[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTAE 161527
HLSTLH

ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161-161900-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1127 AM EDT THU SEP 16 2004

...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM APALACHICOLA
FLORIDA TO DESTIN AND WEST TO GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF THE
FLORIDA BIG BEND AND EASTERN PANHANDLE...SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...AND
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA.

...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION...
THE HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN AND WEST TO GRAND ISLE
LOUISIANA. THE INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING CONTINUES FOR
INLAND PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND FOR SOUTHEAST
ALABAMA. THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 9 PM EDT (8 PM
CDT) FOR THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...THE
FLORIDA BIG BEND...AND ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA. A
FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR THESE SAME
AREAS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 10 AM CDT (11 AM EDT)...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IVAN WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 32.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 65 MILES
WEST SOUTHWEST OF MONTGOMERY ALABAMA. IVAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTH NEAR 14 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND A
DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. CONTINUED WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AND IVAN WILL LIKELY BE
DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM THIS AFTERNOON. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE IS 970 MB...OR 28.64 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MANY SCHOOLS...BUSINESSES...STATE AND COUNTY AND LOCAL OFFICES WILL
BE CLOSED TODAY. FOR INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF EVACUATION ORDERS
AND SPECIFIC CLOSURE INFORMATION...STAY TUNED TO LOCAL TELEVISION AND
RADIO STATIONS.

...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL INFORMATION...
LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THE OUTER RAIN BANDS OF IVAN
CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. THIS
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL SPREAD INTO MUCH OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL
GEORGIA TODAY. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL SO FAR HAS BEEN 6 TO 8 INCHES IN
WALTON COUNTY FLORIDA...AND 3 TO 5 INCHES FURTHER EAST IN THE
PANHANDLE AND ACROSS SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. ANOTHER 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN
IS POSSIBLE IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...THE EASTERN PANHANDLE AND
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES FURTHER EAST. WHILE WIDESPREAD
INLAND FLOODING HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED...FLASH FLOODING REMAINS
POSSIBLE IN LOCALIZED AREAS...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AND LOW LYING
AREAS...AND NEAR CREEKS AND STREAMS. IN ADDITION...SHARP RISES WILL
OCCUR ON MAIN STEM RIVERS. SOME RIVERS AND CREEKS IN SOUTHWEST
GEORGIA MAY APPROACH MINOR FLOOD LEVEL. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IN
THE HEADWATERS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER FROM IVAN MAY CREATE
SIGNIFICANT RISES ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE AND APALACHICOLA RIVERS NEXT
WEEK. THE FOLLOWING BASINS COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY IVAN.

IN ALABAMA...THE CHOCTAWHATCHEE AND PEA RIVER BASINS.

IN FLORIDA...THE CHOCTAWHATCHEE...APALACHICOLA...CHIPOLA AND
OCHLOCKONEE RIVERS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
CURRENTLY...THE C TOWER 15 MILES SOUTH OF ST GEORGE ISLAND...AT 100
FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE...IS REPORTING WINDS OF 36 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO
41 KNOTS. THE OFFSHORE GULF BUOYS ARE OBSERVING SUSTAINED WINDS OF 27
KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 33 TO 35 KNOTS.

REPRESENTATIVE WINDS AT SOME INLAND AND COASTAL LOCATIONS...NWS
TALLAHASSEE...25 MPH...GUSTS 46 MPH.
TALLAHASSEE AIRPORT...25 MPH...GUSTS 40 MPH.
DOTHAN...35 MPH...GUSTS 45 MPH.
BAINBRIDGE...24 MPH...GUSTS 33 MPH.
OZARK...22 MPH...GUSTS 39 MPH.
ALBANY...22 MPH...GUSTS 36 MPH.
MOULTRIE...18 MPH...GUSTS 32 MPH.
CEDAR KEY...23 MPH...GUSTS 24 MPH.
KEATON BEACH...25 MPH...GUSTS 29 MPH.
SHELL POINT...21 MPH...GUSTS 26 MPH.

THE OFFICIAL FORECAST HAS HURRICANE IVAN WEAKENING TO A TROPICAL
STORM AS IT MOVES NORTHWARD ACROSS ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. ON
THIS TRACK...PERIODS OF SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH
OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 45 TO 50 MPH WILL AFFECT THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AND ADJACENT GULF COASTAL WATERS...AS WELL AS SOUTHEAST ALABAMA.

...TORNADO THREAT...
MANY TORNADOES HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THE REGION IN THE OUTER RAIN
BANDS OF IVAN SINCE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND TORNADOES WILL REMAIN
POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ACROSS SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST
GEORGIA...THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND FLORIDA BIG BEND. THIS
IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE AREA AT THIS TIME.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES HAVE BEEN RUNNING ABOUT 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL OVERNIGHT AND THIS
MORNING ALONG MOST OF THE COAST...WITH 3 TO 4 FOOT DEPARTURES IN THE
APALACHEE BAY. COASTAL WATERS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ELEVATED AT
THESE DEPARTURES THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. SEAS AT THE OFFSHORE BUOYS
ARE STILL RUNNING 15 TO 20 FEET AND LARGE BREAKERS AND LARGE SWELLS
WILL CONTINUE TO POUND THE COASTLINE THROUGH THE DAY.

LOCAL TIDES FOR TODAY...

EAST PASS NEAR DESTIN...
LOW TIDE...933 AM.
HIGH TIDE...1222 AM FRIDAY.

SAINT ANDREW BAY NEAR PANAMA CITY...
LOW TIDE...702 AM.
HIGH TIDE...1152 PM.

APALACHICOLA...
LOW TIDE...1146 AM.
HIGH TIDE...608 PM.

SAINT GEORGE ISLAND AT SIKES CUT...
HIGH TIDE...510 PM.
LOW TIDE...1024 AM AND 1034 PM.

OCHLOCKONEE BAY...
HIGH TIDE...441 PM.
LOW TIDE...1015 AM AND 1024 PM.

SHELL POINT...
HIGH TIDE...405 PM.
LOW TIDE...953 AM AND 1002 PM.

SAINT MARKS RIVER ENTRANCE...
HIGH TIDE...408 PM.
LOW TIDE...956 AM AND 1005 PM.

...RIP CURRENTS...
A HIGH RIP CURRENT THREAT WILL CONTINUE TODAY FOR THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND BEACHES DUE TO INCREASED WAVE ACTION AND LARGE
SWELLS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 2 PM CDT (3 PM EDT).

$$

18-WOOL
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