[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KMLB 081238
HLSMLB
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
081600-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
830 AM EDT THU SEP 8 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA MEANDERING JUST OFFSHORE WHILE SLOWLY
BECOMING BETTER ORGANIZED...

...OUTER RAINBANDS WITH 50 MPH WINDS ROTATING CLOSE TO THE COAST...

...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 8 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 28.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.6 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 ARE 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 JUST
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 TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. RESIDENTS
OF BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES SHOULD SECURE OUTDOOR ITEMS THAT ARE
LOOSE AND LIGHTWEIGHT. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHEN TRAVELING
ACROSS CAUSEWAYS...ESPECIALLY IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

...WIND IMPACTS...
OPHELIA HAS BECOME A STRONG TROPICAL STORM WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR
SOME FURTHER STRENGTHENING. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO
45 MPH ARE CURRENTLY BEING EXPERIENCED ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST
BETWEEN DAYTONA BEACH AND CAPE CANAVERAL. OCCASIONAL HEAVY SQUALLS
WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE VOLUSIA AND
NORTH BREVARD COASTLINE INTO FRIDAY. ANY WESTWARD DRIFT OF OPHELIA
WILL BRING STRONGER WINDS TO THE COAST AND ALSO SPREAD THE WINDS
FARTHER INLAND ACROSS VOLUSIA AND NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTIES.

...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 55 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS WILL BUILD SEAS
UPWARD TO 15 FEET OFFSHORE FROM COCOA BEACH NORTHWARD. MARINE
INTERESTS FROM COCOA BEACH SOUTH SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS AS SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT AND OCCASIONAL
STRONG SQUALLS WILL ALSO IMPACT PORTIONS OF THIS AREA. WINDS ARE
FORECAST TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 45 KNOTS...ESPECIALLY OFFSHORE
FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO COCOA BEACH IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO OPHELIA.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH OUTER BANDS FROM OPHELIA WILL
CONTINUE TO ROTATE ACROSS EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
DAYS...ESPECIALLY FROM CAPE CANAVERAL NORTHWARD WHERE A MODERATE
THREAT OF FLOODING EXISTS. AVERAGE RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES
ARE EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM ORLANDO
TO CAPE CANAVERAL. ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 5 INCHES MAY 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 1130 AM...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 AND CLICKING ON OPHELIA LOCAL INFO.

$$

SPRATT

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