[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 300035
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017-022>027-030>036-039>044-049-300300-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
730 PM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

...KATRINA DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM...

...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 JUST
EAST OF INTERSTATE 65 FROM ONEONTA...TO ROCKFORD...TO TROY...AND
WEST...TO THE MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA STATE LINE UNTIL 10 AM TUESDAY.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES EAST OF INTERSTATE 65...
EAST OF ONEONTA...TO ROCKFORD...TO TROY...AND EAST...TO THE ALABAMA
GEORGIA STATE LINE UNTIL 10 AM TUESDAY.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 5 AM TUESDAY.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH 7 PM TUESDAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 7 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 32.9 NORTH... LONGITUDE 88.9 WEST OR ABOUT 30 MILES
NORTHWEST OF MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE IS 965 MB...28.50 INCHES.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 21 MPH...AND A GRADUAL
TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO 65 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 200 MILES...MAINLY TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE HURRICANE
TRACK...AFFECTING AREAS NEAR THE ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI STATE LINE
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 70
MPH.  TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL EXTEND AS FAR EAST AS
INTERSTATE 65...FROM ONEONTA...TO ROCKFORD...TO TROY...AND WHERE
WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH A FEW GUSTS TO AROUND 60
MPH. LOCATIONS EAST OF ONEONTA...TO ROCKFORD...TO TROY...CAN EXPECT
WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH.

WINDS AT THESE SPEEDS...IN COMBINATION OF SATURATED SOILS...CAN
TOPPLE NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
KATRINA IS MOVING FASTER NORTHWARD THAN EXPECTED...AND TOTAL RAINFALL
AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED DOWNWARD.  FOR AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE
65...2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE...WITH ISOLATED
AMOUNTS NEAR 5 INCHES.  AREAS EAST OF INTERSTATE 65...1 TO 3 INCHES
ARE EXPECTED.

HEAVY RAINFALL FROM KATRINA WILL CAUSE MAINLY MINOR RIVER FLOODING...
ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE.  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 HAVE ALREADY
BEEN BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETION.

...TORNADO THREAT...
AS RAIN BANDS ROTATE NORTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA
OVERNIGHT...THERE WILL BE A CONTINUED TREAT OF TORNADOES. THE
TORNADO THREAT WILL SHIFT NORTHWARD AS THE CENTER OF KATRINA
MOVES FARTHER NORTH.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
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.  THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE
DEPARTMENT'S WEB SITE...AT HTTP://WWW.DOT.STATE.AL.US/.

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

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...OR DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE KATRINA...CALL
OUR STORM REPORTING HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 10 PM CDT.

&&

$$



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