[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBRO 230603
HLSBRO
TXZ251-254>257-230900-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
105 AM CDT FRI SEP 23 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE RITA CONTINUES
WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND UPPER TEXAS
COASTS...
...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 1 AM 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 1 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.4
NORTH...LONGITUDE 90.6 WEST OR ABOUT 325 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
GALVESTON TEXAS AND 425 MILES EAST OF PORT ISABEL. THE MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 921 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 1 AM 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. WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HIGH TIDE
ALONG SOUTH PADRE ISLAND BEACHES...AND THE COMBINATION OF HIGH TIDE
AT 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 1 AM CDT...MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WITH RITA ARE 140 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. WINDS NEAR TROPICAL STORM FORCE MAY BRUSH THE LOWER
TEXAS COAST TODAY.

...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 4
AM CDT.

$$

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