[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KMFL 200939
HLSMFL
AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-GMZ656-657-676-201500-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
539 AM EDT TUE SEP 20 2005

...SPIRAL BANDS ROTATING ONSHORE MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR PERSONS IN MIAMI-DADE...MAINLAND
MONROE...BROWARD...COLLIER...PALM BEACH...HENDRY...AND GLADES COUNTIES IN SOUTH
FLORIDA.

...NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED TORNADO INFORMATION
UPDATED PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION
UPDATED WATCHES AND WARNINGS
UPDATED WIND EFFECTS

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 803 IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA UNTIL 5 PM
EDT.

FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MIAMI-DADE...BROWARD AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES
UNTIL 6 PM EDT.

MIAMI-DADE AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES...HURRICANE/INLAND HURRICANE WARNING.

BROWARD...PALM BEACH AND COLLIER COUNTIES...TROPICAL STORM/INLAND TROPICAL STORM
WARNING.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE...TROPICAL STORM WARNING.

GLADES AND HENDRY COUNTIES...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.7
NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.5 WEST OR ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF MIAMI. RITA IS
MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. THE WIND FIELD WITH TROPICAL STORM RITA HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT
SMALLER OVERNIGHT BUT RITA IS STILL EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE TODAY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED IN MIAMI-DADE...
BROWARD AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES AS SPIRAL BANDS ARE ALREADY ROTATING ONSHORE
WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN GUSTS. SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED IN MIAMI-DADE AND
BROWARD COUNTIES. TRAVEL IS DISCOURAGED. THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS TO FIND A
SAFE PLACE AND STAY PUT UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE LATE TODAY.

COLLIER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE RECOMMENDED VOLUNTARY
EVACUATION FOR MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS IN EVERGLADES CITY...GOODLAND AND
CHOKOLOSKEE.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES ARE STILL RUNNING ABOUT A FOOT ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE SOUTHEAST
ATLANTIC COAST DUE TO BOTH AN ONSHORE WIND AND THE NORMAL SPRING TIDES
ASSOCIATED WITH THE FULL MOON. THE MAXIMUM STORM TIDE CAUSED BY TROPICAL
STORM RITA IS EXPECTED TO BE FROM 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. IT WILL
OCCUR AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE LATE THIS MORNING...GENERALLY FROM 10 TO 11
AM EDT. HOWEVER...THESE STORM TIDES COULD PERSIST INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS
AS THE STRONG ONSHORE FLOW PERSISTS. THIS STORM TIDE WILL LIKELY AFFECT PARTS OF
BISCAYNE BAY AND ELLIOTT KEY INCLUDING COASTAL NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND COCONUT
GROVE...VIRGINIA KEY...KEY BISCAYNE AND MIAMI BEACH. SOME LOW LYING COASTAL
ACCESS ROADS WILL BE FLOODED. LOW LYING BUILDINGS CLOSE TO THE COAST MAY BE
FLOODED AS WELL. STORM TIDE HEIGHTS OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL ARE
LIKELY OVER THE REST OF COASTAL MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTIES. ON TOP OF THIS
STORM TIDE...LARGE BATTERING WAVES CAUSING EXTENSIVE BEACH EROSION ARE ALSO
EXPECTED. BARRIER ISLANDS LIKE ELLIOTT KEY AND OTHER ISLANDS OF BISCAYNE
NATIONAL PARK CAN EXPECT FLOODING THIS MORNING LASTING INTO THE EARLY
AFTERNOON.

FOR THE GULF COAST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...THE OFFSHORE WIND FLOW TODAY WILL
ACTUALLY BLOW WATER AWAY FROM THE COAST RESULTING IN MUCH LOWER THAN NORMAL
WATER LEVELS ESPECIALLY AT TIMES OF LOW TIDE. THE MAXIMUM STORM TIDE WOULD NOT
OCCUR UNTIL RITA MOVES INTO THE SOUTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO AND THE WIND BECOMES
MORE ONSHORE BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT AND LASTING INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.
MAXIMUM STORM TIDE COULD BE FROM 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL AROUND THE
HIGH TIDE NEAR 3 AM EDT WEDNESDAY.

ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE...PERSISTENT EASTERLY WIND FLOW WILL PUSH WATER LEVELS ONE
TO TWO FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE WESTERN SHORE FROM SOUTH BAY TO CLEWISTON
AND MOORE HAVEN TO THE MOUTH OF FISHEATING CREEK AND LAKEPORT. ONLY MINOR
FLOODING IS EXPECTED OUTSIDE HOOVER DIKE PROTECTION.

...WIND IMPACTS...
A SPIRAL BAND MOVED THROUGH THE METRO ATLANTIC COASTAL COUNTIES AROUND 430 AM
EDT AND PRODUCED WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 54 MPH AT POMPANO BEACH. SIMILAR WIND
GUSTS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS THE SPIRAL BANDS CONTINUE TO
ROTATE ONSHORE. FOR METRO PALM BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTIES...TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WIND GUSTS OF 39 TO 58 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE SPIRAL BANDS. IN MIAMI-
DADE AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF TAMIAMI
TRAIL...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE MORNING
HOURS LASTING UNTIL MID TO LATE AFTERNOON WHEN CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO
IMPROVE.

FOR COLLIER COUNTY...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS OF 39 TO 58 MPH CAN BE
EXPECTED IN THE SPIRAL BANDS WHICH WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE METRO MARCO
ISLAND AND NAPLES AREAS EARLY THIS MORNING. THE SPIRAL BANDS WILL CONTINUE
INTERMITTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH CONDITIONS FINALLY IMPROVING TONIGHT.

FOR THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION...OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE CAN BE
EXPECTED WITH INTERMITTENT SPIRAL BANDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. CONDITIONS WILL BE
IMPROVING THIS EVENING.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO BLOW DOWN TREES AND LARGE
TREE LIMBS WHICH WILL CAUSE SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. PERSONS ENCOUNTERING
DOWNED POWER LINES SHOULD MOVE QUICKLY AWAY FROM THEM AND REPORT THEM TO FLORIDA
POWER AND LIGHT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WHEN COMING TO AN INTERSECTION WITH NO
TRAFFIC SIGNALS DUE TO POWER OUTAGE...USE FOUR WAY STOP RULES. TRAVEL IS
DISCOURAGED TODAY.

WHEN USING PORTABLE GENERATORS...REMEMBER TO PLACE GENERATORS IN A WELL
VENTILATED PLACE AWAY FROM PEOPLE TO AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. CARBON
MONOXIDE IS ODORLESS AND COLORLESS AND KILLS SILENTLY.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
THE MAXIMUM PROBABILITY OF WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH RANGE FROM AROUND 70
PERCENT IN HOMESTEAD...44 PERCENT IN MIAMI...29 PERCENT IN FORT LAUDERDALE AND
14 PERCENT IN WEST PALM BEACH.

ON THE GULF COAST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA...THE MAXIMUM PROBABILITY OF
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH IS AROUND 70 PERCENT IN EVERGLADES NATIONAL
PARK...59 PERCENT IN MARCO ISLAND AND AROUND 40 PERCENT IN NAPLES. THE MAXIMUM
PROBABILITY OF WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH IS AROUND 25 PERCENT IN EVERGLADES
NATIONAL PARK...8 PERCENT IN MARCO ISLAND...AND 5 PERCENT IN NAPLES.

...LOCAL MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS ARE ALREADY 25 TO 30 KNOTS WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTHEAST FLORIDA. IN THE SPIRAL BANDS...WIND
GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 KNOTS CAN BE EXPECTED ESPECIALLY IN THE MIAMI-DADE
COASTAL WATERS. ALL MARINE CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN SECURE PORT THROUGH TODAY
UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE LATE TONIGHT.

IN THE GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO BONITA BEACH...
WINDS ARE ALREADY 15 TO 25 KNOTS WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS. WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO 35 TO 45 KNOTS BY THE EARLY AFTERNOON WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60
KNOTS POSSIBLE PARTICULARLY OFFSHORE. ALL MARINE CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN SECURE
PORT THROUGH TODAY AND TONIGHT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE WEDNESDAY.

SURF ALONG THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OCEAN BEACHES WILL BE VERY ROUGH TODAY
AND TONIGHT. DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND PEOPLE ARE URGED TO
STAY AWAY FROM THE WATER UNTIL THE WEATHER IMPROVES.

ACROSS LAKE OKEECHOBEE...WINDS ARE ALREADY 15 KNOTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS
TO 25 KNOTS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS MORNING TO 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH
OCCASIONAL GUSTS ABOVE 40 KNOTS POSSIBLE IN THE SPIRAL BANDS. CONDITIONS WILL
BEGIN TO IMPROVE ACROSS LAKE OKEECHOBEE THIS EVENING.

...LOCAL FLOOD IMPACTS...
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE
POSSIBLE...MAINLY IN MIAMI-DADE...BROWARD AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES TODAY AND
A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. ONSHORE FLOW ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST WILL
HINDER DRAINAGE FROM LOCAL CANALS AND COULD AGGRAVATE THE FLOODING PROBLEM AS
HEAVY RAINS OCCUR. ELSEWHERE ACROSS MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA RAINFALL SHOULD
AVERAGE 1 TO 3 INCHES.

...LOCAL TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS A CHANCE OF QUICK STRIKING TORNADOES IN THE SPIRAL BANDS OF
RITA AND A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. THE GREATEST RISK OF TORNADOES WILL BE
THIS AFTERNOON AS RITA CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST INTO THE SOUTHEAST GULF OF
MEXICO.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 830 AM EDT. FOR A GRAPHICAL
DEPICTION OF THIS STATEMENT PLEASE VISIT THE MIAMI WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE WEB
SITE AT WWW.MIAMIWEATHER.INFO OR EN ESPANOL AT WWW.ELTIEMPOENMIAMI.INFO.

$$

PFOST

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