[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 271711
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-271830-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
110 PM EDT SUN AUG 27 2006

...MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS BEGINNING
   100 PM TODAY...
...NO HURRICANE WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY...
INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
THERE ARE NO HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN
EFFECT FOR ANY PORTION OF THE KEYS AT THIS TIME...SINCE TROPICAL
STORM AND HURRICANE WATCHES ARE ISSUED WHEN TROPICAL STORM OR
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE ERNESTO WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 17.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 73.7 WEST...OR ABOUT 690 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST. HURRICANE ERNESTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75
MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ERNESTO IS A CATEGORY ONE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST TODAY AND
TONIGHT...AND ERNESTO COULD BECOME A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE BEFORE IT
REACHES THE COAST OF CUBA. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE
WAS ESTIMATED AT 997 MB...OR 29.44 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A MANDATORY
EVACUATION OF ALL VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS
BEGINNING AT 100 PM THIS AFTERNOON. A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS
BEEN DECLARED BY MONROE COUNTY AT NOON TODAY. THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER WILL BE ACTIVATED AT LEVEL ONE AT 600 AM MONDAY.
ALL COUNTY AND STATE PARKS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLOSE THIS AFTERNOON.
AT 600 AM MONDAY...AN EVACUATION FOR ALL SPECIAL NEEDS RESIDENTS
WILL GO IN EFFECT. AT 1000 AM MONDAY...AN EVACUATION FOR ALL MOBILE
HOME RESIDENTS WILL GO IN EFFECT. TOLLS ARE BEING LIFTED ON CARD
SOUND ROAD THIS AFTERNOON. THE MONROE COUNTY SHELTERS WILL OPEN AT
1000 AM MONDAY.

...WINDS...
WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE
KEYS POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS TUESDAY MORNING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE ERNESTO LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 230 PM EDT.

$$

LK/APA/KBK




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