[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 270923
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-271230-

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
530 AM EDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...EYE OF HURRICANE KATRINA MOVING WEST SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE GULF OF
MEXICO WEST OF THE DRY TORTUGAS...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING DISCONTINUED FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER
FLORIDA KEYS FROM OCEAN REEF TO THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE
BRIDGE...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA
KEYS FROM THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE THROUGH DRY
TORTUGAS...
...ALL FLOOD WARNINGS EXPIRED FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.
UPDATED WIND IMPACTS.
UPDATED MARINE IMPACTS.
UPDATED STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS.
UPDATED RAINFALL IMPACTS.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY...
INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS FROM OCEAN
REEF THROUGH THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE HAS BEEN
DISCONTINUED. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE
LOWER FLORIDA KEYS FROM THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE
THROUGH KEY WEST AND WEST TO DRY TORTUGAS. THE FLOOD WARNING WHICH
WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS FROM UPPER SUGARLOAF KEY TO
KEY WEST HAS EXPIRED. THE FLOOD WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE
ENTIRE FLORIDA KEYS HAS ALSO EXPIRED.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.4 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 165 MILES
WEST OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS...WHICH MAKES KATRINA A MAJOR HURRICANE. KATRINA IS NOW
A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME
STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. KATRINA IS NOW
MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST NEAR 7 MPH. A GRADUAL TOWARDS THE WEST
NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 945 MB...OR 27.91 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MONROE COUNTY OFFICIALS HAVE CAUTIONED RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO
REMAIN INDOORS EARLY THIS MORNING. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AND
FLORIDA KEYS MARATHON AIRPORTS ARE CLOSED AT THIS TIME...BUT ARE
EXPECTED TO RESUME SERVICE SOME TIME TODAY. ALSO...BUS SERVICE IS
EXPECTED TO RESUME LATER TODAY. KEYS ELECTRIC COMPANY REPORTS TEN
THOUSAND CUSTOMERS ARE WITHOUT POWER BETWEEN BIG PINE KEY AND KEY
WEST. CREWS ARE ASSESSING CONDITIONS AND WILL MAKE REPAIRS WHEN
SUSTAINED WINDS FALL BELOW 35 MPH. THE FLORIDA KEYS AQUEDUCT
AUTHORITY REPORTS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE WATER SUPPLY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
OVER THE LOWER KEYS...SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
AROUND 50 MPH IN SQUALLS WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. ALONG
THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS FROM MARATHON THROUGH OCEAN
REEF...SUSTAINED WINDS WILL CONTINUE AT 20 TO 25 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL
GUSTS TO 35 MPH. BETWEEN 4 AND 5 AM THIS MORNING...PEAK WIND GUSTS
INCLUDED 48 MPH AT THE KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...63 MPH AT
DRY TORTUGAS...53 MPH AT SAND KEY LIGHT...AND 40 MPH AT SOMBRERO KEY
LIGHT.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
HAZARDOUS WINDS AND SEAS WILL AFFECT KEYS WATERS TODAY THROUGH
PROBABLY SUNDAY. OVER WATERS FROM THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE
BRIDGE THROUGH DRY TORTUGAS...INCLUDING THE GULF WATERS NORTH OF THE
LOWER KEYS OUT TO 60 NM WEST OF MAINLAND MONROE COUNTY...SUSTAINED
SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 35 TO 40 KNOTS WITH GUSTS 45 TO 55 KNOTS
WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS BEFORE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING
BELOW TROPICAL STORM FORCE LATER THIS MORNING. ACROSS THE WATERS
FROM THE WEST END OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE THROUGH OCEAN REEF
INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...SUSTAINED SOUTH WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH
GUSTS TO AROUND 30 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SEAS WILL
CONTINUE AT 8 TO 15 FEET IN OPEN WATERS MAINLY WEST OF THE SEVEN
MILE BRIDGE...AND CONTINUE AT 5 TO 8 FEET IN OPEN WATERS OF THE
FLORIDA STRAITS EAST OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE. BAY AND NEARSHORE
WATERS WILL REMAIN VERY ROUGH...AND SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN
PORT.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES HAVE RECENTLY OCCURRED ACROSS THE KEYS...AT
LEVELS LESS THAN ONE FOOT ABOVE NORMAL. MINOR OVERWASH ON LOW LYING
COASTAL ROADS...INCLUDING SOUTH ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD...WILL DIMINISH
LATER THIS MORNING.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS...MAINLY
THIS MORNING.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
ALL FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS HAVE EXPIRED FOR THE FLORIDA
KEYS...HOWEVER...AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL ARE
EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE LOWER KEYS...FROM THE WEST OF THE SEVEN
MILE BRIDGE THROUGH KEY WEST. ALSO...WATERS WILL BE SLOW TO RECEDE
ON POORLY DRAINED STREETS AND PARKING LOTS IN THE LOWER KEYS THIS
MORNING. OVER 9.66 INCHES OF RAIN HAS BEEN RECORDED AT KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DURING FRIDAY...MAKING FRIDAY THE FOURTH
WETTEST CALENDAR DAY IN KEY WEST SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1871.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON HURRICANE 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.

$$

RIZZO/FUTTERMAN





















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