[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 061509
HLSKEY

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE IKE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1109 AM EDT SAT SEP 6 2008

AT 1100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
21.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 68.8 WEST OR ABOUT 860 MILES...EAST SOUTHEAST
OF KEY WEST.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
IKE IS FORECAST TO TURN TOWARD THE WEST ON SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST
TRACK...IKE IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR OR OVER THE TURKS AND CAICOS
ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY
SUNDAY...AND THEN MOVE NEAR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND THE NORTHERN
COAST OF EASTERN CUBA SUNDAY NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS
A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME
FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...BUT
IKE IS EXPECTED TO REGAIN MAJOR HURRICANE STRENGTH DURING THIS
PERIOD.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125
MILES.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 960 MB...OR 28.35 INCHES.

ALL INTERESTS IN THE BAHAMAS...CUBA...SOUTH FLORIDA...AND THE
FLORIDA KEYS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS HURRICANE.

FLZ078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-071515-
/O.CON.KKEY.HU.S.0003.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
MONROE LOWER KEYS-FLORIDA BAY-
GULF SIDE OF THE LOWER KEYS OUT 20 NM-
GULF WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY OUT 20 NM-
CRAIG KEY TO THE WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE OUT 20 NM-
WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST OUT 20 NM-
OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
CRAIG KEY TO THE WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
KEY WEST TO 20 NM WEST OF DRY TORTUGAS OUT 60 NM-
1109 AM EDT SAT SEP 6 2008

...NEW INFORMATION...

UPDATED POSITION OF HURRICANE IKE.

...AREAS AFFECTED...

THIS STATEMENT DETAILS SPECIFIC PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY ACTIONS
TO BE TAKEN IN THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY CONCERNING THE
EFFECTS OF HURRICANE IKE.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...

AT THIS TIME THERE ARE NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR THE
FLORIDA KEYS AND THE SURROUNDING WATERS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AS OF 900 AM...MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ORDERED A
MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR ALL VISITORS...RECREATIONAL
VEHICLES...TRAVEL AND BOAT TRAILERS. VISITORS SHOULD LEAVE THE
FLORIDA KEYS...AND OFFICIALS SUGGEST RELOCATING TO HOTELS ON THE
MAINLAND WELL AWAY FROM COASTAL AREAS. TOLL COLLECTION HAS BEEN
SUSPENDED AT THE CARD SOUND BRIDGE. VISITORS NEEDING TO FIND
INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE HOTELS IN FLORIDA MAY CALL THE VISIT
FLORIDA VISITOR ASSISTANCE HOT LINE AT 1-800-287-8598. AT THIS TIME
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS PLANNING TO ISSUE A MANDATORY EVACUATION
ORDER FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN LOW LYING AREAS AND MOBILE HOMES BEGINNING
SUNDAY AT 700 AM. CURRENTLY...GENERAL MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS FOR
FLORIDA KEYS RESIDENTS WILL BEGIN ON SUNDAY IN THREE PHASES.
BEGINNING WITH ALL LOWER KEYS RESIDENTS...INCLUDING THE CITY OF KEY
WEST AT 800 AM SUNDAY...MIDDLE KEYS RESIDENTS INCLUDING MARATHON AND
KEY COLONY BEACH BEGINNING AT NOON SUNDAY...AND FINALLY THE UPPER
KEYS RESIDENTS...INCLUDING ISLAMORADA AND OCEAN REEF AT 400 PM
SUNDAY. THE EVACUATION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH NOON ON MONDAY...BEFORE
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE. THE SHELTER AT
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY...JUST OFF THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE AT
U.S. ROUTE 40...TAMIAMI TRAIL...WILL BE OPENING 800 AM SUNDAY.
ADDITIONAL SHELTERS ON THE MAINLAND WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON AS THEY
BECOME AVAILABLE. AT THIS TIME...ALL COUNTY...STATE AND FEDERAL
OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY. THE KEY WEST AND MARATHON AIRPORTS
WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR ALL COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS AND GENERAL AVIATION
THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY EVENING.

...WINDS...

WINDS WILL REMAIN SAFE FOR ALL ROAD TRAVEL THROUGH MIDDAY MONDAY.
WINDS MAY BECOME UNSAFE FOR TRAVEL BY MONDAY NIGHT.

...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...

FOR KEY WEST...THERE IS A 56 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS
39 MPH OR GREATER. THERE IS A 16 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED
WINDS 74 MPH OR GREATER.

FOR MARATHON...THERE IS A 56 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS
39 MPH OR GREATER. THERE IS A 15 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED
WINDS 74 MPH OR GREATER.

FOR MIAMI...THERE IS A 44 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS
39 MPH OR GREATER. THERE IS A 7 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS
74 MPH OR GREATER.

...MARINE IMPACTS...

BOAT OWNERS SHOULD TAKE TIME THIS WEEKEND TO SECURE THEIR VESSELS.
THE SNAKE CREEK AND THE OLD JEWFISH CREEK DRAWBRIDGES WILL CONTINUE
TO OPEN FOR MARINE TRAFFIC SATURDAY. BE PATIENT...AS THE FREQUENCY OF
BRIDGE OPENINGS MAY BE TEMPORARILY REDUCED IF EXCESSIVELY HEAVY
VEHICLE TRAFFIC DEVELOPS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN 15 KNOTS OR
LESS THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON DRIVING YOUR BOAT
OUT OF THE KEYS ON A TRAILER...PLAN TO DO SO BEFORE DAYTIME SUNDAY.

...NEXT UPDATE...

THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF
HURRICANE IKE TO THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED BY 3 PM...OR SOONER
IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

$$


APA

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