[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 182113
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-190000-

TROPICAL STORM RITA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
515 PM EDT SUN SEP 18 2005

...HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
THE TROPICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM RITA.
STORM POSITION AND INTENSITY INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.
RAINFALL INFORMATION UPDATED.
STORM SURGE INFORMATION UPDATED.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY
INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM
OCEAN REEF TO DRY TORTUGAS...INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY. A HURRICANE
WATCH MEANS THAT WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 36
HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
THE TROPICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM RITA...WITH
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 40 MPH. RITA IS THE SEVENTEENTH NAMED
ATLANTIC STORM THIS YEAR. AT 500 PM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM
RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.9 WEST.
THIS WAS ABOUT 520 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OCEAN REEF ON KEY LARGO...AND
590 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN KEY WEST. THE
TROPICAL STORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 10 MPH. A GENERAL
MOTION TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 1005 MB...OR 29.68 INCHES OF
MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY HAS ENTERED A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY. THE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT CENTER WILL BE ACTIVATED FULLY AT 700 AM MONDAY.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR VISITORS
AND NON-RESIDENTS FROM THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST STARTING AT
NOON TODAY. RECREATIONAL VEHICLES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE KEYS MUST
LEAVE TODAY. COUNTY PARKS AND STATE PARKS WILL CLOSE TODAY. TOLLS ON
CARD SOUND ROAD ARE SUSPENDED. RESIDENTS IN MOBILE HOMES AND IN
LOW-LYING AREAS SHOULD PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE EVACUATION.
RESIDENTS SHOULD INSTALL HURRICANE SHUTTERS IMMEDIATELY. SECURE
LOOSE OBJECTS WHICH MAY BE BLOWN ABOUT. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL
BE CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY. COUNTY OFFICES WILL CLOSE AT NOON
MONDAY. MUNICIPAL OFFICES MAY FOLLOW SUIT.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE SLOWLY ON MONDAY. TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH MAY BEGIN MONDAY NIGHT. HURRICANE FORCE
WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS AS
EARLY AS TUESDAY MORNING.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD PLAN TO STAY IN PORT BEGINNING TONIGHT. NORTHEAST
WINDS WILL INCREASE AND SMALL CRAFT WILL EXPERIENCE HAZARDOUS
CONDITIONS IN OUR ATLANTIC WATERS TONIGHT AND IN FLORIDA BAY AND
GULF WATERS MONDAY MORNING. SEAS MAY BUILD IN THE FLORIDA STRAITS
BEYOND THE REEF UP TO 15 FEET ON TUESDAY. IF YOU PLAN TO EVACUATE
YOUR BOAT AND REQUIRE THE BRIDGE TO OPEN ON JEWFISH CREEK OR SNAKE
CREEK IN ORDER TO DO SO...YOU SHOULD BEGIN YOUR TRIP AS SOON AS
PRACTICABLE. THESE TWO BRIDGES WILL OPEN ON THE HOUR AND HALF-HOUR
SUNDAY. THEY MAY CLOSE ON MONDAY TO BOATS TRAVELING ON THE WATER. IF
YOU PLAN FOR YOUR VESSEL TO REMAIN IN THE KEYS...YOU MAY WISH TO USE
THIS TIME TO ADD EXTRA LINES AND DEPLOY EXTRA GROUND TACKLE.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
OUR STORM SURGE MODEL ESTIMATES A POTENTIAL SURGE OF 4 TO 6 FEET
FROM A CATEGORY 1 STORM. THIS ACCORDS WITH OBSERVATIONS FROM
PREVIOUS STORMS OF SIMILAR STRENGTH ON A SIMILAR TRACK. OUR
ASTRONOMICAL TIDES HAVE BEEN ABOUT 1 FOOT ABOVE NORMAL IN RECENT
DAYS DUE TO THE FULL MOON. THEREFORE A TOTAL OF 5 TO 7 FEET IS
POSSIBLE SHOULD STORM PASSAGE COINCIDE WITH TIME OF HIGH TIDE. HIGH
TIDES AT WALE HARBOR CHANNEL ARE AT 1031 AM AND 1045 PM ON
MONDAY...ON AND TUESDAY AT 1118 AM AND 1129 PM. HIGH TIDES AT KEY
WEST HARBOR ARE AT 1141 AM AND 1134 PM ON MONDAY...230 PM ON
TUESDAY...AND FINALLY 1208 AM EARLY WEDNESDAY.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF
TROPICAL STORM RITA. HOWEVER...AS THE STORM APPROACHES THESE
ESTIMATES WILL BE ADJUSTED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
OUR NEXT UPDATE ON TROPICAL STORM RITA WILL BE AVAILABLE AROUND 830
PM THIS EVENING...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
REMEMBER TO VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

CB/AF/SD/AD/MS


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