[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KLCH 241758
HLSLCH
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-242300-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1149 AM CST SAT SEP 24 2005

...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM HIGH ISLAND TEXAS
TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA...

...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL
OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO JEFFERSON...ORANGE...HARDIN...TYLER...
JASPER...AND NEWTON COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...AND FOR
VERNON...RAPIDES...AVOYELLES...BEAUREGARD...ALLEN...EVANGELINE...ST
LANDRY...CALCASIEU...JEFFERSON DAVIS...ACADIA...LAFAYETTE...UPPER ST
MARTIN...CAMERON...VERMILION...IBERIA...ST MARY...AND LOWER ST MARTIN
PARISHES IN LOUISIANA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE COAST FROM HIGH
ISLAND TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR JEFFERSON...
ORANGE...HARDIN...TYLER...JASPER AND NEWTON COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST
TEXAS AND FOR BEAUREGARD...CALCASIEU...CAMERON...VERMILION...
IBERIA...SAINT MARY...LOWER SAINT MARTIN...JEFFERSON
DAVIS...ALLEN...VERNON...RAPIDES...AVOYELLES...EVANGELINE...SAINT
LANDRY...LAFAYETTE...AND UPPER SAINT MARTIN PARISHES IN LOUISIANA. A
FEW GUSTS ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE ARE POSSIBLE IN TYLER...JASPER AND
NEWTON COUNTIES IN TEXAS THROUGH LATE MORNING.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH SUNDAY.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR EXTREME EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 31.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 94.2 WEST...BETWEEN
SHREVEPORT AND LUFKIN TEXAS.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 12 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 65 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES. BEAUMONT
TEXAS REPORTED GUSTS TO 55 MPH DURING THE PAST HOUR AND FORT POLK
LOUISIANA REPORTED A GUST OF 58 MPH.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS  975 MB...28.71 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN IN A STRONG BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
JEFFERSON AND ORANGE COUNTIES...STORM TIDES WILL SLOWLY DECREASE
ALONG THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON...BUT REMAIN 5 TO 8 FEET ABOVE NORMAL.

CAMERON PARISH...LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT 5 FEET OF WATER AND DEBRIS
OVER HIGHWAY 27 NEAR THE GIBBSTOWN BRIDGE. STORM TIDES WILL SLOWLY
DECREASE ALONG THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON...BUT REMAIN 5 TO 8 FEET
ABOVE NORMAL.

CALCASIEU PARISH...LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT 4 TO 6 FEET OF WATER AT
THE LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER. STORM SURGE WILL SLOWLY DECREASE
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

VERMILION PARISH...LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT DEEP WATER FROM DELCAMBRE
TO PERRY...AS WELL AS SOUTH OF KAPLAN. STORM SURGE WILL SLOWLY
DECREASE LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

IBERIA PARISH...LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT DEEP WATER NEAR DELCAMBRE AND
ALONG BAYOUS. THIS WILL SLOWLY FALL THIS AFTERNOON.

ST. MARY PARISH...LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT DEEP WATER NEAR BURNS POINT
AND CYPREMORT POINT ARE FLOODED AND REMAIN SO THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

NORMAL HIGH AND LOW TIDES AT:

SABINE PASS:
SATURDAY     LOW/3:30 PM/0.2 FT

CALCASIEU PASS:
SATURDAY     LOW/2:44 PM/0.3 FT

SOUTHWEST PASS:
SATURDAY     LOW/3:35 PM/0.2 FT

BASED ON THE PROJECTED STORM SURGE VALUES...MODERATE TO MAJOR RIVER
FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG THE LOWER REACHES OF THE
SABINE...NECHES...CALCASIEU AND MERMENTAU RIVERS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS TO 60
MPH FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE THIS
AFTERNOON BUT REMAIN ABOVE TROPICAL STORM FORCE THROUGH MUCH OF THE
AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINBANDS MOVING IN FROM THE GULF THIS AFTERNOON WILL HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE ANOTHER 2 TO 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL. WITH SOME
AREA GROUNDS ALREADY SATURATED...FLOODING REMAINS A RISK. IN
ADDITION...RITA EXPECTED TO EVENTUALLY SLOW DOWN ACROSS NORTHEAST
TEXAS AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA GENERATING VERY HEAVY RAINS OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS...WITH RAINFALL TOTALS OF 10 TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE
ACROSS EASTERN TEXAS...WESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS.
MAXIMUM RAINFALL TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 25 INCHES MAY OCCUR OVER
LOCALIZED AREAS. THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY CAUSE CATASTROPHIC RIVER
FLOODING.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS STILL A THREAT OF TORNADOES ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE
REGION AS RAINBANDS MOVE INLAND.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM RITA WILL BE ISSUED BY 5 PM
CDT.

$$

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