[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 280657
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-280930-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
230 AM EDT MON AUG 28 2006

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

...NEW INFORMATION...
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO IS MOVING NORTHWEST NEAR 9 PM TOWARD THE
SOUTHERN COAST OF EASTERN CUBA. AT 200 AM...THE CENTER OF ERNESTO
WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 75.0 WEST...OR
ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF GUANTANAMO, CUBA...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 200 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 19.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 75.0 WEST...ABOUT 580 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST. TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. THIS GENERAL MOTION WITH AN INCREASE IN
FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK THE
CENTER WILL BE VERY NEAR THE SOUTHERN COAST OF EASTERN CUBA LATER
THIS MORNING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 50 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. ERNESTO COULD REGAIN HURRICANE STATUS AS IT APPROACHES
SOUTHEASTERN CUBA. 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 WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO 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...
THE PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN KEY WEST AT 58
PERCENT...AND 61 PERCENT AT MARATHON. THE PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS AT KEY WEST IS 12 PERCENT...AND AT MARATHON IT IS
13 PERCENT.

...MARINE...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT STARTING MONDAY NIGHT. EAST WINDS
OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS MONDAY...GRADUALLY WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST
AND 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 TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT AROUND 530
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. REMEMBER TO
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

CB






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