[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTAE 281825
HLSTAE

FLZ008-012-014-282200-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
210 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...EXTREMELY LARGE AND CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE KATRINA
CONTINUES TOWARD THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST MAINTAINING HER
STRENGTH...
...TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE PANHANDLE COAST FROM
DESTIN EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...COASTAL
WALTON...BAY AND GULF COUNTIES.

...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF DESTIN TO INDIAN
PASS IN GULF COUNTY FLORIDA. THIS MEANS TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1 PM CDT...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE KATRINA WAS
CENTERED NEAR LATITUDE 26.5 DEGREES NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.6 DEGREES
WEST...OR ABOUT 180 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT 305 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF
PANAMA CITY FLORIDA. KATRINA IS MOVING TO THE WEST NORTHWEST AT 12
MPH. THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN AT 175 MPH. THIS MAKES
KATRINA A VERY DANGEROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE CATEGORY FIVE ON THE SAFFIR
SIMPSON HURRICANE INTENSITY SCALE. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS
FALLEN TO 906 MILLIBARS. WHILE IT IS DIFFICULT TO FORECAST INTENSITY
CHANGES OF MAJOR HURRICANES...SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING MAY BE
POSSIBLE BEFORE KATRINA REACHES THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COASTLINE
EARLY MONDAY MORNING. KATRINA CONTINUES TO EXPAND HER WIND FIELD.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS NOW EXTEND OUTWARD TO 205 MILES. EVEN
THOUGH THE CENTER OF KATRINA IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL WELL TO
THE WEST OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...THE EXPANDING WIND FIELD AND THE
POSSIBILITY THAT KATRINA MIGHT MAKE LANDFALL A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE
EAST THAN EXPECTED COULD BRING TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS TO PORTIONS
OF THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATER TODAY AND MONDAY.

...PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS ALONG THE COAST OF THE WARNED AREA SHOULD PREPARE FOR
TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS. SECURE LOOSE ITEMS SUCH AS GARBAGE
CANS...PATIO FURNITURE OR OTHER ITEMS THAT COULD EASILY BE PICKED UP
BY GUSTY WINDS. TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO PROTECT AGAINST COASTAL
FLOODING...ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MUCH SAND WAS WASHED AWAY BY
HURRICANE DENNIS LAST MONTH. LOW LYING AREAS AND LOCATIONS ON BAYS
AND INLETS WILL BE EVEN MORE PRONE TO COASTAL FLOODING. A MANDATORY
EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR CAPE SAN BLAS DUE TO EXPECTED SURGE
FLOODING. OTHER AREAS MAY BE GIVEN EVACUATION ORDERS. BE PREPARED
TO EVACUATE IF ORDERED BY LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY AS LARGE SWELLS EMANATE FROM
HURRICANE KATRINA. LAW ENFORCEMENT IN WALTON COUNTY HAVE REPORTED
WAVES UP TO 10 FEET IN THE SURF ZONE...WHICH HAS CAUSED MUCH OF THE
REPLACEMENT SAND FOR HURRICANE DENNIS TO BE WASHED AWAY. THE SURF
WILL ONLY GROW LARGER AS KATRINA APPROACHES THE CENTRAL GULF COAST.
STRONG ONSHORE FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH KATRINA WILL PRODUCE TIDES OF 5
TO 8 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE PANHANDLE. THESE ABOVE NORMAL TIDES
AND HIGH SURF WILL CAUSE BEACH EROSION AND COASTAL FLOODING THROUGH
MONDAY...ESPECIALLY AROUND AND AT THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE. THE BEACHES
OF WALTON COUNTY WERE CLOSED AS OF 8 AM CDT TODAY. THE FOLLOWING ARE
TIMES OF HIGH TIDE FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS...

APALACHICOLA...924 AM EDT SUNDAY AND 1037 AM MONDAY.

SAINT ANDREWS BAY AT PANAMA CITY...618 AM CDT MONDAY.

EAST PASS AT DESTIN...648 CDT MONDAY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE WILL BE ON THE EASTERN EDGES OF
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE COAST. THIS
WILL OCCUR LATER TODAY THROUGH MONDAY...MAINLY IN SOME OF THE
HEAVIER RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH KATRINA. SUCH WINDS TYPICALLY
CAUSE SEVERAL DOWNED TREE BRANCHES...A FEW DOWNED POWER LINES AND
POWER OUTAGES...TIPPED OVER GARBAGE CANS AND PATIO FURNITURE AND A
FEW UPROOTED TREES.

...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL...
THE STORM TOTAL RAINFALL FROM TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY IS EXPECTED TO
RANGE FROM 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS OCCURRING FARTHER
WEST.  SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WHICH COULD
CAUSE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
HOWEVER...WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.

...TORNADO THREAT...
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING THIS
EVENING...ESPECIALLY WEST OF THE APALACHICOLA RIVER.

...RIP CURRENTS...
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS TODAY THROUGH MONDAY.
EVERYONE...INCLUDING EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS...SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE
SURF TODAY THROUGH MONDAY.

THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 600 PM EDT (500 PM CDT).

$$

38-GODSEY
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