[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBRO 212116 CCA
HLSBRO
TXZ250-251-253>257-220000-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
415 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE RITA MOVING WESTWARD
ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO...

...HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO
BROWNSVILLE...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS ACROSS
DEEP SOUTH TEXAS AND THE LOWER TEXAS COASTLINE WHICH INCLUDES THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES: KENEDY...WILLACY...CAMERON...BROOKS...AND
HIDALGO COUNTIES.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
AT 4 PM CDT...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO
BAFFIN BAY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT MANSFIELD
TO BROWNSVILLE TEXAS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 4 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.4
NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.8 WEST OR ABOUT 685 MILES...EAST SOUTHEAST OF
PORT ISABEL TEXAS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 914 MILLIBARS.
RITA WILL MOVE WEST INTO WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO THROUGH THURSDAY AND
WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE LOWER TEXAS COAST WILL BEGIN TO
DETERIORATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
AT 4 PM CDT...ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES ARE EXPECTED TO BE 3 FEET
ABOVE NORMAL BY THURSDAY NIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF SWELL ACTION
GENERATED BY RITA AND THE ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS WILL INUNDATE
THE BEACHES AND DUNES OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS BY THURSDAY EVENING. THE
LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER BEING FORCED INTO THE LOWER TEXAS COAST WILL
CAUSE FLOODING OF BEACHES AND BEACH ACCESS ROADS BEGINNING THURSDAY
NIGHT. BEACHES AND ACCESS ROADS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FLOODED EVEN
DURING THE LOW TIDE CYCLES INTO THE WEEKEND.

...WIND IMPACTS...
AT 4 PM CDT...MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WITH RITA ARE SUSTAINED AT 165
MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. A STEADY INCREASE IN WIND SPEED IS EXPECTED
THROUGH TONIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE ARE
EXPECTED TO BEGIN IMPACTING THE LOWER TEXAS COAST FRIDAY.

...OTHER IMPACTS...
THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WILL INCREASE TO HIGH BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AS SWELL ACTION AND HEAVY SURF BEGIN TO IMPACT THE LOWER TEXAS
COAST.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE STATEMENT REGARDING RITA WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 7
PM CDT.

$$

KV/AP/JH




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