[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KJAX 080637
HLSJAX
FLZ024-025-033-038-080915-

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
235 AM EDT THU SEP 8 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA MEANDERING OVER THE CENTRAL FLORIDA
ATLANTIC WATERS...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH 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 IN SOME PORTION OF THE
WATCH AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS. A FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT
FOR THESE COUNTIES AS WELL AS PUTNAM AND CLAY COUNTIES. ALL RESIDENTS
OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS DUE TO UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK OF TROPICAL STORM
OPHELIA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 2 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 28.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE  79.5 WEST. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT
70 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL OR 165 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
MAYPORT. OPHELIA IS CURRENTLY NEARLY STATIONARY BUT A NORTHWEST OR
NORTH DRIFT IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 55 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THERE REMAINS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE FUTURE MOTION
AND INTENSITY OF OPHELIA AND THEREFORE ALSO THE SPECIFIC LOCAL
EFFECTS FROM THE STORM. THE PRESENCE OF A STRENGTHENING TROPICAL
STORM SO CLOSE TO THE COAST MEANS YOU SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR ITS
PROGRESS AND BE READY TO QUICKLY TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTIONS IF WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED. THE FORECAST TRACK CURRENTLY KEEPS THE STORM OFF...BUT
VERY NEAR...THE COAST INTO THE WEEKEND. ANY DEVIATION OF THE STORM TO
THE WEST COULD BRING TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS TO THE AREA WITHIN A
FEW HOURS. PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PERSISTENT STRONG NORTH TO
NORTHEAST WINDS AND HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE TO POUND THE COAST FOR
THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THIS WILL ALSO BRING A HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS
RIP CURRENTS. LOOSE OBJECTS AND BOATS ALONG AREA BEACHES SHOULD BE
SECURED IMMEDIATELY.

...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 9 TO 13 FEET ARE CURRENTLY BEING REPORTED
OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. LOCAL INLETS WILL EXPERIENCE LARGE AND
DANGEROUS BREAKERS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. MARINERS NAVIGATING
THE INTRA-COASTAL WATERWAY AT ST ANDREWS SOUND ARE ADVISED THAT LARGE
BREAKING WAVES ARE LIKELY NEAR THE CHANNEL.

...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 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER
AMOUNTS NEAR 6 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY
NEED TO BE REVISED IF THE FORECAST TRACK CHANGES.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE COMBINATION OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA AND A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE
TO OUR NORTH HAS HELPED TO CREATE SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WINDS NEAR 20
TO 30 MPH ALONG THE COAST. IN ADDITION...STRONGER WIND GUSTS ARE
OCCURRING IN PASSING SHOWER BANDS. SOME GRADUAL INCREASE IN WIND
SPEEDS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST ARE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES OF 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ARE EXPECTED ON THE COAST AND IN
THE COASTAL WATERWAYS. MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE
ALONG THE IMMEDIATE BEACHES...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 REMAINS NEAR THE
COAST...MAJOR BEACH EROSION AND ADDITIONAL COASTAL FLOODING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH AREA. DUE TO THE SLOW MOTION
OF OPHELIA THESE CONDITIONS COULD PERSIST FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION HAS ALREADY OCCURRED IN PORTIONS OF FLAGLER
COUNTY.

REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED OF HIGH WATER IN THE CANAL SYSTEM IN
FLAGLER COUNTY. WATER LEVELS ON THE INTRA-COASTAL WATERWAY SOUTH OF
MATANZAS INLET ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN HIGH OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND
MAY BEGIN TO CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE CANALS.
INTERESTS ALONG THE CANALS SHOULD SECURE VULNERABLE PROPERTY AND
MARINE INTERESTS SHOULD CHECK THE SECURITY OF YOUR BOATS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 5 AM...OR EARLIER SHOULD
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

$$

ARS



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