[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 251957
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-252130-

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
400 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2005

...KATRINA NOW A HURRICANE...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED WIND IMPACTS.
UPDATED 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...INCLUDING
FLORIDA BAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 300 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.8 WEST...OR ABOUT 20 MILES EAST
OF FORT LAUDERDALE...AND ABOUT 85 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF KEY
LARGO. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
KATRINA IS NOW A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE AND SOME ADDITIONAL
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL TONIGHT. THE STORM IS
MOVING WEST NEAR 8 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 TONIGHT. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 990
MB...OR 29.23 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A DECISION REGARDING FRIDAY CLASSES AT MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WILL BE MADE LATE 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
TONIGHT 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 LATE 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 THIS EVENING. RESIDENTS SHOULD SECURE
LOOSE OBJECTS IN YARDS AND ON BALCONIES WHICH COULD BE BLOWN ABOUT
IN STRONG WINDS. THESE ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE SUNSET
THIS EVENING.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL INCREASE OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...REACHING SPEEDS OF 30 TO 35 KNOTS OVER
THE WATERS ADJACENT TO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS. SEAS WILL BUILD UP
TO 8 FEET BEYOND THE REEF IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA EARLY THIS
EVENING...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 HURRICANE 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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