[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KKEY 062118
HLSKEY

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

.AT 500 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 21.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 69.7 WEST OR ABOUT 815 MILES EAST
SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST.

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE 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 TONIGHT OR EARLY SUNDAY...AND THEN MOVE NEAR
THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND THE NORTHERN COAST OF EASTERN CUBA SUNDAY
NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY.

REPORTS FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 135 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
IKE IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...BUT
IKE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT 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 140
MILES.

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT WAS 949 MB...OR 28.23 INCHES.

ALL INTERESTS IN THE REMAINDER OF 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>075-072115-
/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-
515 PM EDT SAT SEP 6 2008

...NEW INFORMATION...

UPDATED POSITION OF HURRICANE IKE.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTION SECTION FOR BRIDGES AND
PARK CLOSURES.

...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...

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. ALL DRAWBRIDGES MAY BE LOCKED DOWN AT 800 AM SUNDAY.
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 CONSIDERING
ISSUING 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 MAY 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 BUT WILL NOT
ALLOW PETS. ADDITIONAL SHELTERS ON THE MAINLAND WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS
SOON AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE. ALL COUNTY AND STATE PARKS ARE CLOSED.
FORT JEFFERSON NATIONAL PARK IS CLOSED. 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 57 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 55 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS 39
MPH OR GREATER. THERE IS A 14 PERCENT CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS 74
MPH OR GREATER.

FOR MIAMI...THERE IS A 40 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 DURING THE BALANCE OF THIS WEEKEND TO
SECURE THEIR VESSELS. THE SNAKE CREEK AND THE OLD JEWFISH CREEK
DRAWBRIDGES WILL CONTINUE TO OPEN FOR MARINE TRAFFIC TONIGHT...BUT
MAY LOCK DOWN ON SUNDAY MORNING. 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 IMPACTS OF HURRICANE IKE
TO THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED BY 9 PM...OR SOONER IF NEW
INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

$$

APA







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