[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KLCH 242111
HLSLCH
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-250100-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
410 PM 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 TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR EXTREME EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 4 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 32.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 94.0 WEST OR ABOUT 25 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 12 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE
NORTHEAST AND EAST WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED
DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  RITA IS
EXPECTED TO BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION DURING THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR
SO.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES TO THE
SOUTH OF THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 980 MB...28.94 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 TONIGHT...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 TONIGHT...BUT REMAIN 5 TO 8 FEET ABOVE
NORMAL.

CALCASIEU PARISH...SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS OCCURRING ALONG THE
LAKE CHARLES LAKEFRONT. LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT 4 TO 6 FEET OF WATER AT
THE LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER. 6 FOOT STORM SURGE IS REPORTED ON
CONTRABAND BAYOU WITH WATER INTO THE SECOND FLOOR OF INN ON THE
BAYOU. STORM SURGE WILL SLOWLY DECREASE LATER TONIGHT...HOWEVER
REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL.

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

IBERIA PARISH...MEDIA REPORTS SUGGEST WATER OF AT LEAST 4 TO 5 FEET
DEEP OVER THE PARISH SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 14 AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90.
RELIABLE MEDIA REPORTS ARE ESTIMATING A STORM SURGE OF BETTER THAN
10 FEET IN IBERIA PARISH AND ROOF TOP RESCUES ARE OCCURRING AT SOME
LOCATIONS.  STORM SURGE WILL SLOWLY DECREASE LATER TONIGHT.

ST. MARY PARISH...LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORT DEEP WATER NEAR BURNS POINT
AND CYPREMORT POINT IS FLOODED.  FLOODING IS ALSO REPORTED IN THE
MORGAN CITY AREA. STORM SURGE WILL SLOWLY DECREASE LATER TONIGHT.

NEXT HIGH TIDES AT:

SABINE PASS:
SUNDAY     HIGH/2:05 AM

CALCASIEU PASS:
SUNDAY     HIGH/11:45 PM

SOUTHWEST PASS:
SUNDAY     HIGH/2:33 AM

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...
WINDS CONTINUE TO GUST ABOVE TROPICAL STORM FORCE ACROSS THE
AREA. EXPECT SUSTAINED 25 TO 35 MPH WINDS TONIGHT WITH GUSTS
TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN AND NEAR RAINBANDS THAT
CONTINUE TO STREAM INLAND. EXPECT WIND SPEEDS TO SLOWLY
SUBSIDE LATE TONIGHT.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
BANDS OF PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE MOVING INLAND FROM THE GULF
THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM CAMERON TO
LAKE CHARLES TO FORT POLK SOUTH. ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN ARE
POSSIBLE IN THE BANDS OF TRAINING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH
MID EVENING.

...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 8 PM
CDT.

$$
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