[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 241402 CCA
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-241530-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
945 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 IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE. AT 900 AM EDT...THE
CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...NEAR
LATITUDE 26.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.7 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 136 MILES
NORTHEAST OF KEY WEST...AND ABOUT 113 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF
MARATHON. 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 110 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 952 MB...OR 28.11 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. THE RAIN HAS LARGELY ENDED FOR NOW
ACROSS THE LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS. HOWEVER...MANY ROADS REMAIN
INUNDATED FROM THE STORM TIDE.  IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS...TIDES
ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. 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...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND HURRICANE FORCE GUSTS WILL LIKELY
AFFECT THE UPPER KEYS UNTIL AROUND 1000 AM. THE MIDDLE AND LOWER
KEYS WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE WIND GUSTS NEAR TROPICAL STORM FORCE
FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. 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. HIGH WATER DUE TO THE STORM
TIDE...WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN MOST MARINAS ACROSS THE
ISLAND CHAIN.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
ACROSS THE LOWER KEYS...THE STORM SURGE IS SLOWLY SUBSIDING IN THE
LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS. HOWEVER...THE STORM SURGE ALONG THE BAY SIDE
OF THE UPPER KEYS IS EXPECTED TO PEAK BETWEEN 11 AND NOON...AT
BETWEEN 4 TO 6 FEET.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE REMAINS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOS THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE MORNING. AFTER THAT...CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE
RAPIDLY.

...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 1130
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. VISIT OUR KEY
WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

SD












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