[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTBW 240746
HLSTBW
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-240930-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
345 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

...WILMA INTENSIFIES TO A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE WHILE MOVING
TOWARD SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...

...NEW INFORMATION...
HURRICANE WILMA IS MAINTAINING CATEGORY 3 STRENGTH WITH MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 120 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN
INTENSITY IS EXPECTED BEFORE LANDFALL AND WILMA IS EXPECTED TO REACH
THE WEST COAST AS A CATEGORY 3.

A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
FROM CITRUS COUNTY SOUTHWARD UNTIL 11 AM EDT TODAY. THE THREAT FOR
TORNADOES WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING AS ADDITIONAL RAINBANDS FROM
WILMA REACH THE AREA. ANY TORNADOES WILL BE FAST MOVING.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTLINE AND TIDAL
SHORELINES OF LEE...CHARLOTTE...DESOTO...AND SARASOTA COUNTIES.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR NON COASTAL OR NON TIDAL
LOCATIONS OF LEE...CHARLOTTE...DESOTO...HARDEE...HIGHLANDS AND
SARASOTA COUNTIES.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTLINE AND TIDAL
SHORELINES OF MANATEE...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...PASCO...HERNANDO
CITRUS AND LEVY COUNTIES.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR NON COASTAL OR
NON TIDAL LOCATIONS OF MANATEE...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...
PASCO...HERNANDO...CITRUS...SUMTER AND LEVY COUNTIES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES
INTO EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 3 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.8 WEST OR ABOUT 121 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF FORT MYERS AND 200 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF TAMPA.
WILMA WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH...AND SOME ADDITIONAL
INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED BEFORE LANDFALL.

...WIND IMPACTS...
DANGEROUS WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING IN LEE COUNTY AND
POSSIBLY CHARLOTTE...DESOTO...AND HIGHLANDS COUNTY. A PERIOD OF
SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...75 TO 80 MPH...IS EXPECTED BETWEEN
6 AND 9 AM.  BECAUSE WILMA IS EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST CATEGORY
3 STRENGTH WHILE ACCELERATING INLAND...GUSTS TO 100 MPH ARE POSSIBLE
IN STRONGER SQUALLS.

FOR SARASOTA AND HARDEE COUNTIES...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS OF 50 TO 65 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 75 TO 85 MPH... ARE POSSIBLE
BETWEEN 7 AND 10 AM.

IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA AND POINTS NORTH THROUGH HERNANDO COUNTY...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE SUSTAINED WINDS SHOULD ARRIVE AROUND 5 AM...WITH
THE HIGHEST WINDS...40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH...EXPECTED
BETWEEN 7 AM AND 12 PM.

IMPACTS FOR CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTY INCLUDE:
POORLY CONSTRUCTED OR UNSECURED MOBILE HOMES WILL BE HEAVILY DAMAGED
OR DESTROYED. OTHERS WILL HAVE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WALLS...
AND WINDOWS...AND WILL LIKELY BE UNINHABITABLE UNTIL REPAIRED.
HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE PARTIAL WALL AND
ROOF FAILURE...AS WELL AS BLOWN OUT WINDOWS.  MOST LANAI SCREENS AND
POOL CAGES WILL HAVE DAMAGE...SOME WILL BE DESTROYED. UNSECURED LIGHT
TO MODERATE WEIGHT OUTDOOR ITEMS WILL BECOME PROJECTILES...CAUSING
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AND PERHAPS INJURY.  MANY AREAS WILL HAVE POWER
OUTAGES...HUNDREDS OF WIRES WILL FALL...TRANSFORMERS WILL POP...AND
SOME POWER POLES WILL BE PULLED DOWN.

ROTTING LARGE TREES WILL BE UPROOTED...MOST COMMON ON SATURATED
GROUND.  NUMEROUS LARGE BRANCHES OF HEALTHY TREES WILL SNAP...AND
MODERATE DAMAGE IS EXPECTED IN CITRUS GROVE.  UP TO ONE HALF
OF NEWLY PLANTED CROPS WILL BE DAMAGED.

IMPACTS FOR SARASOTA...DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...AND HARDEE COUNTY
INCLUDE:
OLDER MOBILE HOMES WILL EXPERIENCE MODERATE TO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
SOME OF POOR CONSTRUCTION WILL BE UNINHABITABLE UNTIL REPAIRED.
HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE DAMAGE TO SHINGLES
...SIDING...AND GUTTERS.  SOME WINDOWS WILL BE BLOWN OUT.  MANY
LANAI SCREENS AND POOL CAGES WILL BE DAMAGED.  UNFASTENED HOME
ITEMS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE WEIGHT WILL BECOME AIRBORNE...CAUSING
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURY.  DOZENS OF WIRES WILL BE
BLOWN DOWN.  LOCAL POWER OUTAGES WILL AFFECT ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS.

MANY LARGE BRANCHES OF HEALTHY TREES WILL BE SNAPPED...AND ROTTING
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TREES WILL BE UPROOTED.  DOZENS OF PALM FRONDS
WILL BE BLOWN DOWN...AND MINOR DAMAGE WILL OCCUR TO CITRUS GROVES
AND NEWLY PLANTED LOWLAND CROPS.

IMPACTS FOR THE TAMPA BAY AND LAKELAND AREAS INCLUDE:
MINOR DAMAGE WILL OCCUR TO MANY MOBILE HOMES.  POORLY CONSTRUCTED
HOMES MAY RECEIVE SOME WALL DAMAGE AND PARTIAL ROOF REMOVAL.  A
FEW HOUSES MAY HAVE MINOR DAMAGE TO ROOF SHINGLES AND SIDING.  A
FEW POOL CAGES AND LANAI SCREENS WILL BE DAMAGED.  UNSECURED LIGHT
WEIGHT ITEMS MAY BECOME PROJECTILES...CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.
SOME ELECTRICAL WIRES WILL BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOCAL POWER OUTAGES
ARE LIKELY.

MOST NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SHRUBS WILL BE DAMAGED OR UPROOTED.
SOME ROTTING SMALL TREES WILL BE UPROOTED...AND ROTTEN LARGE
BRANCHES WILL SNAP.  NUMEROUS SMALL TWIGS WILL SEPARATE FROM TREES.
A FEW PALM FRONDS WILL BE BLOWN DOWN.

...SURGE IMPACTS...
TIDES CONTINUE RUNNING AROUND A HALF FOOT ABOVE NORMAL AT GAGING
POINTS FROM THE TAMPA BAY AREA SOUTH. TIDAL DEPARTURES WILL VARY
GREATLY THIS MORNING. BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK THE GREATEST
THREAT OF STORM SURGE IS SOUTH OF LEE COUNTY. TIDAL DEPARTURES MAY
RANGE UP TO 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL THIS MORNING IN CHARLOTTE AND LEE
COUNTIES...AND UP TO 1 FOOT ABOVE NORMAL ELSEWHERE...BEFORE WINDS
TURN MORE NORTH OR NORTHEASTERLY AND EVACUATE WATER FROM MANY OF
THESE AREAS.

TIDES MAY RISE ONCE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WEST FACING
BEACHES OF LEE COUNTY...INCLUDING BONITA BEACH...FORT MYERS
BEACH...AND THE NORTH END OF SANIBEL AND SOUTHWEST PORTION OF PINE
ISLAND.  STORM TIDES COULD REACH 4 FEET OR HIGHER...WHICH MAY
PRODUCE RUN UP...OVERWASH...OR MINOR NUISANCE FLOODING.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT HAVE BEEN IN THE 2 TO 3 INCH RANGE
WITH HIGHER LOCALIZED AMOUNTS. BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. THESE RAINS MAY
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.
RAINFALL TODAY WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM 1 INCH IN LEVY COUNTY...
2 TO 3 INCHES WITH LOCALLY 5 INCHES IN HEAVIER BANDS FROM TAMPA TO
LAKELAND AND POINTS NORTH...3 TO 4 INCHES WITH LOCALLY 5 INCHES
ELSEWHERE NORTH OF CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTY...AND 4 TO 5 INCHES WITH
LOCALLY 6 INCHES IN CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES...WHERE A FLASH FLOOD
WATCH IS IN EFFECT.

THE LITTLE MANATEE RIVER AND MANATEE RIVERS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE
ABOVE FLOOD STAGE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. OTHER AREA RIVERS REMAIN
ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN BELOW FLOOD STAGE AT THIS TIME.

...NEXT STATEMENT...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT FOR HURRICANE WILMA WILL BE ISSUED
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN RUSKIN AROUND 515 AM EDT
MONDAY.

$$

PRC

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