[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KMLB 250345
HLSMLB
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
251000-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1145 PM EDT WED AUG 24 2005

...TROPICAL STORM KATRINA HEADING WESTWARD AND FORECAST TO
BECOME A HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL...

...NEW INFORMATION...
HURRICANE WARNINGS HAVE NOW BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL
FLORIDA.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM
VERO BEACH SOUTHWARD...INCLUDING LAKE OKEECHOBEE. A TROPICAL STORM
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF VERO BEACH TO TITUSVILLE...INCLUDING
ALL OF MERRITT ISLAND. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT
FOR OKEECHOBEE COUNTY WITH AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN
EFFECT FOR OSCEOLA COUNTY.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF
MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...INDIAN RIVER...BREVARD...OKEECHOBEE AND
OSCEOLA COUNTIES FOR TROPICAL STORM KATRINA. THIS STATEMENT ALSO
RECOMMENDS THAT ORANGE...SEMINOLE...LAKE...AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES
KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST THREAT SITUATION ASSOCIATED WITH
KATRINA GIVEN THE CURRENT FORECAST UNCERTAINTY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.0 WEST OR ABOUT 145 MILES
EAST SOUTHEAST OF WEST PALM BEACH. THE STORM IS MOVING TOWARD THE
WEST NEAR 8 MPH AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS MOTION
OVERNIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS...AND ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS...SUSTAINED WINDS
ABOVE 73 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. CONSEQUENTLY...
STORM PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE DILIGENTLY ATTENDED TO OVERNIGHT OR
FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. EVACUATIONS...AS NECESSARY...SHOULD BE
CONDUCTED ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTION OF LOCAL OFFICIALS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
SUSTAINED WINDS FROM 39 TO 73 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE
NEXT 24 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS. RESIDENTS IN THE
TROPICAL STORM WATCH AND WARNING AREAS SHOULD REVIEW THEIR ACTION
PLAN...AND CHECK THE LATEST UPDATES FIRST THING IN THE MORNING FOR
CHANGES TO THE THREAT SITUATION.

...WIND IMPACTS...
KATRINA IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL
ALONG THE LOWER SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE
UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST TRACK...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN
EFFECT AS FAR NORTH AS VERO BEACH. IMPORTANTLY...THE LATEST
PROJECTION FOR TROPICAL STORM KATRINA BRINGS TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS INTO SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF MARTIN COUNTY THURSDAY EVENING AND
SPREADING NORTH AND INLAND INTO FRIDAY. GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE ARE
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST...AND IN PASSING
SQUALLS IN MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES. THESE
WINDS COULD CAUSE LARGE TREE LIMBS TO BLOW DOWN OR TREES TO UPROOT...
CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. GUSTY ONSHORE WINDS...REACHING 30 TO 40 MPH IN
HEAVY SHOWERS...WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ALONG MUCH OF THE EAST CENTRAL
FLORIDA COAST...ESPECIALLY FROM CAPE CANAVERAL SOUTHWARD.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
BASED ON CURRENT FORECAST TRACK AND INTENSITY...STORM SURGE VALUES OF
3 TO 5 FEET ARE POSSIBLE NEAR AND JUST NORTH OF WHERE THE CENTER
MAKES LANDFALL...AND THUS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR IN THE HURRICANE
WARNING AREA. BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST...HOWEVER...THE STORM
SURGE FOR MARTIN COUNTY IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 2 TO 3 FEET...
DECREASING TO 2 FEET OR LESS FROM VERO BEACH NORTHWARD. LARGE SURF...
STRONG RIP CURRENTS...AND SOME BEACH EROSION WILL LIKELY IMPACT THE
ENTIRE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
DUE TO THE SLOW FORWARD MOTION OF KATRINA...HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED
WITH THIS SYSTEM. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE
CORE OF THE STORM...WITH A MODERATE FLOOD THREAT ACROSS MARTIN...
SAINT LUCIE...AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES...WHERE A FLOOD WATCH IS IN
EFFECT. IF KATRINA MOVES FURTHER NORTH OR SLOWER THAN CURRENTLY
FORECAST...HIGHER RAINFALL TOTALS WILL BE POSSIBLE AND IMPACTS FROM
FLOODING RAINS COULD AFFECT AREAS FARTHER NORTHWARD TOWARD KISSIMMEE
AND CAPE CANAVERAL. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME NUMEROUS BY
THURSDAY WITH BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLS POSSIBLE WELL INTO
FRIDAY. PERSONS IN HIGHLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS ARE URGED TO HAVE A PLAN
TO PROTECT PROPERTY FROM RISING WATERS.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS A MODERATE THREAT OF TORNADOES TO OCCUR IN THE OUTER
RAINBANDS BEGINNING THURSDAY AND CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY. THE
MODERATE THREAT AREA IS MAINLY CONFINED TO THE IMMEDIATE COAST SOUTH
OF VERO BEACH...AND IN VICINITY OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. ELSEWHERE...A LOW
TO VERY LOW THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES EXISTS.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS OVER THE ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS WILL BEGIN INCREASING EARLY
THURSDAY AND WILL LIKELY REACH TROPICAL STORM FORCE MID DAY THURSDAY
20 TO 60 MILES EAST OF JUPITER INLET...SPREADING FURTHER WEST
AND NORTH INTO THE EVENING. GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE ARE FORECAST IN
PASSING SQUALLS SOUTH OF SEBASTIAN INLET. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN
THE FORECAST...HURRICANE CONDITIONS SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR
OVER THE WATERS FROM VERO BEACH SOUTHWARD. AS WINDS BECOME
NORTHEAST AND INCREASE...SEAS WILL BUILD...SO SMALL CRAFT SHOULD
STAY IN PORT OR SEEK SAFE HARBOR.

ALSO...INCREASING WAVES ALONG THE COAST RESULT IN A GREATER DANGER OF
RIP CURRENTS BEGINNING THURSDAY.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WILL BE ISSUED
AROUND 6 AM ...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

$$

DWS
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