[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 092332
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017>050-100200-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
631 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 THE 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 6 PM CDT...2300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE  84.9 WEST OR ABOUT 285
MILES SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA AND ABOUT 385 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF BILOXI MISSISSIPPI.

DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH AND A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED TONIGHT OR SUNDAY.
THIS MOTION COULD BRING THE CENTER OF DENNIS NEAR THE NORTHERN
GULF COAST ON SUNDAY.

REPORTS FROM AIR FORCE AND NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT
INDICATE THAT DENNIS HAS STRENGTHENED RAPIDLY DURING THE PAST
FEW HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOW NEAR 115 MPH...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES DENNIS A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED...AND
DENNIS COULD BECOME A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL ON THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  40 MILES...FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 175 MILES. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY
AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS  947 MB...
27.96 INCHES.

...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.
IN ADDITION...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
EXISTS...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 RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH LOCALLY
HIGHER AMOUNTS.  THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS ANTICIPATED SUNDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDDAY 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 SOUTH
ALABAMA SUNDAY MORNING...AND THE THREAT WILL SPREAD TO 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.
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 CONTINUE FROM THE MOBILE
RIVER AT EXIT 31...THE STOCKTON EXIT...NORTH TO NEAR MONTGOMERY
AT THE INTERSECTION OF US HIGHWAY 80 AND INTERSTATE 65...AT
EXIT 168...UNTIL 5 PM CDT TODAY.

THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS SET UP A HOT LINE
FOR ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION IN SOUTH ALABAMA.  THE ACCESS NUMBER
IS 1-888-588-2848.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE
ISSUED BY 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING.
&&
$$
JBW



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