[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 240932
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-241230-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
530 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...ANYONE WHO HAS REMAINED IN THE KEYS SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THE
SAFEST PLACE POSSIBLE...
...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS UPDATED.
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED.
MARINE IMPACTS UPDATED.
STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS UPDATED.
RAINFALL IMPACTS UPDATED.

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

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS
INCLUDING DRY TORTUGAS AND FLORIDA BAY...AND ALL SURROUNDING WATERS.
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM MONDAY FOR ALL THE FLORIDA
KEYS. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MONDAY FOR ALL OF THE
FLORIDA KEYS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
HURRICANE WILMA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE...AND IS SLIGHTLY
STRONGER. AT 500 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF MAJOR HURRICANE WILMA WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.4 WEST...WHICH IS
ABOUT 75 MILES NORTHWEST OF KEY WEST...OR ABOUT 55 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF NAPLES. WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 20 MPH...AND A
CONTINUED INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 125 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED BEFORE
LANDFALL...WHICH ON ITS CURRENT TRACK WILL BE ON THE SOUTHWEST COAST
OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA IN A FEW HOURS. WILMA IS A LARGE HURRICANE
IN SIZE...WITH SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTENDING UP TO 90
MILES OUT FROM THE CENTER...AND WITH SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS UP TO 230 MILES OUT FROM THE CENTER. SOME WEAKENING IS LIKELY
AS WILMA CROSSES THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA PENINSULA TODAY. THE ESTIMATED
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 950 MB...OR 28.05 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ANYONE WHO HAS REMAINED IN THE KEYS SHOULD STAY IN THE SAFEST PLACE
POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS AND RISING
TIDES WILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE KEYS FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. DO NOT
DRIVE UNTIL WIND...TIDE...AND ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE LATER TODAY.
MONROE COUNTY OFFICES AND COURTS ARE TO BE CLOSED TODAY AND TUESDAY.
MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE TO BE CLOSED TODAY AND TUESDAY. MONROE
COUNTY SCHOOL DAYTIME CUSTODIANS SHOULD REPORT TUESDAY. ALL CAMPUSES
OF FLORIDA KEYS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARE TO BE CLOSED TODAY. THE CITY
OF KEY WEST HAS ENACTED A CURFEW EFFECTIVE UNTIL 7 AM THIS MORNING.

...WIND IMPACTS...
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER...EITHER SUSTAINED OR IN
FREQUENT GUSTS...ARE NOW AFFECTING ALL THE FLORIDA KEYS...AND SHOULD
CONTINUE OVER SOME OF THE KEYS UNTIL AROUND 1000 AM. THEREAFTER...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR MORE WILL AFFECT LOWER KEYS
LOCATIONS UNTIL APPROXIMATELY NOON...AND AFFECT MIDDLE AND UPPER
KEYS LOCATIONS UNTIL AROUND 300 PM. REPORTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE
FROM KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DUE TO COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGE.
RECENT PEAK WIND GUST REPORTS FROM OTHER GAUGES INCLUDE 120 MPH AT
453 AM ON CUDJOE KEY...101 MPH AT SOMBRERO KEY AT 449 AM...AND
74 MPH AT LONG KEY AT 455 AM.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. WINDS ARE TURNING TO SOUTH AND
SOUTHWEST AT THIS TIME...WITH AN EVENTUAL TURN TO WEST WINDS
EXPECTED LATER TODAY. RISING TIDES WILL CREATE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
IN MARINAS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
STORM TIDES OF 2 TO 4 FEET ON THE ATLANTIC SIDE HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE WEST TOWARD MORNING...STORM TIDES OF 5 TO 8
FEET ABOVE NORMAL ARE INDICATED ON THE GULF SIDE AND THE BAY SIDE.
EXPECT A SUDDEN RISE OF WATER LEVELS ON THE BAY AND GULF SIDE OF ALL
THE KEYS THIS MORNING.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THE FLORIDA KEYS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT FOR TORNADOES WITHIN
SPIRAL RAINBANDS...ESPECIALLY NOW THROUGH LATE MORNING. A TORNADO
WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE KEYS THROUGH 1100 AM. TORNADOES ASSOCIATED
WITH SPIRAL BANDS FORM AND MOVE VERY RAPIDLY...AND CAN CROSS KEYS
ISLAND LOCATIONS WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY. THE
HEAVIEST RAINS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING THROUGH MIDDAY. SEVERE
FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. IF YOU LIVE IN A HIGHLY FLOOD-PRONE AREA TAKE
ACTION TO PROTECT PROPERTY.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 730
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. VISIT OUR KEY
WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

BROCK/RIZZO







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