[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KLIX 212156
HLSLIX
LAZ056-059-065>068-220330-

HURRICANE RITA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
500 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

...HURRICANE RITA STRENGTHENS TO A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE OVER GULF OF
MEXICO...

...TROPICAL STORM WATCH ISSUED FOR COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...THE FOLLOWING PARISHES

ASSUMPTION...LAFOURCHE...TERREBONNE...LOWER JEFFERSON

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREA FROM GRAND
ISLE TO CAMERON.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
WITH WINDS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER...MAY OCCUR INTO THE WATCH AREA
WITHIN 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 400 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.8 WEST...OR ABOUT 360 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
HURRICANE RITA IS A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES ARE NEAR NORMAL ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. AS HURRICANE
RITE MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE MIDDLE GULF...WINDS WILL SHIFT
TO THE SOUTHEAST AND TIDES WILL INCREASE ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST.
TIDES OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL MAY OCCUR IN WATCH AREA THURSDAY
NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. IN ADDITION LARGE WAVES WILL ALSO AFFECT THE
IMMEDIATE COASTAL AREA. FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADWAYS AND AREAS NEAR
BAYOUS MAY DEVELOP AS THE TIDES INCREASE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
RITA IS A DEVELOPING INTO A LARGE HURRICANE WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES FROM THE CENTER. AS HURRICANE
RITA MOVES ACROSS THE MIDDLE AND NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO...TROPICAL
STORM WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH MAY REACH THE COASTAL AREA FROM
GRAND ISLE WESTWARD ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY NIGHT.

...RAINFALL...
SHOWERS WILL BECOME SCATTERED ACROSS THE AREA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH LOCALIZED
HEAVY RAINFALL DEVELOPING.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1030 PM CDT.

$$

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