[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 290619
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-290930-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
215 AM EDT TUE AUG 29 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 200 AM 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 IS IN EFFECT 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 200 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 22.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.3 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 240
MILES SOUTHEAST OF KEY LARGO. ERNESTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-
NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED OVER THE
NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...ERNESTO WILL BE MOVING
OVER WATER EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...AND BE NEAR THE FLORIDA KEYS BY
TUESDAY EVENING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED AFTER ERNESTO MOVES
INTO THE FLORIDA STRAITS. 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. 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
CLOSED 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...AS WELL AS AT THE FLORIDA KEYS
MARATHON AIRPORT...WILL CONTINUE 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
TUESDAY.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
STORM TIDE UP TO THREE FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL MAY OCCUR...MAINLY IN
THE UPPER KEYS. 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
EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
THE PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN KEY WEST IS 51
PERCENT... AND 69 PERCENT AT MARATHON. THE PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS AT KEY WEST IS 4 PERCENT...AND 6 PERCENT AT MARATHON.

...MARINE...
NORTHEAST TO EAST WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS TONIGHT...WILL GRADUALLY
INCREASE ACROSS THE EASTERN FLORIDA STRAITS TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25
KNOTS LATE. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY REACH THE OUTER STRAITS
AROUND SUNRISE TUESDAY. CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE OVER
THE KEYS COASTAL WATERS THROUGHOUT TUESDAY. 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 530
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. REMEMBER TO
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

BROCK





























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