[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KMOB 280323
HLSMOB
ALZ051>053-061>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-280800-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1020 PM CDT SAT AUG 27 2005

...A HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR MOBILE AND BALDWIN
COUNTIES...

...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND HURRICANE WATCH ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR
ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS
OF THE COASTAL AND INLAND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST
FLORIDA...AND INLAND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
AT 10 PM CDT...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL AND
INLAND MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES. AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING IS
IN EFFECT FOR STONE AND GEORGE COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL AND INLAND
ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PERRY...GREENE AND WAYNE
COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS
IN EFFECT FOR WASHINGTON...CLARKE AND CHOCTAW COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA. FOR THE LATEST PLEASE SEE THE PRODUCT BHMNPWMOB.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 10 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.2 WEST OR ABOUT 335 MILES SOUTH-
SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH. A GRADUAL
TURN TO THE NORTHWEST SHOULD BEGIN ON SUNDAY.

HURRICANE KATRINA HAS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 115 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS...MAKING KATRINA A DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS AND KATRINA COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON
SUNDAY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI SHOULD MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR THE POTENTIAL LANDFALL OF A
MAJOR HURRICANE ALONG THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA
SOMETIME MIDDAY MONDAY. ON MONDAY...HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS COULD BE FELT WELL EAST OF THE STORM CENTER...ALONG WITH
MODERATE TO HIGH STORM SURGE ALONG THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA
COASTAL AREAS.

ANY EVACUATION DECISIONS FOR COASTAL ALABAMA AND FLORIDA ARE EXPECTED
TO BE MADE ON SUNDAY. RECOMMENDED AND MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS ARE
IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL SOMEWHERE NEAR SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AS A MAJOR HURRICANE. WHILE EXACT LOCATION OF LANDFALL IS
STILL UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...SIGNIFICANT AND LIFE THREATENING STORM
SURGE IS EXPECTED TO BE FELT WELL EAST OF THE STORMS CENTER. BASED ON
THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK...A STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 15 FEET IS
EXPECTED ALONG COASTAL MOBILE COUNTY AND THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF
MOBILE BAY. A STORM SURGE OF 8 TO 10 FEET IS EXPECTED ALONG COASTAL
BALDWIN COUNTY. THESE SURGE HEIGHT VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO CAUSE
SIGNIFICANT INUNDATION ALONG PORTIONS OF DAUPHIN ISLAND AND FORT
MORGAN PENINSULA. ALSO...A STORM SURGE OF 5 TO 7 FEET IS EXPECTED
ALONG THE EXTREME NORTHWEST FLORIDA COASTLINE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
EAST TO NORTHEAST WIND OF 10 TO 20 MPH SHOULD CONTINUE OVER SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY...THEN
INCREASE SUNDAY AFTERNOON TO AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH INLAND AND 20 TO 30
MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS CLOSER TO THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA
COASTLINES. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OVERSPREAD THE
MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA COASTAL AREAS SUNDAY EVENING...WITH THE
REMAINING INLAND PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND PORTIONS OF
INLAND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA SOMETIME MONDAY MORNING. HURRICANE FORCE
WINDS ARE LIKELY ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA COASTS BY EARLY
MONDAY MORNING...THEN SPREADING INLAND ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
BY MONDAY AFTERNOON.

...RIP CURRENTS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS...
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY...
BECOMING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY WITH THE
APPROACHING MAJOR HURRICANE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT SWIMMERS STAY OUT
OF THE WATER SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

...RAINFALL...
SQUALLS AND HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE KATRINA ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA UNTIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON. ONCE THESE
ONSET...THEY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY NIGHT WITH
WIDESPREAD AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES EXPECTED...WITH ISOLATED
HIGHER AMOUNTS UP TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE.

...NEW INFORMATION...
MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES ARE NOW UNDER A HURRICANE WARNING.
STONE AND GEORGE COUNTIES ARE NOW UNDER AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING.
ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA ARE
NOW UNDER A TROPICAL STORM WARNING.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED FROM THIS OFFICE
AROUND 200 AM CDT SUNDAY MORNING.

$$

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