[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KCRP 240945
HLSCRP
GMZ235-255-275-TXZ234-244>247-241300-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
445 AM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005


...RITA MAKES LANDFALL IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

...THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF ARANSAS...CALHOUN...
REFUGIO...SAN PATRICIO AND VICTORIA COUNTIES...


...WATCHES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FROM PORT OCONNOR TO PORT ARANSAS HAS
BEEN CANCELLED.

THE INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR CALHOUN AND VICTORIA COUNTIES
HAS BEEN CANCELLED.


...STORM INFORMATION...

AT 4 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 29.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 93.9 WEST...OR NEAR PORT ARTHUR
TEXAS.  RITA CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 120 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA
REMAINS A STRONG CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE.


...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BEACHES ALONG THE BARRIER ISLANDS...INCLUDING PORT ARANSAS AND THE
PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE...REMAIN CLOSED.


...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...

SWELLS FROM HURRICANE RITA CONTINUE OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS WITH
SEAS OF 13 TO 17 FEET OCCURRING 20 TO 60 NAUTICAL MILES OFFSHORE FROM
BAFFIN BAY TO PORT O'CONNOR. SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK AROUND 17
FEET DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

TIDE LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL
ALONG THE MIDDLE TEXAS COAST...FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT O'CONNOR.
WATER REMAINS UP TO THE DUNES IN MANY LOCATIONS ON THE BARRIER
ISLANDS...INCLUDING PORT ARANSAS. ALSO...WATER HAS BEEN REPORTED INTO
THE DITCHES ON OCEAN DRIVE IN MAGNOLIA BEACH.

FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADS IN CALHOUN COUNTY FROM PORT LAVACA TO
MAGNOLIA TO INDIANOLA TO PORT OCONNOR WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
MORNING.

WINDS AND SEAS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH SATURDAY AFTERNOON...AND
TIDE LEVELS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE. HOWEVER...WATER LEVELS WILL
CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

IN ADDITION...LARGE BREAKING WAVES WILL PRODUCE VERY ROUGH SURF AND A
GREATER RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG AREA BEACHES. SWIMMING
OR SURFING IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.

A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT OCONNOR TO BAFFIN BAY
UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING.


THIS IS THE LAST HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN CORPUS CHRISTI CONCERNING HURRICANE RITA.

$$

DUNN

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