[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 282135
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017-022>025-030>035-039>044-290330-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
435 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...HURRICANE KATRINA TO BRING HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS TO PARTS OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA...

...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES ALONG
AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON TO TUESDAY
AFTERNOON...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM FROM 4 PM MONDAY
THROUGH 7 PM CDT TUESDAY...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT PERTAINS TO ALL CENTRAL ALABAMA COUNTIES SERVICED
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES ALONG
AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 FROM 8AM CDT MONDAY TO TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM FROM 4 PM MONDAY
THROUGH 7 PM CDT TUESDAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.0 WEST...OR ABOUT 150
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...AND A GRADUAL
TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  ON THIS
TRACK THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST EARLY MONDAY.  HOWEVER...CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO
DETERIORATE ALONG PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF
COAST...AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN THROUGH THE NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 165 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY
UNTIL LANDFALL.  KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AT CATEGORY
FOUR OR FIVE INTENSITY.  WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF
HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR
GROUND LEVEL.

KATRINA IS A LARGE HURRICANE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES.  SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS ARE OCCURRING OVER THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST.  SOUTHWEST
PASS...NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...RECENTLY REPORTED
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 48 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 53 MPH.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 902 MB...26.64 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA NEED TO MAKE PREPARATIONS AND BRING
THEM TO COMPLETION BY THIS EVENING. HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS CAN
BE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA BEGINNING
EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND INCREASING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE STRONGEST
WINDS WILL BE ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE HURRICANE TRACK WITH THOSE
AREAS ALONG THE ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI BORDER LIKELY TO BE SUSTAINED AT
45 TO 60 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...FROM LINDEN AND
DEMOPOLIS NORTHWARD TO FAYETTE AND HAMILTON. HOWEVER...IF KATRINA
SHIFTS HER TRACK EVEN A LITTLE BIT TO THE EAST...THEN TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR MORE COULD REACH AS FAR EAST AS THE GEORGIA
STATE LINE...AND THE WATCH WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED.

WINDS SUCH AS THESE CAN TOPPLE NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES...
CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE PLANS AND TAKE
PRECAUTIONS SHOULD WARNINGS LATER BE ISSUED. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE
LAST MINUTE...CONDITIONS MAY QUICKLY BECOME TOO DANGEROUS.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS WINDS OF 39 TO 73 MPH ARE
EXPECTED DUE TO A LANDFALLING HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM...IN
THE NEXT 36 TO 48 HOURS.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK OF HURRICANE KATRINA...3 TO 6
INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES...IS
POSSIBLE WEST OF INTERSTATE 65...WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES EXPECTED EAST OF
INTERSTATE 65.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM FROM 4 PM MONDAY
THROUGH 7 PM CDT TUESDAY.

RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA DURING THE PAST MONTH HAS LED TO
SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS...AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL WILL
RESULT IN RAPID RUNOFF AND POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING.

WITH ABOVE NORMAL RIVER FLOW IN MANY LOCATIONS...HEAVY RAINFALL FROM
KATRINA WILL AGGRAVATE RIVER CONDITIONS.  RIVER FLOODING IS LIKELY TO
BECOME A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM BY TUESDAY ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. THIS
FLOODING WILL LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE WATER
BEGINS RISING TO MAKE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY.
EVACUATIONS FROM LOWLANDS MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE DUE TO DOWNED TREES AND
POWERLINES AND RAPIDLY RISING WATER. PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE BROUGHT
TO COMPLETION BY THIS EVENING.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
KATRINA IS NOW AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE WITH 165
MPH WINDS WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS SET UP A HOT LINE
FOR ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION IN SOUTH ALABAMA.  THE ACCESS NUMBER
IS 1-888-588-2848.

TO REPORT DOWN POWER LINES TO PLEASE CALL ALABAMA POWER AT 800-888-
2726.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AROUND 4PM CDT.

&&

$$

81/DE BLOCK



This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net