[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 091014 AAA
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-091130-

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

...REMAIN IN SAFE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED...
...DO NOT VENTURE OUT ONTO THE ROADWAYS FROM YOUR PLACE OF SAFETY...
...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 SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS IN PREPAREDNESS SECTION

...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 500 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 23.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.9 WEST...ABOUT 85 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 90 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. DENNIS IS A STRONG CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME RE-STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN
GULF OF MEXICO. DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH.
THIS MOTION SHOULD CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS ESTIMATED AT 972 MB...OR 28.70 INCHES OF
MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE CITY OF KEY WEST ADVISES ALL RESIDENTS NOT TO VENTURE OUT ONTO
THE STREETS. DANGEROUS CONDITIONS EXIST INCLUDING COASTAL
OVERWASH...FALLEN TREES...DOWNED POWER LINES...AND EVEN SOME DOWNED
AND NONFUNCTIONING TRAFFIC SIGNALS. TO REPORT TREES THAT ARE DOWNED
ACROSS POWER LINES OR DOWNED POWER LINES IN THE CITY OF KEY
WEST...PLEASE CALL 809-1108. IF YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY...DIAL
911...AS THE KEY WEST 911 SYSTEM CONTINUES TO OPERATE NORMALLY.
THREE REFUGES OF LAST RESORT ARE OPEN IN THE FLORIDA KEYS. 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 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF MONROE COUNTY. KEY WEST AND
MARATHON AIRPORTS...AS WELL AS THE 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.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
WATER LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY ONE AND A HALF FEET ABOVE NORMAL AT KEY
WEST. 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 AROUND 50 MPH WITH
OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO OVER 65 MPH. KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
RECENTLY RECORDED WIND GUSTS TO 72 MPH. THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER KEYS...SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE BEEN 35 TO 40 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL
GUSTS TO TO AROUND 55 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BECOME MORE
SOUTHEASTERLY...WITH GUSTS TO NEAR HURRICANE FORCE...ESPECIALLY IN
THE LOWER KEYS. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH AFTER SUNRISE...BUT
WILL REMAIN AT TROPICAL STORM FORCE THROUGH MIDDAY. SOME ADDITIONAL
POWER OUTAGES AND DAMAGE TO TREES AND SIGNS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE
FLORIDA KEYS THROUGH MIDDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL STORM PASSAGE. TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS OF 45 TO 55 KNOTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO OVER 65
KNOTS ARE CURRENTLY AFFECTING THE STRAITS ALONG THE FLORIDA KEYS.
SOMBRERO KEY LIGHT RECENTLY REPORTED WIND GUSTS TO 68 KNOTS.
HURRICANE FORCE SUSTAINED WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE STRAITS SOUTH
OF THE LOWER KEYS AND WEST THROUGH DRY TORTUGAS...ALONG WITH SEAS UP
TO 18 FEET.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL ACCUMULATED SO FAR THROUGHOUT THE KEYS HAS BEEN 1 TO 2
INCHES. TOTAL RAINFALL OF 4 TO 8 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT
THE 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 730 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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