[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 190029
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-190330-

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

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

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
WATCHES AND WARNINGS UPDATED.
STORM POSITION AND INTENSITY INFORMATION UPDATED.
MARINE IMPACTS UPDATED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS 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. THE WATCH AREA WILL LIKELY BE UPGRADED TO A HURRICANE WARNING
LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT
HURRICANE CONDITIONS...WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER...ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 800 PM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 22.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 500 MILE EAST
SOUTHEAST OF OCEAN REEF ON KEY LARGO AND 575 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF
KEY WEST. THE TROPICAL STORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 9
MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST NORTHWEST OR WEST IS EXPECTED
TONIGHT OR MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT
24 HOURS...AND RITA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE BY LATE
MONDAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 1005 MB...OR 29.68 INCHES
OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CENTER WILL BE FULLY
ACTIVATED ON MONDAY AT 700 AM. A MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR VISITORS
AND NON-RESIDENTS IS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS. RECREATIONAL
VEHICLES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ISLAND CHAIN MUST LEAVE. RESIDENTS IN
MOBILE HOMES AND IN LOW-LYING AREAS SHOULD PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE
EVACUATION. RESIDENTS SHOULD INSTALL HURRICANE SHUTTERS
IMMEDIATELY...AND SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS WHICH MAY BECOME DANGEROUS
PROJECTILES. CITY OFFICES...COUNTY PARKS AND STATE PARKS ARE CLOSED.
COUNTY OFFICES WILL CLOSE AT NOON MONDAY. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL
BE CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY. AS OF THIS TIME...HOSPITALS WILL
REMAIN OPEN. TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD ARE SUSPENDED. KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AND MARATHON AIRPORTS SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL THROUGH
MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DIRECTOR
REPORTED AIRLINES STILL HAVE SEATS AVAILABLE.

...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 TO NEAR 20 FEET ON TUESDAY. IF YOU PLAN TO EVACUATE
YOUR BOAT AND REQUIRE THE BRIDGE TO OPEN ON JEWFISH CREEK OR SNAKE
CREEK...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 IN
THE LOWER KEYS AND 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS. THIS IS
IN AGREEMENT 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 WHALE 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 1130
PM TONIGHT...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
REMEMBER TO VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

CB/AF/SD/AD/MS


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