[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 282354
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-290330-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
750 PM EDT MON AUG 28 2006

...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...MANDATORY EVACUATION CONTINUES FOR VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS...

...NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION TO INCLUDE 800 PM EDT ADVISORY
INFORMATION.

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

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA
KEYS...FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE DRY TORTUGAS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING
MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING
AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. IN ADDITION...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR ALL THE FLORIDA KEYS AND SURROUNDING WATERS INCLUDING
FLORIDA BAY. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 800 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 21.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.4 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 320
MILES SOUTHEAST OF KEY LARGO. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS...ERNESTO
HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 11 MPH.  HOWEVER...A
NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TO RESUME LATER TONIGHT...WHICH
WOULD TAKE THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION OFF THE NORTH COAST OF CUBA
INTO THE ATLANTIC DURING THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS WERE NEAR 40 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS
FORECAST AFTER THE CENTER MOVES BACK OVER WATER. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 1007 MB...OR 29.74 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS NOW ACTIVATED.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL
VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS. TRAVEL TRAILERS AND RECREATIONAL
VEHICLES SHOULD CONTINUE TO LEAVE THE KEYS IMMEDIATELY. THE
EVACUATION OF SPECIAL NEEDS PERSONS HAS BEEN COMPLETED. MOBILE HOME
AND BOAT DWELLERS...AS WELL AS RESIDENTS RESIDING IN LOW-LYING AREAS
PRONE TO FLOODING...ARE ENCOURAGED TO UTILIZE HURRICANE SHELTERS
WITHIN THE FLORIDA KEYS. KEYS SHELTERS INCLUDE KEY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
AT 2100 FLAGLER AVENUE...SUGARLOAF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT MILE MARKER
19...STANLEY SWITLIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT 3400 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY IN
MARATHON...AND CORAL SHORES HIGH SCHOOL AT MILE MARKER 89 ON
PLANTATION KEY. THE LAST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT FROM KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS ALREADY DEPARTED AND THE MAIN TERMINAL
WILL CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT. THE LAST GREYHOUND BUS WILL DEPART FROM THE
KEY WEST AIRPORT TERMINAL AT 845 AM ON TUESDAY. CAR RENTAL
AVAILABILITY AT KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THIS EVENING...AND JUST FROM 600 AM TO 1000 AM ON TUESDAY MORNING.
ALL COUNTY AND STATE PARKS ARE CLOSED. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE
CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE CITY OF KEY WEST AND MARATHON...AS
WELL AS ALL MONROE COUNTY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
STORM TIDE UP TO THREE FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL MAY OCCUR...MAINLY IN
THE UPPER KEYS ON THE BAYSIDE. HIGH TIDE AT ROCK HARBOR IN KEY LARGO
WILL BE AT 116 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON...AND 117 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING.
HIGH TIDE AT WHALE HARBOR CHANNEL UNDER THE HIGHWAY ONE BRIDGE WILL
BE AT 110 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON...AND 111 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...WINDS...
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN SAFE FOR TRAVEL FOR HIGH PROFILE
VEHICLES THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY
REACH THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS BY EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON...WITH
THE STRONGEST WINDS REACHING THE AREA LATE IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH
THE EVENING.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...MAINLY IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
THE PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN KEY WEST IS 46
PERCENT... AND 65 PERCENT AT MARATHON. THE PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS AT KEY WEST IS 3 PERCENT...AND 5 PERCENT AT MARATHON.

...MARINE...
NORTHEAST TO EAST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS THIS EVENING...WILL
GRADUALLY INCREASE ACROSS THE FLORIDA STRAITS TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25
KNOTS LATE. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY REACH THE OUTER EASTERN
STRAITS AROUND SUNRISE TUESDAY. CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE
THROUGHOUT TUESDAY...ESPECIALLY OVER THE UPPER AND MIDDLE KEYS
COASTAL WATERS. DRAW BRIDGES WILL FUNCTION NORMALLY TONIGHT...AND A
DECISION WILL BE MADE TOMORROW WHETHER TO LOCK DOWN THESE BRIDGES IF
NECESSARY.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1130
PM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. REMEMBER TO
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

L. KASPER




















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