[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTAE 282130
HLSTAE

GMZ750-FLZ008-012-014-290100-

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

...EXTREMELY LARGE AND CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE KATRINA
BARRELING TOWARD THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST WITH SUSTAINED WINDS
NOW AT 165 MPH...
...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 4 PM CDT...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE KATRINA WAS CENTERED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.9 DEGREES NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.0 DEGREES WEST...OR
ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT 290 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF DESTIN
FLORIDA. KATRINA IS NOW MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT 13 MPH. THE
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED SLIGHTLY TO 165 MPH.
FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY OF HURRICANES OF THIS SIZE ARE NOT
UNCOMMON...AND HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS
AND DESTRUCTIVE CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON
HURRICANE INTENSITY SCALE. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS FALLEN
ALL DAY AND IS NOW 902 MILLIBARS. KATRINA CONTINUES TO EXPAND HER
WIND FIELD.  TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS NOW EXTEND OUTWARD TO 235
MILES. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE
PANAMA CITY BUOY WHICH AT 4 PM CDT RECORDED A SUSTAINED WIND OF 36
MPH WITH A GUST TO 45 MPH. EVEN THOUGH THE CENTER OF KATRINA IS
FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL WELL TO THE WEST OF THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...THE EXPANDING WIND FIELD COULD BRING TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS TO PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATER
TONIGHT 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 OF 8 TO 10 FEET...WITH OCCASIONALLY HIGHER WAVES...IN THE SURF
ZONE. THIS HAS CAUSED MUCH OF THE REPLACEMENT SAND FOR HURRICANE
DENNIS TO BE WASHED AWAY. SOME OF THE WAVES ARE MOVING UP UNDER A
FEW HOUSES ON THE BEACHES IN WALTON COUNTY. THE SURF WILL ONLY GROW
LARGER AS KATRINA APPROACHES THE CENTRAL GULF COAST. STRONG ONSHORE
FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH KATRINA WILL PRODUCE TIDES OF 6 TO 8 FEET ABOVE
NORMAL HIGH TIDE ALONG THE PANHANDLE COAST. 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...1037 AM MONDAY MORNING

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 35 TO 45 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...
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE COAST
AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. 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.

...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 900 PM EDT (800 PM CDT).

$$

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