[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KMFL 240911
HLSMFL
AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-GMZ656-657-676-241300-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
510 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

...EYEWALL WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN COLLIER AND MAINLAND MONROE
COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA
AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS INCLUDING LAKE OKEECHOBEE: COLLIER...GLADES...
HENDRY...PALM BEACH...BROWARD...MIAMI-DADE AND MAINLAND MONROE.

...NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
UPDATED STORM SURGE IMPACTS

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...

A RARE AND EXTREMELY SERIOUS EYEWALL WIND WARNING FOR SUSTAINED HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 115 MPH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN COLLIER AND
MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES FROM NAPLES SOUTH UNTIL 615 AM EDT.

A HURRICANE WARNING/INLAND HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS AND LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH AND
LONGITUDE 82.4 WEST OR ABOUT 55 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NAPLES OR 165 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF WEST PALM BEACH OR 135 MILES WEST OF MIAMI. WILMA IS MOVING
NORTHEAST NEAR 20 MPH. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH AN INCREASE IN
FORWARD SPEED THROUGH MONDAY. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF THE STORM IS EXPECTED
TO MAKE LANDFALL WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO NEAR EVERGLADES CITY AND CROSS THE
SOUTH FLORIDA PENINSULA TODAY...MOVING INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN NEAR PALM BEACH
COUNTY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WILMA
IS A STRONG CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE
IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED UNTIL LANDFALL OCCURS...AND SOME SLOW WEAKENING IS
FORECAST AS WILMA CROSSES THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA PENINSULA.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE NEXT TWO HOURS WILL BE THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME FOR RESIDENTS OF COLLIER AND
MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES. SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL RAISE PROJECTILES
WHICH WILL BECOME POTENTIAL DEADLY MISSILES AND PERSONS MUST NOT VENTURE
OUTSIDE. WHEN THE LARGE EYE OF WILMA COMES ONSHORE IN A FEW HOURS...THE WIND
WILL SUBSIDE AND THERE WILL BE 30 MINUTES OR SO FOR ANY EMERGENCY REPAIRS BEFORE
THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE EYEWALL COMES BACK ONSHORE TO RENEW HURRICANE
CONDITIONS FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

AS THE EYEWALL COMES ONSHORE...THE HIGHEST SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
OF 120 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL OCCUR IN METRO COLLIER INCLUDING NAPLES AND
MARCO ISLAND. PUT AS MANY WALLS AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE OUTSIDE...
SUCH AS AN INTERIOR CLOSET OR BATHROOM. STAY AWAY FROM UNSHUTTERED WINDOWS OR
WEAK GARAGE DOORS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
HURRICANE WILMA WILL MAKE LANDFALL NEAR EVERGLADES CITY AND CHOKOLOSKEE AROUND
DAWN. A STORM TIDE OF UP TO 13 TO 18 FEET IS NOW OCCURRING ALONG THE SOUTH
COLLIER GULF COAST...PRIMARILY SOUTH OF CAPE ROMANO TO CAPE SABLE INCLUDING
EVERGLADES CITY AND CHOKOLOSKEE. THIS IS CAUSING EXTENSIVE FLOODING OF LOCAL
ACCESS ROADS TO MARCO ISLAND...EVERGLADES CITY AND CHOKOLOSKEE INCLUDING STATE
ROADS 92...951...953 AND 29 AND LARGE PARTS OF THE TAMIAMI TRAIL U.S. HIGHWAY
41. EVERGLADES CITY IS LIKELY FLOODED OR WILL BE SHORTLY...AND PARTS OF
CHOKOLOSKEE AND MARCO ISLAND ARE ALSO LIKELY FLOODED. FURTHER NORTH ALONG THE
COLLIER COUNTY COAST...A STORM TIDE OF 7 TO 9 FEET IS ALSO OCCURRING FROM NORTH
OF MARCO ISLAND TO SOUTH NAPLES. SINCE THE WIND FLOW IS OFFSHORE AT NAPLES...
MUCH LOWER STORM TIDES ARE OCCURRING FROM NAPLES NORTH TO BONITA BEACH.

A STORM TIDE OF 8 TO 13 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL IS NOW OCCURRING ON CAPE
SABLE AND IN FLAMINGO. MUCH OF FLAMINGO IS NOW LIKELY FLOODED.

ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY...PARTICULARLY BISCAYNE BAY...
A STORM TIDE OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL CAN BE EXPECTED AROUND 8 TO 9
AM EDT...WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN CANALS AND WATERWAYS.
SOUTH WINDS WILL PILE SOME WATER INTO THE NORTH END OF BISCAYNE BAY CAUSING SOME
FLOODING OF CAUSEWAYS AND LOW LYING BEACH ACCESS ROADS FOR A SHORT TIME
FROM EARLY TO MID MORNING MONDAY. SOME FLOODING FROM SURGE WILL OCCUR IN LOW
LYING AREAS OF MATHESON HAMMOCK AND FAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDENS AND PARTS OF
CORAL GABLES AND COCONUT GROVE AND ALONG THE MOUTH OF THE MIAMI RIVER. LOW
LYING AREAS ON THE BAY SIDES OF KEY BISCAYNE AND VIRGINIA KEY CAN ALSO BE
EXPECTED. OVER THE BROWARD AND PALM BEACH COUNTY COASTS...STORM TIDES OF 2
TO 3 FEET CAN BE EXPECTED MID MORNING.

FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE...A STORM SURGE OF 5 TO 7 FEET ABOVE CURRENT LAKE LEVELS IS
EXPECTED FROM EARLY MORNING TO AROUND NOON MONDAY OVER AREAS INSIDE THE DIKE
FROM LAKEPORT TO CLEWISTON...WITH 2 TO 5 FEET ABOVE CURRENT LAKE LEVELS
ELSEWHERE FROM BUCKHEAD RIDGE SOUTH TO LAKEPORT...AND FROM CLEWISTON THROUGH
PORT MAYACA. THIS WILL CAUSE SOME FLOODING OF LOW AREAS OUTSIDE HOOVER DIKE
PROTECTION INCLUDING TORRY...KREAMER AND RITTA ISLANDS AND SOME ACCESS ROADS.
THE LAKE LEVEL ON SUNDAY WAS 15.6 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE OCCURRING ACROSS NEARLY ALL OF MAINLAND SOUTH
FLORIDA NOW. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE COMING ONSHORE SOUTH COLLIER AND
MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES NOW...AND WILL BE SPREADING NORTHEAST ACROSS BIG
CYPRESS REFUGE...FAKAHATCHEE REFUGE AND EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK MOVING
NORTHEAST TOWARD THE BIG CYPRESS AND MICCOSUKEE INDIAN COMMUNITIES. ANY
MOTORISTS REMAINING ON TAMIAMI TRAIL OR ALLIGATOR ALLEY OR ANY OTHER ROAD
SHOULD FIND SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

WILMA HAS A VERY LARGE EYE...ABOUT 65 TO 70 MILES IN DIAMETER. AS THE EYE MOVES
ACROSS THE COASTLINE AND INLAND...THE WINDS WILL DECREASE ALLOWING AN
OPPORTUNITY OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS. REMEMBER THOUGH THAT THE
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL RETURN WILL SIMILAR VIOLENCE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF
THE EYE WALL AND FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN SUBSIDING OVER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BY
THE MID TO LATE MORNING HOURS AND ACROSS THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND METRO ATLANTIC
COAST AREAS BY EARLY AFTERNOON. TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WILL BE SUBSIDING
ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS FINALLY ENDING ACROSS PALM BEACH
COUNTY BY ABOUT 6 PM EDT.

AREAS NEAR AND WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL...WHERE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF
UP TO 115 MPH COULD BE SUSTAINED...CAN EXPECT TO SEE EXTENSIVE WIND DAMAGE...
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS WITH WALL AND ROOF FAILURES...EXTENSIVE TO
COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF MOBILE HOMES...NUMEROUS LARGE TREES AND SIGNS BLOWN
DOWN...MANY ROADS IMPASSABLE DUE TO LARGE DEBRIS...AND WIDESPREAD POWER
OUTAGES.

OVER THE REST OF SOUTH FLORIDA...DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY
IF UNANCHORED. SOME BUILDING DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS...AND DOORS IS ALSO
LIKELY. EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY. LARGE TREES WILL LIKELY BE UPROOTED
WHICH WOULD CAUSE DOWNED POWER LINES...RESULTING IN EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES
ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA.

PERSONS MUST NOT DRIVE OR WALK AROUND IN TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE FORCE
WINDS. SEVERAL SOUTH FLORIDA DEATHS OCCURRED IN KATRINA WHEN PEOPLE DECIDED TO
WALK AROUND TO WATCH TREES FALL IN STRONG WINDS.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
THERE IS A 100 PERCENT CHANCE THAT TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL BE
EXPERIENCED ACROSS ALL OF MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY. THERE IS A 60 TO 100
PERCENT CHANCE THAT HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE EXPERIENCED ACROSS SOUTH
FLORIDA TODAY.

...LOCAL MARINE IMPACTS...
EXTREME HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER THE GULF COASTAL WATERS OF
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. SLOWLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR BY LATE AFTERNOON
AND CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THROUGH TONIGHT.

ACROSS LAKE OKEECHOBEE...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE NOW OCCURRING. HURRICANE
CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN BY 8 AM EDT AND SHOULD START SUBSIDING BY EARLY
AFTERNOON WITH TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS SUBSIDING BY LATE AFTERNOON.

ALONG THE ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN SPREADING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...
WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS BEGINNING SHORTLY AFTER 8 AM EDT. HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS WILL SUBSIDE OVER THE SOUTHERN WATERS AROUND NOON MORNING AND
OVER THE PALM BEACH WATERS BY MID AFTERNOON...WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
SUBSIDING OVER ALL ATLANTIC WATERS BY EARLY EVENING. ALL MARINE CRAFT MUST
REMAIN IN SAFE PORT.

...LOCAL FLOOD IMPACTS...
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED MAINLY NORTH OF A
LINE FROM NAPLES TO WEST PALM BEACH...WITH AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE
ACROSS SOUTHERNMOST AREAS. RAIN BANDS MOVING OVER THE AREA WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY
HEAVIER AMOUNTS BEGINNING EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND LASTING THROUGH MONDAY
AFTERNOON. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA.

...LOCAL TORNADO IMPACTS...
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA. WILMA HAS ALREADY
PRODUCED SEVERAL SPIRAL BANDS WITH TORNADIC SIGNATURES ON RADAR...AND THIS
WILL CONTINUE TODAY. TROPICAL CYCLONE INDUCED TORNADOES ARE QUICK FORMING AND
QUICK MOVING...AND USUALLY ONLY LAST A FEW MINUTES. DAMAGING TORNADOES ARE
ALSO LIKELY AS THE EYE WALL COMES ONSHORE.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 9 AM.

$$

PFOST
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