[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KMOB 090945
HLSMOB
ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-091200-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
445 AM CDT SAT JUL 9 2005

...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST
FLORIDA GULF COASTS...

...AN INLAND HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

...HURRICANE DENNIS HAS MOVED INTO THE SOUTHEAST GULF
AND IS TAKING AIM ON THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS
OF THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST
FLORIDA...AND FOR PORTIONS OF INLAND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND
INLAND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF MOBILE
AND BALDWIN COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...AS WELL AS ESCAMBIA...
SANTA ROSA...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN THE EXTREME WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE.  INLAND HURRICANE WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
INLAND PORTIONS OF MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES IN ALABAMA...AND THE
INLAND PORTIONS OF ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES IN
THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.  INLAND HURRICANE WATCHES HAVE BEEN ISSUED
FOR WASHINGTON...CLARKE...MONROE...BUTLER...CRENSHAW...CONECUH...
COVINGTON AND ESCAMBIA COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND FOR
WAYNE...PERRY...GREENE...GEORGE AND STONE IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CHOCTAW AND
WILCOX COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT FOR SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND THE EXTREME WESTERN
FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 400 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 23.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.9 WEST OR ABOUT 525 MILES
SOUTH OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA.  DENNIS IS MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST NEAR
14 MPH WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 90 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST...
POSSIBLY THE EXTREME NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE OR ALABAMA COASTS...
ON SUNDAY AS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SHELTERS ARE BEING OPENED IN SOME AREAS...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL
EMA OFFICE OR WATCH LOCAL TV FOR LOCATIONS OF THESE SHELTERS.  SOME
TYPE OF EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF THE COASTAL
COUNTIES.  AGAIN CHECK LOCAL TV FOR THE LATEST EVACUATION
RECOMMENDATION.  IF YOU LIVE NEAR THE WATER AND ARE ORDERED TO
EVACUATE...DO SO. EVERY HURRICANE IS DIFFERENT AND JUST BECAUSE YOU
HAVE MADE IT THROUGH OTHER STORMS WITH VERY LITTLE DAMAGE...DONT
ASSUME THAT DENNIS WILL BE THE SAME. DON'T BE A STATISTIC...OBEY ALL
EVACUATION ORDERS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR AROUND MIDDAY ON SUNDAY...AND
COMBINED WITH THE SURGE FROM DENNIS...COULD RESULT IN A STORM SURGE
BETWEEN 10 AND 14 FEET IN AND NEAR WHERE DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL.  THIS
WILL RESULT IN MAJOR DESTRUCTION ALONG COASTAL AREAS...SIMILAR TO
WHAT HURRICANE IVAN PRODUCED LAST YEAR.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT
THE COASTAL AREAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...WHICH WILL MAKE DRIVING
CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...75 MPH OR GREATER...
WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE AREA AROUND MIDDAY SUNDAY AND PERSIST
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  AS DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO BE
AT LEAST A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE WITH WINDS AROUND 125 MPH...
MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS LIKELY WITH DENNIS.  THESE WINDS WILL
SPREAD ACROSS THE INLAND COUNTIES SUNDAY EVENING WITH THE HIGHEST
WINDS BEING ALONG AND NEAR THE CENTER OF DENNIS.

...RIP CURRENTS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS...
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND SUNDAY DUE TO
INCREASING SURF AND WINDS.  PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM SWIMMING...
SURFING AND RECREATIONAL BOATING UNTIL DENNIS MOVES OUT OF THE AREA.

WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE AS DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL
AND TRACKS INLAND. GROUND CONDITIONS ARE STILL FAIRLY MOIST DUE TO
HEAVY RAINFALL FROM TROPICAL STORM CINDY EARLIER IN THE WEEK...THIS
WILL PROMOTE MORE RUNOFF AND RESULT IN A DANGEROUS FLASH FLOOD
SITUATION AS DENNIS MOVES INLAND. IF FLOODING IS ENCOUNTERED...
REMEMBER TO TURN AROUND AND DON'T DROWN.

...TORNADO THREAT...
THE THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL BE INCREASED AS DENNIS APPROACHES THE
COAST AND MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

...NEW INFORMATION...
I-65 WILL BE REVERSED LANED NORTH BEGINNING AT 800 AM SATURDAY. THE
REVERSE LANING WILL BEGIN NEAR THE STOCKTON EXIT (EXIT 31) AND END
JUST SOUTH OF MONTGOMERY.  TRAFFIC GOING SOUTH ON I-65 SOUTH OF
MONTGOMERY WILL BE DIVERTED TO OTHER ROADWAYS.

WHEN TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS BEGIN TO AFFECT PENSACOLA BAY...THE
I-10 BRIDGE ACROSS PENSACOLA BAY WILL BE CLOSED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED
AROUND 700 AM.

$$

BEELER/CULLEN

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