[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 091926
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017>050-092200-

HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
226 PM CDT SAT JUL 9 2005

...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA
SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY
AFTERNOON THOUGH MONDAY MORNING...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT PERTAINS TO ALL CENTRAL ALABAMA COUNTIES SERVICED BY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA FROM SUNDAY AT NOON CDT THROUGH MONDAY AT NOON CDT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA
FROM SUNDAY AT NOON CDT THOUGH MONDAY AT NOON CDT.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 2 PM CDT...DENNIS WAS BECOMING BETTER ORGANIZED AS IT MOVES
NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST. INFORMATION FROM
RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT...SATELLITE...AND COASTAL DOPPLER RADARS
INDICATE THE CENTER OF THE EYE OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.4 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 295 MILES...
SOUTH OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA...OR ABOUT 425 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI.....OR ABOUT 490 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF
MONTGOMERY ALABAMA. DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH
AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHWEST TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS ARE NEAR 100 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME GRADUAL
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. DENNIS COULD
BECOME A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE AGAIN BY SUNDAY. ON THIS FORECAST
TRACK...THE CENTER OF DENNIS WILL BE APPROACHING THE ALABAMA GULF
COAST SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS A STRONG CATEGORY TWO STORM OR WEAK
CATEGORY THREE STORM.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SECURE ALL LOOSE OBJECTS...SUCH AS PATIO FURNITURE AND TRASH CANS...
OR MOVE THEM INDOORS.  FLOODING...ESPECIALLY FLASH FLOODING...WILL BE
A PROBLEM DUE TO THE VERY HEAVY RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH DENNIS.
FLOODING CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT...WHERE WATER CAN
QUICKLY FLOOD ROADWAYS AND LOW LYING AREAS AND VISIBILITIES ARE
LIMITED IN THE DARK. DO NOT TRY TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS...TURN
AROUND...DON'T DROWN.

SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE ANTICIPATED WITH THE CURRENT FORECAST
TRACK OF DENNIS. 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 EXIST...USE
EXTREME CAUTION WHEN OPERATING GENERATORS INDOORS AND PROVIDE
ADEQUATE VENTILATION FOR THE MACHINE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES
LATE SUNDAY MORNING AS OUTER RAIN BANDS MOVE NORTHWARD INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL ALABAMA. WINDS GUSTS OF 60 TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE
NEAR THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION. MORE DETAILED TIME...LOCATION...AND
STRENGTH WILL BE PROVIDED AS THE FORECAST TRACK BECOMES BETTER
ESTABLISHED.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK OF DENNIS...4 TO 8 INCHES OF
RAIN ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS ANTICIPATED SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
MID DAY MONDAY. RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA DURING THE PAST
MONTH HAS LED TO SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS...AND ANY ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN RAPID RUNOFF AND FLASH FLOODING.

WITH ABOVE NORMAL RIVER FLOW IN MANY LOCATIONS...HEAVY RAINFALL IN
ASSOCIATION WITH DENNIS WILL AGGRAVATE RIVER CONDITIONS. RIVER
FLOODING COULD BECOME A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM BY MONDAY AND TUESDAY
ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION WHEN AND IF THE
WATERS BEGIN RISING.

...TORNADO THREAT...
THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL INCREASE ACROSS SOUTHERN
ALABAMA SUNDAY MORNING AND THE THREAT WILL SPREAD TO THE REMAINDER OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THIS TORNADO THREAT WILL GENERALLY
BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTER RAIN BANDS OF HURRICANE DENNIS. THE
TORNADO THREAT WILL EXIST THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE RAIN BANDS
ALSO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN. IF THESE TORNADOES DUE DEVELOP...THEY
WILL LIKELY BE RAIN WRAPPED.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
LANE REVERSAL ON INTERSTATE 65 STARTED SATURDAY MORNING IN SOUTH
ALABAMA. THE REVERSE LANING WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM THE MOBILE RIVER
AT EXIT 31 (STOCKTON EXIT) NORTH TO NEAR MONTGOMERY AT THE
INTERSECTION OF US-80 AND I-65 (EXIT 168). THIS REVERSE
LANING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT 5 PM CDT TODAY.

THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (ALDOT) HAS SET UP A HOT
LINE FOR ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION IN SOUTH ALABAMA. THE ACCESS NUMBER
IS 1 8 8 8 5 8 8 2 8 4 8.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY
AT LEAST 5 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON.


&&

LINHARES

$$



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