[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KJAX 082145
HLSJAX
FLZ024-025-033-038-090400-

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
544 PM EDT THU SEP 8 2005

...KATRINA NOW A MINIMAL HURRICANE...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH CONTINUES 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 REMAINS 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.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 28.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.5 WEST. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT
65 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL OR 170 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
MAYPORT. OPHELIA IS CURRENTLY NEARLY STATIONARY BUT A NORTHEASTWARD
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING
IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE FORECAST TRACK OF OPHELIA 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 PORTIONS OF THE
WATCH AREA WITHIN A FEW HOURS. THIS DICTATES A CONTINUATION OF THE
TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST.

EVEN IF OPHELIA GETS NO CLOSER TO OUR COAST...PERSISTENT STRONG
NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS AND HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE TO POUND THE
COAST ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL SHOWER BANDS UNTIL THE STORM MOVES WELL
OUT TO SEA. A HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE.
LOOSE OBJECTS AND BOATS ALONG AREA BEACHES SHOULD BE SECURED
IMMEDIATELY.

ALL RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SHOULD
CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS DUE TO UNCERTAINTY
IN THE FUTURE TRACK OF HURRICANE OPHELIA.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT ARE STRONGLY URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT. WINDS ARE
GUSTING TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE IN THE COASTAL WATERS WITH SEAS OF 10
TO 14 FEET. 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 WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
FLORIDA INTO FRIDAY. LOCAL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.

...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 WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH
ESPECIALLY IN PASSING SHOWER BANDS. FOR THIS REASON...A WIND ADVISORY
CONTINUES IS IN EFFECT.

...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.

IN FLAGLER COUNTY...WATER IS AT THE TOP OF SEAWALLS IN PALM COAST
AND HIGHWAY A1A HAS BEEN REROUTED IN PARTS OF FLAGLER BEACH DUE TO
HIGH WATER. WATER LEVELS ON THE INTRA-COASTAL WATERWAY SOUTH OF
MATANZAS INLET ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN HIGH OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND
ADDITIONAL MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. 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 11 PM...OR EARLIER SHOULD
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

LETRO

$$

This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net