[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 300255
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017-022>027-030>036-039>044-049-300600-

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

...TROPICAL STORM KATRINA MOVING OVER NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...

...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 10 PM CDT....THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS
ESTIMATED NEAR LATITUDE 33.5 NORTH... LONGITUDE 88.5 WEST OR NEAR
COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 973
MB...28.73 INCHES.

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 22 MPH.  SOME
INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  ON
THE FORECAST TRACK...KATRINA WILL BE MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL
TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY ON TUESDAY.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE
CENTER.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA...DUE TO THE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS.  IF THE
POWER OUTAGES LAST FOR ANY DURATION AND A GENERATOR IS NECESSARY...
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT GENERATOR USE INDOORS CAN BE DEADLY DUE TO THE
CARBON MONOXIDE GAS PRODUCED. GENERATORS SHOULD NOT BE USED
INDOORS...BUT IF NO ALTERNATIVE EXISTS...USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN
OPERATING GENERATORS INDOORS AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE VENTILATION FOR THE
MACHINE.

FLOODING...ESPECIALLY FLASH FLOODING...WILL BE A PROBLEM DUE TO THE
VERY HEAVY RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH KATRINA. FLOODING CAN BE
ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT...WHERE WATER CAN QUICKLY FLOOD
ROADWAYS AND LOW LYING AREAS. IN ADDITION...VISIBILITIES ARE LIMITED
IN THE DARK. DO NOT TRY TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS...TURN AROUND...
DON'T DROWN.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INNER FEEDER BANDS
THAT ARE MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  SUSTAINED WINDS OF
35 TO 45 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.

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 THREAT OF TORNADOES.

...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 DOWNED POWER LINES...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 1 AM CDT.

&&

$$



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