[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 250906
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-251230-

TROPICAL STORM KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
530 AM EDT THU AUG 25 2005

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

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
MARINE 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 THOSE PLANNING TO DRIVE NORTH FROM THE
KEYS...BE AWARE THAT A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM FLORIDA
CITY TO VERO BEACH INCLUDING LAKE OKEECHOBEE...AND A TROPICAL STORM
WATCH IS IN EFFECT NORTH OF VERO BEACH TO TITUSVILLE...AS WELL AS
FROM FLORIDA CITY WEST TO ENGLEWOOD ON THE FLORIDA WEST COAST.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.7 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 20
MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF FREEPORT GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND...AND ABOUT
125 MILES NORTHEAST OF KEY LARGO. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR
50 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A
HURRICANE TODAY. THE STORM IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 8
MPH...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. THIS WILL BRING THE
CENTER OF THE STORM ONTO THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF FLORIDA LATE TONIGHT
OR EARLY FRIDAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 1000
MB...OR 29.53 INCHES OF MERCURY.

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

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

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST
TODAY...REACHING SPEEDS OF 30 KNOTS OVER THE WATERS ADJACENT TO THE
MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS. SEAS WILL BUILD UP TO 7 FEET BEYOND THE REEF
IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA LATER TODAY...WITH NEARSHORE AND BAY
WATERS BECOMING VERY ROUGH.

...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 TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

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

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON TROPICAL STORM KATRINA FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE AROUND 830 AM EDT...OR WHEN NEW
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK
OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEY WEST.

$$

FELTGEN









This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net