[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[Nashville EMWIN]

WTUS82 KTAE 131034
HLSTLH
FLZ034-131300-

HURRICANE CHARLEY LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
630 AM EDT FRI AUG 13 2004

...A HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA
WEST COAST FROM EAST CAPE SABLE NORTHWARD TO THE STEINHATCHEE
RIVER...

...A FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR DIXIE...TAYLOR...
LAFAYETTE...JEFFERSON...AND MADISON COUNTIES THROUGH TODAY...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF THE
EXTREME SOUTHEAST FLORIDA BIG BEND INCLUDING DIXIE COUNTY.

...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST COAST
FROM EAST CAPE SABLE NORTHWARD TO THE STEINHATCHEE RIVER. THIS MEANS
THAT TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITH POSSIBLE HURRICANE FORCE WIND
GUSTS WILL APPROACH COASTAL AREAS OF DIXIE COUNTY LATE THIS
AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 23.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.9 WEST OR ABOUT 85 MILES WEST-
SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA. CHARLEY IS MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTH-
NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED
TODAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...
AND CHARLEY IS FORECAST TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT
APPROACHES THE FLORIDA WEST COAST.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL INTERESTS IN THE WARNING AREA SHOULD RUSH PREPARATIONS TO
COMPLETION...AND AFFECTED RESIDENTS SHOULD QUICKLY STOCK UP ON
NECESSARY SUPPLIES SUCH AS DRINKING WATER...BATTERIES...NON
PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS...AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. AREA RESIDENTS
SHOULD ALSO SECURE OUTDOOR OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH CANS AND OUTDOOR
FURNITURE THAT COULD BECOME AIRBORNE IN THE WIND.

...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL INFORMATION...
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY FOR DIXIE...TAYLOR...LAFAYETTE...AND
MADISON COUNTIES...AND ADDITIONAL RAINFALL FROM CHARLEY IN
COMBINATION WITH THE APPROACHING COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS EXPECTED
TO BE IN THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THIS
RAINFALL OVER ALREADY SATURATED GROUND...MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
AS CHARLEY HEADS NORTHWARD ALONG THE WESTERN GULF COAST OF
FLORIDA...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITH POSSIBLE HURRICANE GUSTS
WILL APPROACH OUR EASTERN COASTAL WATERS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...
BEFORE REACHING THE DIXIE COUNTY COASTLINE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AT
THIS TIME...WINDS OVER THE INTERIOR ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH
HURRICANE STRENGTH...BUT COULD REACH SPEEDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS...ESPECIALLY TO THE SOUTH.


...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
IF CHARLEY MAKES LANDFALL ALONG THE CENTRAL FLORIDA WEST COAST
TONIGHT AS EXPECTED...THE WINDS ACROSS APALACHEE BAY WILL BE OUT OF
THE NORTH. THIS WILL TEND TO PREVENT A SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FROM
DEVELOPING ALONG THE COAST...ALTHOUGH TIDES OF 1 TO 3 ABOVE NORMAL
ARE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...RESIDENTS SHOULD STILL MONITOR FUTURE
ADVISORIES IN CASE THE FORECAST TRACK CHANGES.

THE LOCAL TIDES FOR TODAY ARE AS FOLLOWS.

STEINHATCHEE...
HIGH TIDES AT 828 PM FRIDAY AND 8 AM SATURDAY.

MOUTH OF THE SUWANNEE RIVER...
HIGH TIDES AT 817 PM FRIDAY AND 749 AM SATURDAY.

COASTAL WATERS OFF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND WERE AT 3 TO 5 FEET
NEAR SHORE...WHILE 6 TO 10 FEET WELL OFFSHORE. THESE ARE EXPECTED
TO GRADUALLY LOWER TONIGHT. SOME ROUGH SURF ALONG THE COAST WILL
GRADUALLY LESSEN THIS EVENING.

THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 9 AM EDT.

$$

GOULD

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