[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 201319 AAA
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-201530-

HURRICANE RITA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
920 AM EDT TUE SEP 20 2005

...HURRICANE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED.
RAINFALL 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. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE
FLORIDA KEYS FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT. A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLE FLOODING. A
TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS. A TORNADO WATCH
MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES IN AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 915 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 23.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.4 WEST...OR ABOUT 60 MILES
EAST-SOUTHEAST OF MARATHON...AND ABOUT 90 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF
KEY WEST. HURRICANE RITA IS MOVING WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THE
FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF RITA WILL BE PASSING NEAR THE LOWER
FLORIDA KEYS BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE
NEAR 75 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS
985 MB...OR 29.09 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL STORM PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETE AND FURTHER EVACUATIONS
ARE NOT ADVISABLE DUE TO HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS. RESIDENTS AND
VISITORS WHO HAVE REMAINED IN THE KEYS SHOULD STAY IN PLACE OR SEEK
SHELTER AT THE FOLLOWING REFUGES OF LAST RESORT...IN KEY WEST...
HARVEY GOVERNMENT CENTER...1200 TRUMAN AVENUE. CROWN PLAZA LA
CONCHA...403 DUVAL STREET. WYNDAM CASA MARINA RESORT...1500 REYNOLDS
STREET. ON DUCK KEY...HAWKS CAY RESORT...MILE MARKER 61. IN
ISLAMORADA...ISLAMORADA LIBRARY...MILE MARKER 81.5. ISLAND CHRISTIAN
SCHOOL...MILE MARKER 83.4. ON PLANTATION KEY...ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL
CHURCH. IN TAVERNIER...TAVERNIER HEALTH DEPARTMENT...148 GEORGIA
AVENUE IN KEY LARGO...WESTIN BEACH RESORT...MILE MARKER 98. MARRIOT
KEY LARGO BAY BEACH RESORT...MILE MARKER 103.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TOTAL STORM TIDES OF 4 TO 7 FEET ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON...
MAINLY ALONG SOUTH-FACING SHORES...WITH THE HIGHEST STORM TIDES IN
THE LOWER KEYS. THIS WILL INUNDATE SOME ROADS AND LOW SECTIONS OF
THE OVERSEAS HIGHWAY. HIGH TIDES AT WHALE HARBOR CHANNEL ARE AT 1118
AM AND 1129 PM TODAY. HIGH TIDES AT KEY WEST HARBOR ARE AT 230 PM
TODAY...1208 AM EARLY WEDNESDAY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
AT 915 AM...SPIRAL RAINBANDS ARE OVERSPREADING THE FLORIDA KEYS.
NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED NEAR 30 MPH OVER THE LOWER KEYS.
SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH ARE IMMINENT IN
THE LOWER KEYS. SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH
HAVE ALREADY OVERSPREAD THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS. RESIDENTS OF THE
FLORIDA KEYS MAY RECEIVE SOME ROOF DAMAGE TO HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
SOME TREES AND POWER POLES MAY BE TOPPLED AS WELL. MOBILE HOMES ARE
NOT SAFE. POWER OUTAGES WILL BE LIKELY IN MANY ISLAND COMMUNITIES BY
LATER THIS MORNING.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
DAMAGE TO PIERS AND DOCKS IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...AND
MARINAS MAY BE FLOODED. SMALL CRAFT IN UNPROTECTED ANCHORAGES WILL
BE TORN FROM MOORINGS. SEAS WILL BUILD TO 15 TO 20 FEET BEYOND THE
REEF TODAY...WITH SEAS OF 25 TO 30 FEET NEAR THE CENTER OF TROPICAL
STORM RITA.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS. ISOLATED
TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SPIRAL RAINBANDS MOVING THROUGH THE
FLORIDA KEYS TODAY AND TONIGHT.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS FOR TODAY AND
TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM 6 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. RAIN WATER IS LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE
AND ENTER SOME HOMES...AND MANY STREETS WILL BE IMPASSABLE FROM
WATER AND DEBRIS.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
THE PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IS 16 PERCENT AT MARATHON
AND 34 PERCENT AT KEY WEST.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE IMPACTS OF TROPICAL STORM
RITA ON THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED AT ABOUT 1130 AM EDT...OR
SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION YOU MAY VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST WEB
SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$
BS

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