[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 280330
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-280930-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1100 PM EDT SUN AUG 27 2006

...HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...MANDATORY EVACUATION OF VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS...

...NEW INFORMATION...
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWARD SLOWLY AND
DECREASE IN INTENSITY.  AT 1100 PM IT WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.6
NORTH...LONGITUDE 74.7 WEST...AND HAD MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR
50 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

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

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE FLORIDA KEYS AND
SURROUNDING WATERS INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1100 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 18.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 74.7 WEST...ABOUT 615 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST. TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH. THIS GENERAL MOTION WAS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER WILL MOVE AWAY FROM
HAITI TONIGHT...AND BE NEAR THE SOUTHERN COAST OF EASTERN CUBA
MONDAY MORNING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 50 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. ERNESTO COULD REGAIN HURRICANE STATUS BEFORE IT
REACHES EASTERN CUBA TOMORROW MORNING. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE
WAS ESTIMATED AT 1004 MB...OR 29.65 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WILL BE ACTIVATED AT 600 AM MONDAY.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL
VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS. TRAVEL TRAILERS AND RECREATIONAL
VEHICLES SHOULD LEAVE THE KEYS IMMEDIATELY. THE EVACUATION OF
SPECIAL-NEEDS RESIDENTS IS TO BEGIN AT 600 AM MONDAY. AT 1000 AM THE
EVACUATION OF ALL MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS WILL GO IN EFFECT. THE
18-MILE STRETCH IS CLOSED TONIGHT FOR PREPARATION...AND WILL OPEN AT
600 AM MONDAY. MEANWHILE TRAFFIC IS DIRECTED TO CARD SOUND
ROAD...WHERE TOLLS HAVE BEEN LIFTED. THE SHELTER AT F-I-U WILL OPEN
AT 1000 AM MONDAY. JUST FOLLOW THE SIGNS. KEY WEST AIRPORT WILL
CONTINUE OPERATIONS THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. ALL COUNTY AND STATE PARKS
ARE CLOSED.

...WINDS...
WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY REACH THE KEYS MIDDAY
TUESDAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS MAY FOLLOW LATE TUESDAY NIGHT.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
WE ESTIMATE THE PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN KEY
WEST AT 58 PERCENT...AND 60 PERCENT IN MARATHON. THE PROBABILITY OF
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IN KEY WEST IS 12 PERCENT...AND 13 PERCENT IN
MARATHON.

...MARINE...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT STARTING LATE MONDAY. EAST WINDS
OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS TONIGHT...GRADUALLY WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST
AND INCREASE TO NEAR 15 KNOTS MONDAY EVENING. WINDS AND SEAS WILL
INCREASE OVERNIGHT MONDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY REACH THE
STRAITS TUESDAY MORNING. CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE TUESDAY AND
TUESDAY NIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
WE WILL ISSUE OUR NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT AROUND 530 AM...OR
SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. REMEMBER TO VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

DFM/MR/AG

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