[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 252149 CCA
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-252300-

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

...KATRINA NOW A HURRICANE...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS AND FLORIDA
BAY...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.
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 WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE FLORIDA KEYS AND
FLORIDA BAY. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS...INCLUDING WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. FOR THOSE PLANNING TO DRIVE NORTH FROM
THE KEYS...BE AWARE THAT A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM
FLORIDA CITY TO JUPITER INLET INCLUDING LAKE OKEECHOBEE...AND A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE GULF COAST FROM
FLORIDA CITY AROUND TO LONGBOAT KEY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 15 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF FORT LAUDERDALE...OR 75 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 SLIGHT
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL THIS EVENING.
KATRINA IS MOVING WEST NEAR 6 MPH...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...TAKING THE CENTER OF KATRINA
WEST OVER THE SOUTH FLORIDA PENINSULA TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. THE
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 985 MB...OR 29.09 INCHES
OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY. MONROE COUNTY OFFICES
WILL OPEN FRIDAY. MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS NOT ISSUED
ANY EVACUATION ORDERS AND NO SHELTERS WILL OPEN. RESIDENTS AND
VISITORS SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KATRINA 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
FLORIDA KEYS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. RESIDENTS SHOULD SECURE LOOSE
OBJECTS 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 TONIGHT AND
FRIDAY...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 KNOTS BUT GUSTING TO TROPICAL
STORM FORCE OF 40 KNOTS OR MORE. SEAS WILL REACH 7 FEET OR HIGHER IN
OPEN WATERS...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 TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
TOTAL RAINFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
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 730 PM EDT...OR WHEN NEW
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK
OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEY WEST.

$$

DEVANAS/BROCK




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