[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 220622
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-220930-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
220 AM EDT SAT OCT 22 2005

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.
WIND IMPACTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED.
MARINE IMPACTS HAVE 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 200 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 20.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.2 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CANCUN MEXICO...OR ABOUT 430 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KEY
WEST. WILMA HAS BEEN MEANDERING DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS BUT IS
FORECAST TO MOVE TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH LATER TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE ESTIMATED NEAR 135 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. WILMA REMAINS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE. SOME ADDITIONAL
WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS WHILE THE CENTER OF
WILMA MOVES OVER LAND. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 935 MB...OR
27.61 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT HOMES AND
BUSINESSES. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ENCOURAGES VOLUNTARY
EVACUATION OF RESIDENTS. THE SHELTER AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY REMAINS OPEN TO ACCEPT RESIDENT EVACUEES. EVACUATING
RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO SEEK SHELTER NORTH OF ORLANDO IF THEY CHOOSE
NOT TO STAY AT THE DESIGNATED SHELTER AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY. A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER FOR ALL MOBILE HOME
DWELLERS AND SPECIAL NEEDS CLIENTS WILL GO INTO EFFECT AT 6 AM EDT
THIS MORNING. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL MAKE A
DECISION REGARDING MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR ALL KEYS RESIDENTS ON
SATURDAY MORNING. THE DRAWBRIDGES AT SNAKE CREEK AND JEWFISH CREEK
WILL OPEN FOR VESSELS EVERY HALF HOUR...BUT THESE BRIDGES WILL BE
LOCKED DOWN AT NOON TODAY. TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD AND THE FLORIDA
TURNPIKE HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. WEIGHT SCALES WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL
NOON TODAY. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND GREYHOUND BUSES
REMAIN OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL THROUGH TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.
HOWEVER...INCREASING SHOWERS MAY PRODUCE GUSTS OVER 35 MPH SUNDAY
WHICH WILL REQUIRE EXTRA CARE DRIVING OVER BRIDGES. WINDS OF
TROPICAL STORM FORCE ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT. WINDS OF HURRICANE
FORCE ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
OPERATORS OF SMALL CRAFT SHOULD USE CAUTION. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES
MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE 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 530
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. VISIT OUR KEY
WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

CB/JR




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