[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 251911
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-252130-

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

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

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

...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...INCLUDING
FLORIDA BAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 300 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.6 WEST...OR ABOUT 35 MILES
EAST OF FORT LAUDERDALE...AND ABOUT 90 MILES NORTHEAST OF KEY LARGO.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE...AND KATRINA MAY BECOME A
CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT. THE STORM IS
MOVING WEST NEAR 6 MPH...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. THIS
WILL BRING THE CENTER OF THE STORM ONTO THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF
FLORIDA LATER TONIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE
WAS ESTIMATED AT 990 MB...OR 29.23 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN TODAY. A DECISION REGARDING
FRIDAY CLASSES WILL BE MADE THIS AFTERNOON. 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. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OFFICIALS EXPECT FLIGHT
CANCELLATIONS TODAY AND FRIDAY FOR AIRLINES SERVING KEY WEST TO
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AND FORT LAUDERDALE/HOLLYWOOD AIRPORTS. LESS OF
AN IMPACT IS EXPECTED TO SERVICE TO AND FROM FORT MYERS...TAMPA...
ORLANDO...AND ATLANTA. PASSENGERS WITH RESERVATIONS SHOULD CHECK
WITH AIRLINES PRIOR TO GOING TO AIRPORTS. GREYHOUND KEYS SHUTTLE
SERVICE OFFICIALS WILL MEET THIS AFTERNOON TO DETERMINE IF BUS
SERVICE BETWEEN MIAMI AND THE KEYS NEEDS TO BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED.

...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...BEGINNING AS EARLY AS THIS EVENING. RESIDENTS
SHOULD SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS IN YARDS AND ON BALCONIES WHICH COULD BE
BLOWN ABOUT IN STRONG WINDS.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL INCREASE OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON...
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 BAY AND NEARSHORE 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.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA
KEYS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

...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 530 PM EDT...OR WHEN NEW
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK
OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEY WEST.

$$

K. KASPER



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