[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBRO 220302
HLSBRO
TXZ250-251-253>257-220600-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1000 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

...CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE RITA STRENGTHENS OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF
MEXICO...
...NOW THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN ON
RECORD...
...HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO
BROWNSVILLE...
...INLAND HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT FOR BROOKS AND KENEDY COUNTIES...
...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL AND INLAND
CAMERON AND WILLACY COUNTIES AND HIDALGO COUNTY...

...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 10 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 10 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.6
NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.2 WEST OR ABOUT 630 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF
PORT ISABEL TEXAS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 897 MILLIBARS
MAKING HURRICANE RITA THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN ATLANTIC
BASIN HISTORY. RITA WILL MOVE WEST INTO THE 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 10 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 10 PM CDT...MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WITH RITA ARE 175 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. AN INCREASE IN WIND SPEED IS STILL POSSIBLE THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING. 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 1
AM CDT THURSDAY.

$$

JP/JT



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