[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 252112
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-260000-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
530 PM EDT SAT SEP 25 2004

...VOLUNTARY EVACUATION OF MOBILE HOMES RECOMMENDED FOR THE MIDDLE
AND UPPER KEYS...
...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER
KEYS INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.
REFRESHED TIMING OF WIND IMPACTS.
REFRESHED TIMING OF MARINE 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. THERE ARE NO TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT ANY
PORTION OF THE FLORIDA KEYS NOR FLORIDA BAY AT THIS TIME.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JEANNE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.8 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 150 MILES
NORTHEAST OF OCEAN REEF...AND ABOUT 105 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF VERO
BEACH. JEANNE IS A DANGEROUS 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 A LITTLE NORTH OF DUE WEST NEAR 14
MPH. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF JEANNE WILL CONTINUE NEAR OR OVER
THE REMAINDER OF THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT FEW
HOURS...AND WILL REACH THE FLORIDA EAST COAST TONIGHT. HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD INLAND OVER AS MUCH AS 100 MILES
ALONG THE TRACK OF JEANNE. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED
AT 950 MB...OR 28.05 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS RECOMMENDING A VOLUNTARY
EVACUATION FOR ALL MOBILE HOMES BETWEEN THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO THE
MONROE DADE COUNTY LINE. EMERGENCY SHELTERS ARE OPEN IN THE UPPER
KEYS...AT THE KEY LARGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL...AND IN THE MIDDLE
KEYS...AT THE STANLEY SWITLIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THERE ARE NO
MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS IN EFFECT FOR THE KEYS AT THIS TIME.
MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS
OF HURRICANE JEANNE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS WILL EXPERIENCE NORTHWEST
WINDS NEAR 20 TO 25 MPH THIS EVENING. OVERNIGHT...WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO NEAR 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 50 MPH IN SQUALLS.
TRAVEL FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED THE
REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON...TONIGHT...INTO MOST OF SUNDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT WITHIN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. IN THE
ATLANTIC WATERS OFF THE UPPER AND MIDDLE KEYS 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 AROUND 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 730 PM EDT.

$$

RIZZO/SD

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