[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 250019
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-250330-

TROPICAL STORM KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
830 PM EDT WED AUG 24 2005

...TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED RAINFALL IMPACTS.

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

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER FLORIDA
KEYS...FROM THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE THROUGH OCEAN
REEF. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
INCLUDING WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA
WITHIN 36 HOURS. FOR PEOPLE PLANNING TO DRIVE NORTH FROM THE KEYS...
BE AWARE THAT A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN
EFFECT FROM FLORIDA CITY TO VERO BEACH AS WELL AS FOR LAKE
OKEECHOBEE...AND A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT NORTH OF VERO
BEACH TO TITUSVILLE.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 800 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.6 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 65
MILES NORTH OF NASSAU IN THE BAHAMAS...OR ABOUT 170 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE UPPER KEYS COMMUNITY OF OCEAN REEF. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THERE IS
POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRENGTHENING DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. TROPICAL
STORM KATRINA IS NOW MOVING BETWEEN WEST AND WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9
MPH. A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED AT 1001 MB...OR 29.56
INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OFFICIALS INDICATE THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ARE SCHEDULED TO OPEN THURSDAY. A DECISION REGARDING FRIDAY CLASSES
WILL BE MADE THURSDAY. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS NOT
ISSUED ANY EVACUATION ORDERS...BUT DOES CAUTION RESIDENTS AND
VISITORS TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE STORM. RESIDENTS ARE URGED
TO LISTEN FOR ANY BULLETINS FROM OFFICIAL MONROE COUNTY SOURCES
TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. VISITORS ENJOYING FLORIDA KEYS LODGING TODAY
SHOULD CHECK WITH THEIR FRONT DESK FOR ANY OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS...FROM THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE THROUGH OCEAN
REEF...AND MAY BEGIN AS EARLY AS LATE THURSDAY EVENING. RESIDENTS
MAY CONSIDER SECURING LOOSE OBJECTS IN YARDS AND ON BALCONIES WHICH
COULD BE BLOWN ABOUT IN STRONG WINDS.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCREASE OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST THURSDAY
EVENING. SEAS MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS FOR SMALL CRAFT OVER WATERS
ADJACENT TO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS THURSDAY...BECOMING MORE
HAZARDOUS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SEAS MAY BUILD UP TO 8 FEET
BEYOND THE REEF IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA BY THURSDAY NIGHT.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
NO SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. TIDES
MAY RUN 1 TO 2 FEET HIGHER THAN NORMAL...WITH POSSIBLE MINOR
NUISANCE FLOODING OF DOCKS AND LOW COASTAL STREETS ALONG THE BAYSIDE
OF NORTH KEY LARGO AND JEWFISH CREEK LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
TOTAL RAINFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE
UPPER KEYS...IS POSSIBLE BEGINNING THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING
THROUGH SATURDAY.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON TROPICAL STORM KATRINA FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE AROUND 1130 PM EDT...OR WHEN NEW
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION... PLEASE CHECK
OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEY WEST.

$$

RIZZO/BROCK


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