT 420 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST. WILMA WAS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 5
MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 145 MPH...MAKING WILMA A
CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE. FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY TODAY.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 930 MB...OR 27.46 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT HOMES AND
BUSINESSES. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTINUES TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS
VOLUNTARILY TO EVACUATE. THE SHELTER AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY IS OPEN. THE DECISION ON WHEN TO INITIATE A PHASED
MANDATORY EVACUATION WILL BE MADE ONCE SOLID INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE ON THE TIMING OF WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE. THE
BRIDGES AT SNAKE CREEK AND JEWFISH CREEK WILL OPEN FOR VESSELS EVERY
HALF HOUR. TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. GOVERNMENT
OFFICES SCHOOLS AND PARKS ARE CLOSED TODAY. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...GREYHOUND BUS SERVICE...AND JGT BUS SERVICE ARE FULLY
OPERATIONAL. RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION CAN CHECK WITH
THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY HOTLINE OR THE CITY OF KEY WEST HOTLINE
TO GET INFORMATION ON BUS SERVICE. THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY
INFORMATION HOTLINE IS 1-800-955-5504. THE CITY OF KEY WEST HOTLINE
IS 305-809-1108.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL OF HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THROUGH
AT LEAST SATURDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT OR EARLY MONDAY MORNING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE
POSSIBLE THEREAFTER.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
OPERATORS OF SMALL CRAFT SHOULD USE CAUTION. CONDITIONS MERITING A
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY SET IN SATURDAY NIGHT.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
WE ANTICIPATE RAINFALL TOTALS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES THROUGH SUNDAY.
ADDITIONAL HEAVIER RAINFALL WILL OCCUR SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY BASED
ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK OF WILMA.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 130
PM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION...VISIT THE KEY WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

DFM


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