[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 241126
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-241330-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
730 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.
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED.
MARINE IMPACTS UPDATED.
STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE 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 REMAINS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE. AT 700 AM EDT...
THE CENTER OF MAJOR HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.1
NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.4 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 110 MILES NORTH OF KEY
WEST. THIS POSITION IS INLAND ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF EVERGLADES
CITY. WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 23 MPH...AND A
CONTINUED INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 120 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
SOME WEAKENING IS LIKELY AS WILMA CROSSES THE SOUTH FLORIDA
PENINSULA TODAY. 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. 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...EITHER AS
SUSTAINED WINDS OR AS FREQUENT GUSTS IN SQUALLS WILL AFFECT THE KEYS
FOR A FEW MORE HOURS. RISING TIDE LEVELS WILL BE EXPERIENCED ON THE
GULF SIDE AND BAY SIDE OF ISLANDS THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING. 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.

...WIND IMPACTS...
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER...EITHER SUSTAINED OR IN
FREQUENT GUSTS...WILL LIKELY AFFECT MUCH OF THE KEYS AREA 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. SOME RECENT PEAK WIND GUST REPORTS FROM OTHER
GAUGES INCLUDE 105 MPH AT SOMBRERO KEY...AND 84 MPH AT LONG KEY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. WINDS ARE TURNING SOUTHWEST AND
WEST...WHICH WILL PRODUCE THE EXPECTED RISE IN WATER LEVELS ON THE
GULF AND BAY SIDE OF THE ISLANDS. THESE RISING TIDES WILL CREATE
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN MARINAS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
STORM TIDES OF NEAR 4 FEET WERE REPORTED EARLIER AT PLACES ON THE
ATLANTIC SIDE OF ISLANDS. THESE WATERS MAY BE SLOW TO RECEDE...
ESPECIALLY NEAR CHANNELS THAT CONNECT TO THE BAY AND GULF.
MEANWHILE...STORM TIDES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE THROUGH 1000 AM ON THE
GULF AND BAY SIDE OF ISLANDS...WITH STORM TIDES OF 5 TO 8 FEET ABOVE
NORMAL.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THE FLORIDA KEYS REMAIN WITHIN AN AREA OF POSSIBLE TORNADOES....
ESPECIALLY WITHIN SPIRAL RAINBANDS. 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. 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 930
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. VISIT OUR KEY
WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

BROCK/RIZZO









This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net