[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 300014
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-300330-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
810 PM EDT TUE AUG 29 2006

...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...A FLOOD WATCH DUE TO POSSIBLE HEAVY RAINFALL IS IN EFFECT FOR THE
FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION TO INCLUDE 800 PM EDT ADVISORY
INFORMATION. THE HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR THE
FLORIDA KEYS.

...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 FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT
FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS DUE TO POSSIBLE HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR THE
FLORIDA KEYS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 800 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 24.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.4 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 15
MILES SOUTHEAST OF ISLAMORADA. THE CENTER OF ERNESTO WAS ALSO 45
MILES EAST OF MARATHON...AND 90 MILES EAST OF KEY WEST. ERNESTO IS
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER WILL BE
CROSSING THE FLORIDA KEYS DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO...AND REACHING
THE FLORIDA PENINSULA NEAR MIDNIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE
NEAR 45 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS
EXPECTED PRIOR TO LANDFALL. AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT
REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1004 MB...OR 29.65 INCHES OF
MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR OVER THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER KEYS TONIGHT...WITH GUSTS AROUND TROPICAL STORM FORCE OVER THE
LOWER KEYS. GUSTY WINDS IN SQUALLS WILL MAKE DRIVING DANGEROUS...DO
NOT VENTURE OUT UNLESS NECESSARY. KEYS SHELTERS REMAIN OPEN AND
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 KEYS AIRPORTS REMAIN
CLOSED. ALL COUNTY AND STATE PARKS REMAIN CLOSED. MONROE COUNTY WILL
KEEP OFFICES CLOSED WEDNESDAY. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN
CLOSED WEDNESDAY. CITY OFFICES WILL OPEN WEDNESDAY GIVEN ACCEPTABLE
WEATHER CONDITIONS. CITY EMPLOYEES SHOULD CALL THEIR SUPERVISOR FOR
A FINAL DECISION.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
STORM TIDE OF 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL MAY OCCUR IN THE FLORIDA
KEYS. THE NEXT HIGH TIDE WILL OCCUR AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ON
WEDNESDAY MORNING...117 AM AT ROCK HARBOR IN KEY LARGO...111 AM AT
WHALE HARBOR CHANNEL...1240 AM AT VACA CUT IN MARATHON...AND 151 AM
AT KEY WEST HARBOR.

...WINDS...
RADAR VELOCITY ESTIMATES AND ISLAND LOCATIONS ALONG THE KEYS ARE
REGISTERING GUSTS AROUND 40 TO 45 MPH...MAINLY WITHIN RAINBANDS.
MARINE REPORTING STATIONS SURROUNDING THE UPPER AND MIDDLE KEYS HAVE
ALREADY RECORDED GUSTS RANGING BETWEEN 35 AND 55 KNOTS. TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR OVER THE MIDDLE AND UPPER
KEYS TONIGHT...WITH GUSTS AROUND TROPICAL STORM FORCE OVER THE LOWER
KEYS.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE
POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS SO FAR TODAY RANGE FROM
AROUND ONE INCH IN THE LOWER KEYS...ONE AND A HALF TO TWO INCHES IN
THE MIDDLE KEYS...AND TWO TO FOUR INCHES IN THE UPPER KEYS. A FLOOD
WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINFALL
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. SIGNIFICANT PONDING OF WATER ON THE
OVERSEAS HIGHWAY AND ON LOCAL STREETS WILL BE POSSIBLE.

...MARINE...
SMALL CRAFT REMAIN IN PORT. THE BRIDGES AT JEWFISH CREEK AND SNAKE
CREEK ARE LOCKED DOWN. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE AFFECTING THE
KEYS COASTAL WATERS AT THIS TIME...AND ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN A
THREAT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...TORNADOES...
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOES WITH PASSAGE OF
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO TONIGHT.

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

$$

LK

















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