[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KJAX 070949
HLSJAX
FLZ024-025-033-038-071500-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
548 AM EDT WED SEP 7 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA OFF THE EAST CENTRAL COAST OF FLORIDA...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM FERNANDINA BEACH TO
FLAGLER BEACH...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA...NASSAU...DUVAL...ST
JOHNS...AND FLAGLER COUNTIES.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST
FROM FERNANDINA BEACH TO FLAGLER BEACH. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS
THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA
WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS. A FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THESE
COUNTIES. INLAND COUNTIES INCLUDING PUTNAM AND CLAY SHOULD CLOSELY
MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS DUE TO UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK OF
TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 28.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.9 WEST OR ABOUT 105 MILES EAST
OF CAPE CANAVERAL. OPHELIA IS MOVING TO THE NORTH NORTHWEST
AT 8 MPH. THIS GENERAL MOTION...WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD
SPEED...IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO SLOWLY INTENSIFY TO A MINIMAL HURRICANE OFF
THE COAST OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. RESIDENTS ARE
URGED TO KEEP INFORMED TO THE LATEST FORECAST. PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE
MADE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN THE WATCH
AREA.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT ARE STRONGLY URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT. TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS BY EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING. SEAS OF UP TO 12 FEET HAVE BEEN RECORDED ALREADY
AHEAD OF THE TROPICAL STORM OVER THE COASTAL WATERS.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH OUTER BANDS AND CLUSTERS OF
SHOWERS FROM OPHELIA ARE ALREADY AFFECTING PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
FLORIDA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WITH ISOLATED
HIGHER AMOUNTS NEAR 8 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. THESE RAINFALL
AMOUNTS MAY NEED TO BE REVISED IF THE FORECAST TRACK CHANGES.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA IS TO THE SOUTH OF A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE
AND HAS HELPED CREATE A STRONG NORTHEAST FLOW. SUSTAINED NORTHEAST
WINDS NEAR 20 TO 30 MPH HAVE ALREADY BEEN OCCURRING ALONG THE COAST.
IN ADDITION...STRONGER WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED IN SHOWER ACTIVITY
TODAY. WINDS AT THE ST AUGUSTINE PIER HAVE OCCASIONALLY BEEN GUSTING
TO 35 TO 40 MPH OVERNIGHT. A GRADUAL INCREASE IN WIND SPEEDS IS
EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HRS ALONG THE COAST.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
SURGE HEIGHTS OF 1 TO 3 FEET ARE EXPECTED AND THUS MINOR COASTAL
FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY AT THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. DUE
TO VERY ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS...MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED.
IF THE STORM CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN AND REMAIN NEAR THE COAST...
MAJOR BEACH EROSION AND ADDITIONAL COASTAL FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE.
THE GREATEST IMPACT AREAS FOR COASTAL FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION WILL
LIKELY BE SOUTH OF MAYPORT TO FLAGLER BEACH.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 11 AM...OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

$$

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