[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTAE 290117
HLSTAE

GMZ750-770-FLZ008-012-014-290430-

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

...LARGE AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA APPROACHING
THE NORTHERN GULF COAST...
...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE PANHANDLE COAST FROM
DESTIN EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...

...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 REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF DESTIN TO
INDIAN PASS IN GULF COUNTY FLORIDA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 7 PM CDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.2 DEGREES NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.1 DEGREES WEST...OR ABOUT
130 MILES SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THIS IS ALSO
ABOUT 275 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DESTIN FLORIDA. KATRINA WAS MOVING
TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHWEST NEAR 11 MPH...AND A TURN TO THE NORTH IS
EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HIGHEST SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR
160 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. KATRINA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC
CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON SCALE. SOME
FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY PRIOR TO LANDFALL. KATRINA IS
ALSO A LARGE STORM WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD
UP TO 230 MILES.

...PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD NOW BE PREPARED FOR TROPICAL
STORM CONDITIONS...HAVING SECURED LOOSE ITEMS SUCH AS GARBAGE CANS
AND PATIO FURNITURE. 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. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN WALTON COUNTY RECENTLY
REPORTED WAVES IN THE SURF ZONE OF AROUND 10 FEET. THIS HAS CAUSED
MUCH OF THE REPLACEMENT SAND FOR HURRICANE DENNIS TO BE WASHED
AWAY...ALLOWING SOME WATER TO WASH UNDERNEATH SOME OF THE HOUSES.
REPORTS FROM THE NORTHEAST GULF BUOYS CONTINUE TO SHOW INCREASING
SWELLS...WITH 18 FEET SWELLS BEING REPORTED AT THE BUOY 90 MILES
SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY. THIS INCREASING SWELL WILL LIKELY RESULT IN
HIGHER SURF ALONG THE COAST. THIS WAVE ACTION...COUPLED WITH STRONG
ONSHORE FLOW MAY PRODUCE TIDES OF 6 TO 8 FEET ABOVE
NORMAL...ESPECIALLY AT HIGH TIDE. THESE ABOVE NORMAL TIDES AND HIGH
SURF WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE BEACH EROSION AND COASTAL FLOODING
THROUGH MONDAY...ESPECIALLY 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...
AT 7 PM CDT WINDS ALONG THE PANHANDLE COAST WERE GENERALLY OUT OF
THE EAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH...WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH IN SOME SOME
OF THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. THE WINDS AT THE PANAMA CITY GULF BUOY WAS
SOUTHEAST AT 27 GUSTING TO 38 MPH. IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE
LIKELY THAT KATRINA WILL MAKE LANDFALL OVER SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
MONDAY MORNING. ON THIS TRACK MOST OF THE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
WILL MISS THE EASTERN PANHANDLE...BUT SOME SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE PANHANDLE COASTAL WATERS
AND NEAR THE IMMEDIATE COAST. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WILL
BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST TONIGHT AND MONDAY...MAINLY IN SOME OF
THE HEAVIER RAIN BANDS. 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 TONIGHT 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 TONIGHT AND MONDAY...BUT THE
GREATER THREAT WILL BE ACROSS THE WESTERN PANHANDLE.

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

THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY AROUND 1130 PM CDT.

$$

FOURNIER
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