[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KFWD 240635 AAA
HLSFWD
TXZ135-146>148-161-162-175-241600-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
130 AM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005

...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EXTREME
   SOUTHEAST SECTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS...

...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF
   NORTH TEXAS...

...THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF ANDERSON...FREESTONE...
HENDERSON...LEON...LIMESTONE...NAVARRO AND ROBERTSON COUNTIES...

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ANDERSON AND LEON
COUNTIES SATURDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FREESTONE...
HENDERSON...LIMESTONE...NAVARRO AND ROBERTSON COUNTIES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY FOR
ANDERSON...FREESTONE...HENDERSON...LEON...LIMESTONE...NAVARRO AND
ROBERTSON COUNTIES.

...STORM INFORMATION...

AT MIDNIGHT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 29.2 NORTH... LONGITUDE 93.5 WEST OR ABOUT 40
MILES...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF SABINE PASS ALONG THE GULF COAST AT THE
TEXAS/LOUISIANA BORDER.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 11 MPH. THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL LANDFALL.  A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED ON SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 120 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  RITA IS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED PRIOR
TO LANDFALL.


...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
DUE TO THE WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED...LIGHT-WEIGHT OBJECTS SUCH AS
TRASH CANS AND LAWN CHAIRS SHOULD BE SECURED.  POWER OUTAGES MAY BE
POSSIBLE...SO HAVE FLASHLIGHTS...BATTERIES...A FULL TANK OF
GAS...CASH...BOTTLED WATER AND NON-PERISHABLE FOODS ON HAND JUST IN
CASE.

MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS IF ASKED TO EVACUATE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WARNING AREA AND
BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH ACROSS THE INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH AREA.
WIND GUSTS WILL BE HIGHER IN AND NEAR ANY THUNDERSTORMS AND MAY BE
STRONG ENOUGH TO RESULT IN DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES...ALONG WITH
POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO LIGHT-WEIGHT STRUCTURES SUCH AS MOBILE
HOMES...SHEDS...OPEN CAR PORTS...AND OUT-BUILDINGS.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE
ACROSS THE FLOOD WATCH AREA SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT...THE TORNADO
THREAT WILL LIKELY BE CONFINED TO EAST TEXAS...EAST OF WHERE THE
CENTER OF RITA TRACKS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED BY 6 AM...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS
WARRANT.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ADVISES RESIDENTS IN THE AFFECTED AREA
TO CONTINUE MONITORING NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND THE MEDIA FOR UPDATES
ON HURRICANE RITA.

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