[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KMLB 081000
HLSMLB
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
081600-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
555 AM EDT THU SEP 8 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA MEANDERING OFFSHORE WHILE GETTING BETTER
ORGANIZED...

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO
COCOA BEACH.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT DESCRIBES ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN WITHIN VOLUSIA
AND BREVARD COUNTIES. INTERESTS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL
FLORIDA SHOULD CONTINUE TO CHECK FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS CONCERNING
OPHELIA DUE TO UNCERTAINTY IN THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF THE STORM.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 28.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.5 WEST OR ABOUT 70 MILES EAST
NORTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA. OPHELIA IS MEANDERING
OFFSHORE...BUT ESSENTIALLY REMAINS STATIONARY. A NORTHWARD DRIFT IS
EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE
PICKED UP TO NEAR 60 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...MAKING OPHELIA A STRONG
TROPICAL STORM. SLOW STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT
24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO GRADUALLY INTENSIFY WHILE REMAINING
OFFSHORE. BEYOND 36 HOURS...THE FORECAST BECOMES HIGHLY UNCERTAIN...
AND RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED OF THE LATEST FORECAST. DO
NOT LOWER YOUR GUARD. REVIEW PERSONAL OR BUSINESS ACTION PLANS AND
REPLENISH HURRICANE SUPPLY KITS. PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE WITHIN
AND NEAR THE WARNING AREA FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS. TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF WIND GUSTS...RESIDENTS ALONG THE
IMMEDIATE COAST OF BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES SHOULD SECURE OUTDOOR
ITEMS THAT ARE LOOSE AND LIGHTWEIGHT. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE CAREFUL
WHEN GOING ACROSS CAUSEWAYS...ESPECIALLY IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
DUE TO THE STRONG AND PERSISTENT ONSHORE FLOW WITHIN THE WARNING
AREA...ROUGH SURF AND BREAKING WAVES OF 5 TO 6 FEET WILL BATTER THE
BEACHES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. STRONG RIP CURRENTS WILL ALSO
OCCUR INTO THE WEEKEND. ENHANCED WAVE ACTION WILL RESULT IN
ADDITIONAL BEACH EROSION AROUND THE TIME OF EACH SUCCESSIVE HIGH TIDE
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...POSSIBLY LEADING TO A MAJOR BEACH EROSION
EVENT. THE GREATEST IMPACTS WILL OCCUR FROM AROUND CAPE CANAVERAL
NORTHWARD THROUGH THE VOLUSIA COUNTY BEACHES...WHERE THE STRONGEST
NORTH FLOW AND POUNDING SURF WILL PERSIST.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT WITHIN AND NEAR THE WARNING
AREA. WINDS OF 35 TO 45 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 55 KNOTS WILL
BUILD SEAS UPWARD TO 15 FEET NORTH OF COCOA BEACH...ESPECIALLY
OFFSHORE IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE CENTER OF OPHELIA. MARINE
INTERESTS FROM COCOA BEACH SOUTH SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS AS SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. WINDS ARE FORECAST
TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 45 KNOTS...ESPECIALLY OFFSHORE FROM
SEBASTIAN INLET TO COCOA BEACH IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO OPHELIA.
IMPORTANTLY...OPHELIA IS MEANDERING SOMEWHAT WHILE SLOWLY
STRENGTHENING.

...WIND IMPACTS...
OPHELIA HAS BECOME A STRONG TROPICAL STORM WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR
SOME FURTHER STRENGTHENING. AS SUCH...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS
OF 40 TO 45 MPH WILL OCCUR ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST WITHIN THE
WARNING AREA INTO FRIDAY. ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...HEAVY
SQUALLS WITH WIND GUSTS WILL BE MOST COMMON ALONG THE VOLUSIA AND
NORTH BREVARD COASTLINE. CURRENTLY...THERE ARE NO INLAND WATCHES OR
WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR WIND.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH OUTER BANDS FROM OPHELIA
WILL CONTINUE TO ROTATE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE
NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...ESPECIALLY FROM CAPE CANAVERAL NORTHWARD WHERE A
MODERATE THREAT OF FLOODING EXISTS. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES
WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM
ORLANDO TO CAPE CANAVERAL. ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 5 INCHES COULD
ALSO OCCUR. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR VOLUSIA...SEMINOLE...
ORANGE...AND NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTIES. AREAS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO
FLOODING WILL BE URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...AS WELL AS LOW LYING
AREAS.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS A VERY LOW THREAT FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO...MAINLY
NEAR THE COAST FROM CAPE CANAVERAL NORTHWARD.

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

A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THESE HURRICANE THREATS CAN BE VIEWED ON
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE WEB-PAGE AT...
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MLB/GHLS/HLS_MAIN.HTML

$$

DWS

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