[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 190601
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-190930-

TROPICAL STORM RITA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
200 AM EDT MON SEP 19 2005

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

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.
RAINFALL IMPACTS UPDATED.
MARINE IMPACTS UPDATED.
STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS UPDATED.

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

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS AND
ADJOINING WATERS...FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE DRY TORTUGAS...INCLUDING
FLORIDA BAY. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER AND STORM SURGE FLOODING...ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. FOR THOSE TRAVELING NORTH TO THE SOUTH
FLORIDA MAINLAND...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH
REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM DEERFIELD BEACH SOUTHWARD TO FLORIDA CITY AND
CONTINUING WESTWARD TO EAST CAPE SABLE.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 200 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 23.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 73.7 WEST...OR ABOUT 480 MILES EAST
OF MARATHON...AND ABOUT 520 MILES EAST OF KEY WEST. TROPICAL STORM
RITA WAS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH. A GENERAL
WEST-NORTHWEST TO WESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND
TROPICAL STORM RITA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE LATER
TODAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 1002 MB...OR 29.59 INCHES OF
MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CENTER WILL BE FULLY
ACTIVATED TODAY 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 TODAY. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL
BE CLOSED TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY. AS OF THIS TIME...HOSPITALS WILL
REMAIN OPEN. TOLLS ON CARD SOUND ROAD ARE SUSPENDED. KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AND FLORIDA KEYS 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 TODAY. TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH MAY BEGIN TONIGHT. 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 REMAIN IN PORT. NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO
20 TO 25 KNOTS BY THIS AFTERNOON...WITH SEAS BUILDING UP TO 8 FEET
BEYOND THE REEF...AND HIGHER IN THE GULF STREAM. BY TUESDAY...SEAS
WILL BUILD TO 15 TO 20 FEET BEYOND THE REEF...WITH SEAS OF 25 TO 30
FEET NEAR THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA. 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 POSSIBLE. THE BRIDGES
MAY BE LOCKED DOWN TO MARINE TRAFFIC LATER TODAY. 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...
A STORM SURGE OF 6 TO 8 FEET IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY IN THE LOWER
KEYS...AND A STORM SURGE OF 3 TO 6 FEET IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY IN THE
MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS. WATER LEVELS WILL LIKELY BEGIN RISING MONDAY
NIGHT. THESE STORM SURGE ESTIMATES ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH
OBSERVATIONS FROM PREVIOUS STORMS OF SIMILAR STRENGTH ON A SIMILAR
TRACK. ASTRONOMICAL TIDES HAVE BEEN ABOUT 1 FOOT ABOVE NORMAL IN
RECENT DAYS DUE TO THE FULL MOON. THEREFORE...A STORM TIDE OF 7 TO 9
FEET IS POSSIBLE SHOULD STORM PASSAGE COINCIDE WITH THE TIME OF HIGH
TIDE. HIGH TIDES AT WHALE HARBOR CHANNEL ARE AT 1031 AM AND 1045 PM
TODAY...AND TUESDAY AT 1118 AM AND 1129 PM. HIGH TIDES AT KEY WEST
HARBOR ARE AT 1141 AM AND 1134 PM TODAY...AND AT 230 PM ON
TUESDAY...AND FINALLY 1208 AM EARLY WEDNESDAY.

REMEMBER...THE TOTAL STORM TIDE EQUALS THE STORM SURGE PLUS THE
ASTRONOMICAL TIDE.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH ISOLATED
AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF TROPICAL STORM
RITA. FLOOD WATCHES WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS LATER THIS
MORNING.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON TROPICAL STORM RITA WILL BE AVAILABLE AT 530 AM
EDT...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. REMEMBER TO
VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

K. KASPER




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