[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBRO 230014
HLSBRO
TXZ251-254>257-230300-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
705 PM CDT THU SEP 22 2005

...HURRICANE RITA CONTINUES WEST NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE CENTRAL GULF
OF MEXICO...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT
MANSFIELD...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO
BROWNSVILLE...
...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR KENEDY COUNTY...
...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR WILLACY AND CAMERON
COUNTIES...

...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...AND CAMERON COUNTIES.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
AT 7 PM CDT...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT
MANSFIELD TO BAFFIN BAY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM
PORT MANSFIELD TO BROWNSVILLE TEXAS. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR KENEDY COUNTY. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM
WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR INLAND CAMERON AND WILLACY COUNTIES. AN
INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR KENEDY COUNTY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 7 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.0
NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.9 WEST OR ABOUT 460 MILES EAST OF PORT ISABEL
OR 470 MILES EAST OF BROWNSVILLE. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS
913 MILLIBARS. RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH.
A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS.

...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 7 PM CDT...HEAVY SURF CONDITIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH SWELL ACTION
GENERATED BY RITA HAVE ARRIVED ALONG THE BEACHES OF DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS. COASTAL BEACH FLOODING AND DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS WITH
DEADLY RIP CURRENTS ARE AFFECTING SOUTH PADRE ISLAND AND THE BEACHES
OF CAMERON COUNTY. DO NOT ENTER THE WATER. OBEY ALL WARNINGS POSTED
BY LOCAL OFFICIALS. LOW TIDE CONDITIONS WILL TRANSITION TO HIGH TIDE
BY 10 PM CDT TONIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF PREDICTED HIGH TIDE OF 3
FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL AND INCREASING LONG PERIOD SWELLS FROM
RITA WILL CAUSE SEA WATER TO FLOOD THE BEACHES AND DUNES ON SOUTH
PADRE ISLAND. THE LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER BEING FORCED INTO THE LOWER
TEXAS COAST WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF BEACHES AND BEACH ACCESS ROADS
THROUGH SATURDAY WITH CONSIDERABLE BEACH EROSION TAKING PLACE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
AT 7 PM CDT...MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WITH RITA ARE 145 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. WINDS NEAR TROPICAL STORM FORCE MAY BRUSH THE LOWER
TEXAS COAST FRIDAY.

...OTHER IMPACTS...
THE LIKELIHOOD OF RIP CURRENTS IS VERY HIGH AS HEAVY SURF AND SWELL
ACTION CREATE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ALONG THE BEACHES OF DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE STATEMENT REGARDING RITA WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 10
PM CDT.

$$

PHILO

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