[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KTAE 082353 CCA
HLSTAE
FLZ008-012-014-015-018-027-028-034-090245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED...CORRECTED
HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
735 PM EDT FRI JUL 8 2005

...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM THE STEINHATCHEE RIVER
WESTWARD...

...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF THE STEINHATCHEE
RIVER...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL
THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE.

...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION...
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE COASTAL COUNTIES
OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE FROM TAYLOR COUNTY WEST TO
BEYOND DESTIN. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM DIXIE COUNTY
SOUTH.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 7 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 22.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.4 WEST OR ABOUT 65 MILES
EAST-SOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA AND ABOUT 130 MILES SOUTH OF KEY WEST
FLORIDA.

DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. ON THIS
TRACK...THE CENTER SHOULD EMERGE OFF THE NORTH-CENTRAL COAST OF CUBA
THIS EVENING.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 125 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  THIS MAKES DENNIS A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FURTHER WEAKENING IS FORECAST AS DENNIS
MOVES OVER CUBA. HOWEVER...DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A MAJOR
HURRICANE AS IT EMERGES OVER THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND THE
SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO THIS EVENING.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 65 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160
MILES.

...WIND IMPACTS...
GIVEN THE CURRENT FORECAST...WINDS WILL INCREASE TO NEAR TROPICAL
STORM FORCE ALONG THE COAST FROM DOG ISLAND AND SAINT GEORGE ISLAND
SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT SATURDAY. THEN...DURING THE REST OF SUNDAY
MORNING...WINDS WILL INCREASE FURTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE COAST. HURRICANE WINDS COULD REACH THE COAST BY SUNRISE
SUNDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE AND EVENTUALLY HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
WILL PUSH INLAND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATER SUNDAY. IF THE
TRACK OF DENNIS IS SLIGHTLY EAST...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COULD
RECEIVE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. ALL PEOPLE IN THE HURRICANE WATCH
AREA SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE
DURING SUNDAY.

...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL INFORMATION...
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL WILL OCCUR OVER A LARGE SWATH AS THE HURRICANE
MOVES INLAND. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS LIKELY TO FALL OVER THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE FROM THE APALACHICOLA RIVER WESTWARD AND INTO SOUTHEAST
ALABAMA. EXPECT TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER
AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. FURTHER EAST...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND SOUTHWEST
GEORGIA CAN EXPECT 3 TO 5 INCHES.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
STORM SURGE SHOULD BEGIN ALONG THE COAST EARLY SUNDAY. IF THE CENTER
OF THE HURRICANE MOVES TOWARD AND INLAND OVER THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE AS A MAJOR HURRICANE...STORM TIDES WILL BE EXTREME OVER
THE PANHANDLE COAST. SURGES FROM ST GEORGE ISLAND EASTWARD ACROSS
THE BIG BEND WOULD LIKELY BE IN THE 6 TO 8 FOOT RANGE. EXPOSED
BARRIER ISLAND AND PENINSULAS INCLUDING CAPE SAN BLAS WILL ALSO
EXPERIENCE LARGE DAMAGING WAVE ACTION AND EROSION.

NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ARE AS FOLLOWS...

APALACHICOLA...
SATURDAY...LOW 12:52 AM AND 12:22 PM...HIGH 8:07 AM AND 5:18 PM
SUNDAY...LOW 1:14 AM AND 1:09 PM...HIGH 8:22 AM AND 6:07 PM

PANAMA CITY...
SATURDAY...HIGH 11:46 AM...LOW 10:29 PM
SUNDAY...HIGH 12:07 AM...LOW 10:31 PM

...RIP CURRENTS...
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DUE TO
INCREASING SURF AND WINDS.

...TORNADO THREAT...
TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING SATURDAY ESPECIALLY OVER THE
FLORIDA BIG BEND. AS DENNIS MOVES NORTHWEST TOWARD THE AREA...
TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED. THE GREATEST THREAT IS
NORMALLY TO THE NORTH THROUGH NORTHEAST OF THE HURRICANE.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND SECURE YOUR PROPERTY. THE
FOLLOWING ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR PREPARING FOR THE STORM.

YOUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE MAY SELL OUT OF ITEMS SOON. STOCK UP ON...
BATTERIES FOR RADIOS AND FLASHLIGHTS...CANNED OR DRIED FOOD...
DRINKING WATER...FIRST AID SUPPLIES AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE...AND
FUEL FOR AUTOMOBILES...GENERATORS AND CHAIN SAWS. ALSO...BE SURE TO
HAVE CASH ON HAND...AS CREDIT CARDS AND ATM'S MAY NOT WORK WITHOUT
POWER.

AROUND THE HOUSE...STORE LOOSE ITEMS SUCH AS TRASH CANS OR YARD
FURNITURE. CHECK THAT YOUR BATTERY OPERATED RADIOS ARE WORKING. IF
YOU OWN A BOAT...MOVE IT TO A SAFE LOCATION. TRIM ANY LARGE TREES
THAT COULD FALL ON THE HOUSE.

IF YOU ARE ORDERED TO EVACUATE TO A PUBLIC SHELTER...REMEMBER TO
BRING YOUR FIRST AID KIT AND MEDICINE...BABY FOOD AND DIAPERS...
TOILETRIES...A CHANGE OF CLOTHES...A BATTERY POWERED RADIO AND EXTRA
BATTERIES...A FLASHLIGHT...SLEEPING BAGS OR BLANKETS...A FORM OF
IDENTIFICATION...ANY VALUABLE PAPERS...AND CASH. REMEMBER...PETS ARE
NOT ALLOWED IN MOST PUBLIC SHELTERS.

IF YOU ARE STAYING AT HOME...TURN REFRIGERATOR TO MAXIMUM COLD. TURN
OFF PROPANE TANKS. UNPLUG SMALL APPLIANCES. FILL STERILIZED JUGS AND
BOTTLES WITH WATER FOR DRINKING. FILL THE BATH TUB AND CONTAINERS
WITH WATER FOR SANITARY PURPOSES.

IF YOU PLAN ON USING A PORTABLE GENERATOR...CHECK IT NOW FOR PROPER
VENTILATION. CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING DEATHS CAN OCCUR DUE TO
IMPROPERLY VENTILATED PORTABLE GENERATORS!

PRECAUTIONS OUTSIDE YOUR HOME SHOULD BE STARTED NOW WHILE THE
WEATHER IS STILL GOOD. IT MAY BE DANGEROUS TO WORK OUTSIDE BY SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.

FOR FUTURE INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE EVACUATION ORDERS...AND FOR
SPECIFIC SCHOOL AND/OR BUSINESS CLOSURE INFORMATION...STAY TUNED TO
LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM CINDY WILL BE ISSUED BY
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 11 PM EDT.


$$

8-JAMSKI


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