[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 090511
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-090730-

HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
100 AM EDT SAT JUL 9 2005

...SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY AND REMAIN UNTIL STORM PASSAGE...
...THREE REFUGES OF LAST RESORT ARE AVAILABLE...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS UNTIL 900 AM...
...HURRICANE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS...
...HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE
MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION
UPDATED CURRENT WIND INFORMATION
UPDATED TIMING AND HEIGHTS FOR STORM TIDES
UPDATED MARINE IMPACTS

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE
COUNTY...INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS WEST OF THE
SEVEN MILE BRIDGE. A HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE
IN EFFECT FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS...INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 23.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.3 WEST...JUST NORTH OF THE CITY
OF HAVANA...OR ABOUT 95 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE 110 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. DENNIS IS A STRONG
CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE...AND IS EXPECTED
TO RE-STRENGTHEN INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT MOVES INTO THE
SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST
NEAR 14 MPH. THIS MOTION SHOULD MOVE DENNIS AWAY FROM CUBA AND BRING
THE CENTER TO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TODAY...MOVING INTO
THE FLORIDA STRAITS AND REACHING WEST OF THE DRY TORTUGAS LATER THIS
MORNING. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 962 MB...OR
28.41 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE EVACUATION HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED BY MONROE COUNTY OFFICIALS
FRIDAY EVENING. YOU ARE URGED TO SEEK SAFE REFUGE AND SHELTER IN
PLACE FOR THE DURATION OF THE HURRICANE. THREE REFUGES OF LAST
RESORT ARE OPEN. THEY ARE LOCATED AT KEY WEST HIGH SCHOOL IN KEY
WEST...STANLEY SWITLICK SCHOOL IN MARATHON...AND CORAL SHORES HIGH
SCHOOL AT MILE MARKER 90. NO SUPPLIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE REFUGES.
FOR EMERGENCY INFORMATION CALL THE MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY HOTLINE
AT 800-955-5504. THE MONROE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IS FULLY
ACTIVATED AND A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
MONROE COUNTY. KEY WEST AIRPORT AND LOWER KEYS MEDICAL CENTER REMAIN
CLOSED. THERE ARE NO FIRE OR RESCUE SERVICES FROM STOCK ISLAND
THROUGH MARATHON. ALL RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR FUTURE
MEDIA REPORTS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BULLETINS FOR FURTHER
PROTECTIVE ACTIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
WATER LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY NEAR HIGH TIDE THROUGHOUT THE KEYS...AND
ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING NEAR ONE FOOT ABOVE NORMAL. STORM
SURGE...WHICH IS THE INCREASE IN WATER LEVEL ABOVE NORMAL
ASTRONOMICAL TIDE LEVELS...IN THE LOWER KEYS WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 4
FEET...WITH AROUND 2 FEET OF STORM SURGE EXPECTED IN THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER KEYS. DRY TORTUGAS MAY EXPERIENCE STORM SURGE UP TO 6 FEET.
STORM TIDES WILL REACH MAXIMUM VALUES DURING THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS. WATER LEVELS MAY REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH THE NEXT HIGH TIDE
AROUND NOON TODAY. THE GREATEST RISK FOR STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL
OCCUR ALONG SOUTH AND EAST FACING PORTIONS OF EACH ISLAND.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS IN THE LOWER KEYS ARE CURRENTLY SUSTAINED FROM 40 TO 50 MPH
WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO OVER 60 MPH. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
RECENTLY RECORDED WIND GUSTS TO 62 MPH. THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER KEYS...SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE BEEN 30 TO 40 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL
GUSTS TO OVER 50 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL CONTINUE OUT OF THE EAST AND
SOUTHEAST AND WILL OCCASIONALLY GUST TO HURRICANE FORCE...ESPECIALLY
IN THE LOWER KEYS. EXPECT SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES AND DAMAGE TO
TREES TO OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE KEYS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL STORM PASSAGE. TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 TO 50 KNOTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 KNOTS ARE
CURRENTLY AFFECTING THE STRAITS ALONG THE FLORIDA KEYS. HURRICANE
FORCE SUSTAINED WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD OVER THE STRAITS SOUTH
OF THE LOWER KEYS AND WEST THROUGH DRY TORTUGAS...ALONG WITH SEAS
BUILDING UP TO 18 FEET.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL SO FAR THROUGHOUT THE KEYS HAS AVERAGED FROM ONE TO ONE AND
A HALF INCHES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED
THROUGHOUT THE KEYS...EXCEPT LOCALLY UP TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE
LOWER KEYS.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS UNTIL 900 AM
THIS MORNING. A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT IN THE WATCH AREA...ESPECIALLY IN THE OUTER
RAINBANDS OF THE HURRICANE. IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED OR DETECTED ON
RADAR...A TORNADO WARNING WILL BE ISSUED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON HURRICANE DENNIS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE AROUND 330 AM EDT THIS MORNING...OR
WHEN NEW INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION...PLEASE CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

RIZZO/FUTTERMAN

































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