[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 300641
HLSKEY
FLZ076-077-078-GMZ031-032-033-052-053-054-072-073-074-075-300930-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
230 AM EDT WED AUG 30 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 THE 200 AM EDT ADVISORY
INFORMATION. UPDATED WINDS AND RAINFALL INFORMATION TO INCLUDE
RECENT REPORTS.

...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 REMAINS IN
EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS DUE TO POSSIBLE HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 200 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 25.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.7 WEST. THIS PLACES THE
CENTER OF CIRCULATION AT THE SHORELINE OF FLORIDA BAY AND THE
EXTREME SOUTH FLORIDA PENINSULA...SOME 15 MILES EAST OF FLAMINGO,
FLORIDA. ERNESTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH.
A TURN TO THE NORTH WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED
LATER TODAY...WHICH MEANS THE CENTER OF ERNESTO WILL BE OVER THE
FLORIDA PENINSULA FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS
ARE NEAR 45 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE
DUE TO THE CENTER REMAINING OVER LATE...AND ERNESTO COULD WEAKEN TO
A TROPICAL DEPRESSION LATER TODAY. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE WAS 1003 MB...OR 29.62 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS WILL PERSIST ALONG THE KEYS
OVERNIGHT. 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...STANLEY
SWITLIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT 3400 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY IN MARATHON...AND
CORAL SHORES HIGH SCHOOL AT MILE MARKER 89 ON PLANTATION KEY. ALL
KEYS HURRICANE SHELTERS ARE TO BE CLOSED BY 1000 AM WEDNESDAY. THE
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS TO BE DEACTIVATED BY
NOON WEDNESDAY. THE KEYS AIRPORTS REMAIN CLOSED OVERNIGHT...BUT ARE
EXPECTED TO REOPEN SOMETIME WEDNESDAY. ALL COUNTY AND STATE PARKS
REMAIN CLOSED. MONROE COUNTY WILL KEEP OFFICES CLOSED WEDNESDAY.
TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE TO REPORT TO MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS WEDNESDAY
MORNING...BUT STUDENTS WILL NOT RESUME CLASSES UNTIL THURSDAY. CITY
OF KEY WEST OFFICES WILL REOPEN WEDNESDAY...AS WELL AS LODGING
ENTITIES. CITY OF MARATHON AND ISLAMORADA OFFICES ARE ALSO SCHEDULED
TO REOPEN WEDNESDAY.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
STORM TIDE OF 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL MAY OCCUR IN THE FLORIDA
KEYS. OVERNIGHT HIGH TIDE OCCURRED AT MANY KEYS LOCATIONS BETWEEN
MIDNIGHT AND 200 AM. THE NEXT HIGH TIDE WILL OCCUR AT THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS WEDNESDAY...202 PM AT ROCK HARBOR IN KEY LARGO...156 PM AT
WHALE HARBOR CHANNEL...202 PM AT VACA CUT IN MARATHON...AND 313 PM
AT KEY WEST HARBOR.

...WINDS...
WIND GAUGES AROUND THE KEYS AREA CONTINUE TO REGISTER GUSTS AS HIGH
AS 48 MPH AT MOLASSES REEF...43 MPH AT SOMBRERO KEY...AND 38 MPH AT
LONG KEY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT
ALONG THE KEYS.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE
POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. BETWEEN 1100 PM AND 200 AM RADAR
ESTIMATES SHOW THAT ONE-HALF TO OVER AN INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN
OVER MUCH OF THE KEYS. SOME 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN MAY HAVE FALLEN ON
LOWER KEYS LOCATIONS FROM SUGARLOAF KEY TO RAMROD KEY. A FLOOD WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINFALL
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. BE ALERT TO PONDING OF WATER ON THE
OVERSEAS HIGHWAY AND ON LOCAL STREETS.

...MARINE...
SMALL CRAFT REMAIN IN PORT. THE BRIDGES AT JEWFISH CREEK AND SNAKE
CREEK ARE LOCKED DOWN. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS 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 OVERNIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530
AM EDT...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. REMEMBER TO
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

BROCK




This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net