[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 251552 AAA
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-251800-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...HURRICANE JEANNE...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1150 AM EDT SAT SEP 25 2004

...HURRICANE JEANNE STRENGTHENS TO A MAJOR HURRICANE...
...CURRENTLY BATTERING THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS AND AIMING FOR THE
FLORIDA EAST COAST...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
TWO SHELTERS TO OPEN IN MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS AT 300 PM.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED WIND IMPACTS.
UPDATED STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM
OCEAN REEF TO THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE...INCLUDING THE
ADJACENT ATLANTIC WATERS AND FLORIDA BAY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH
MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA
WITHIN 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JEANNE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.6 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 230 MILES
NORTHEAST OF KEY LARGO...AND ABOUT 150 MILES EAST OF WEST PALM
BEACH. JEANNE HAS BECOME A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE WITH MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 115 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL LATE
TONIGHT. JEANNE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH. ON THIS
TRACK...THE CORE OF JEANNE WILL REMAIN OVER THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS
TODAY...AND REACH THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF FLORIDA TONIGHT OR EARLY
SUNDAY...WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS SPREADING INLAND OVER MUCH OF
THE FLORIDA PENINSULA. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED AT
955 MB...OR 28.20 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
AT 300 PM...MONROE COUNTY WILL OPEN SHELTERS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS AND
THE INTERESTED GENERAL POPULATION AT KEY LARGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN
KEY LARGO...AND AT STANLEY SWITLIK SCHOOL IN MARATHON. THERE ARE NO
MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS AT THIS TIME...BUT THESE SHELTERS WILL
BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND THE GENERAL POPULATION THAT
WOULD FEEL SAFER IN A SHELTER. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF HURRICANE JEANNE AND AT THIS
TIME NO PROTECTIVE ACTIONS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD
REVIEW AND UPDATE THEIR HURRICANE FAMILY PLANS.  ONCE AGAIN...THE
SHELTERS AT KEY LARGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN KEY LARGO...AND STANLEY
SWITLIK SCHOOL IN MARATHON...WILL BE OPEN BEGINNING AT 300 PM.

...WIND IMPACTS...
NORTHWEST WINDS NEAR 20 TO 25 MPH WITH BRIEFLY HIGHER GUSTS WILL
PREVAIL OVER THE ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS THIS
AFTERNOON. WEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WILL OCCUR TONIGHT INTO
SUNDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY IN GUSTS.
MOTORISTS SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE DRIVING OVER KEYS BRIDGES
AND ROADWAYS.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT WITHIN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. IN THE
ATLANTIC WATERS OFF THE UPPER AND MIDDLE KEYS THIS AFTERNOON...WINDS
WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 30 KNOTS AND GUSTY. SEAS WILL BUILD TO 6 TO 8
FEET OUTSIDE THE REEF...AND 2 TO 3 FEET INSIDE THE REEF. FLORIDA BAY
AND NEARSHORE WATERS WILL BE VERY ROUGH. FOR TONIGHT AND
SUNDAY...WINDS OF 30 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE
GUSTS. SEAS WILL BE 8 TO 11 FEET OUTSIDE THE REEF...AND 2 TO 4 FEET
INSIDE THE REEF. FLORIDA BAY AND NEARSHORE WATERS WILL BE EXTREMELY
ROUGH.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES ARE CURRENTLY MEASURED JUST SHY OF ONE FOOT ABOVE NORMAL ON
THE BAYSIDE OF MARATHON. WATER LEVELS UP TO 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TIDES ARE POSSIBLE IN EASTERN FLORIDA BAY ON SUNDAY MORNING...
ESPECIALLY AROUND JEWFISH CREEK. OTHERWISE...NO SIGNIFICANT STORM
SURGE IS EXPECTED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS WITH THE PASSAGE OF HURRICANE
JEANNE. UPCOMING HIGH TIDES AT VACA CUT WILL OCCUR AT 8:03 THIS
EVENING...AND 7:49 SUNDAY MORNING.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE IMPACTS OF HURRICANE JEANNE
IN THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 130 PM EDT.

$$

D.FELTGEN/RIZZO










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