[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 241723
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-241930-

HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
130 PM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION 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.

...STORM INFORMATION...
HURRICANE WILMA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE. AT 100 PM EDT...THE
CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED JUST OFF THE COAST OF WEST
PALM BEACH...NEAR LATITUDE 27.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.2 WEST...OR
ABOUT 200 MILES NORTHEAST OF MARATHON...AND ABOUT 230 MILES
NORTHEAST OF KEY WEST. WILMA IS MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST AT 25
MPH. A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED TODAY. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE
IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED TODAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 100 MPH FROM THE CENTER....AND TROPICAL STORM WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARDS TO 260 MILES. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 956
MB...OR ABOUT 28.23 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ANYONE WHO HAS REMAINED IN THE KEYS SHOULD CONTINUE TO STAY IN A
SAFE LOCATION FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. THE MAIN REMAINING IMPACT
OF HURRICANE WILMA WILL BE THE EXTENSIVE AND SEVERE STORM TIDE
ACROSS THE FLORIDA KEYS. TRAVEL IN FLOODED AREAS WILL BE VERY
DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS DUE TO UNKNOWN DEPTH AND STORM DEBRIS. DO
NOT TRAVEL 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.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
THE STORM SURGE IS CONTINUING TO SLOWLY SUBSIDE IN THE LOWER KEYS.
IN THE MIDDLE KEYS...THE STORM SURGE HAS PEAKED AND WILL ALSO SLOWLY
RECEDED. ALONG THE BAY SIDE OF THE UPPER KEYS...THE STORM SURGE WILL
PEAK FROM 100 TO 300 PM...AT BETWEEN 4 TO 5 FEET.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND HURRICANE FORCE GUSTS WILL LIKELY
AFFECT THE UPPER KEYS FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR. 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 99 MPH AT
FOWEY ROCK...68 MPH AT SOMBRERO KEY LIGHT...AND 67 MPH AT LONG KEY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN PORT. HIGH WATER DUE TO THE
STORM TIDE...WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN MOST MARINAS
ACROSS THE ISLAND CHAIN. IN ADDITION...AS HURRICANE WILMA PULLS
FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ISLAND CHAIN...SEAS WILL BE SLOW TO SUBSIDE.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 130
PM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. VISIT OUR KEY
WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

SD




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