[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 272104
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-272300-

HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
500 PM EDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING DISCONTINUED FROM WEST OF KEY WEST TO THE
DRY TORTUGAS...

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

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

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
ALL WARNINGS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.6 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 240 MILES
WEST OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS...WHICH MAKES KATRINA A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. KATRINA IS MOVING WEST NEAR 7 MPH. THE MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED AT 945 MB...OR 27.91 INCHES OF
MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
UTILITY CREWS ARE WELL UNDERWAY WITH RESTORATION EFFORTS. KEY WEST
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS OPEN...AND COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE HAS BEGUN
TO SLOWLY RESUME. FLORIDA KEYS MARATHON AIRPORT IS OPEN AS WELL.
GREYHOUND BUS SERVICES HAVE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATIONS. FLOODING IN
THE LOWER KEYS AND KEY WEST HAS RECEDED CONSIDERABLY...AND DRIVING
CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED. HOWEVER...OFFICIALS CAUTION RESIDENTS AND
VISITORS TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE
THROUGH REMAINING FLOODED AREAS. OFFICIALS ARE EVALUATING THE PORT
OF KEY WEST...AND WILL KNOW ITS STATUS LATER TODAY. JOHN PENNEKAMP
CORAL REEF STATE PARK IS OPEN...AND THE REMAINDER OF THE STATE PARKS
IN THE KEYS SHOULD REOPEN SUNDAY OR MONDAY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
FROM WEST OF KEY WEST TO BEYOND THE DRY TORTUGAS...SOUTHEAST TO
SOUTH WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH IN RAIN SQUALLS ARE
EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. FROM OCEAN REEF TO KEY
WEST...SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS WILL BLOW AT 15 TO 25 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
HAZARDOUS WINDS AND SEAS WILL AFFECT MOST KEYS WATERS LATE THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. OVER WATERS FROM WEST OF KEY WEST TO
BEYOND THE DRY TORTUGAS...SUSTAINED SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS OF 25
TO 35 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 KNOTS IN RAIN SQUALLS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY EVENING. FROM OCEAN REEF TO KEY WEST...
INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 KNOTS
WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 KNOTS IN RAIN SQUALLS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THIS EVENING. SEAS OF 8 TO 15 FEET ARE EXPECTED IN OPEN WATERS WEST
OF KEY WEST...AND SEAS OF 5 TO 8 FEET ARE EXPECTED BEYOND THE REEF
IN THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA ADJACENT TO THE ISLANDS FROM OCEAN REEF TO
KEY WEST. BAY AND NEARSHORE WATERS WILL REMAIN ROUGH...AND SMALL
CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAIN AND SQUALLS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE WATERS FROM WEST
OF KEY WEST TO BEYOND THE DRY TORTUGAS. HOWEVER...ONLY SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE ISLAND
CHAIN FROM OCEAN REEF TO KEY WEST. THE SIGNIFICANT HEAVY RAINFALL
THREAT HAS ENDED...AND FLOOD WATERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RECEDE
THIS AFTERNOON.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS IS THE LAST HURRICANE KATRINA LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN KEY WEST.

$$

K. KASPER






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