[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 211453
HLSEYW
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-211700-

HURRICANE RITA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1100 AM EDT WED SEP 21 2005

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING DISCONTINUED FROM THE MARQUESAS KEYS
WESTWARD THROUGH THE DRY TORTUGAS...
...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
WATCHES AND WARNINGS UPDATED.
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS UPDATED.
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED.
MARINE 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...
ALL WATCHES AND WARNINGS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 195 MILES WEST
OF THE DRY TORTUGAS...AND ABOUT 260 MILES WEST OF KEY WEST.
HURRICANE RITA IS MOVING WEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION
IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS ARE NEAR 140 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ESTIMATED MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 944 MB...OR 27.88 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ALLOWED RESIDENTS OF THE
FLORIDA KEYS TO RETURN AS OF 700 AM TODAY. TOURISTS WILL BE ALLOWED
TO RETURN STARTING AT 700 AM FRIDAY. LOWER KEYS MEDICAL CENTER WILL
REOPEN AT NOON TODAY. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND MARATHON
AIRPORT REMAIN CLOSED TODAY. BOTH AIRPORTS MAY BE OPEN AS EARLY AS
THURSDAY. THE PORT OF KEY WEST IS CLOSED. OFFICIALS ARE
EVALUATING THE PORT OF KEY WEST...AND WILL KNOW ITS STATUS LATER
TODAY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
FROM THE MARQUESAS KEYS TO THE DRY TORTUGAS...SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 30
TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH IN SQUALLS ARE EXPECTED TODAY.
FROM THE MARQUESAS KEYS TO OCEAN REEF...SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 30
MPH...WITH GUSTS NEAR 35 MPH...WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE TODAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. SEAS
BEYOND THE REEF AND ON THE GULF OF MEXICO WILL LIKELY RANGE FROM 6
TO 10 FEET MOST OF TODAY.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAIN AND SQUALLS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE WATERS FROM THE
MARQUESAS KEYS TO THE DRY TORTUGAS. HOWEVER...ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE ISLAND CHAIN FROM
OCEAN REEF TO KEY WEST. THE SIGNIFICANT HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT HAS
ENDED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS THE LAST HURRICANE RITA LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN KEY WEST.

$$
BS

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