[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KMOB 100005
HLSMOB
ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-100431-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
705 PM CDT SAT JUL 9 2005

...DENNIS IS STRENGTHENING RAPIDLY AND COULD MAKE LANDFALL AS A
DEVASTATING CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE AT LANDFALL...

...A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALABAMA AND
NORTHWEST FLORIDA GULF COASTS...

...AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS
OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

...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...
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT 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 REMAIN IN EFFECT 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.  AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT
FOR CLARKE...CONECUH...ESCAMBIA...MONROE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.  AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN
EFFECT FOR BUTLER...CHOCTAW...CRENSHAW...COVINGTON AND WILCOX
COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA AND GEORGE...
GREENE...PERRY...STONE AND WAYNE COUNTIES OF INLAND SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI.

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

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 645 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.9 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 340 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF DAUPHIN ISLAND ALABAMA...OR ABOUT 325 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA.  DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14
MPH. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING WITH
A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST LATER TONIGHT. 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.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SHELTERS ARE OPEN IN MANY AREAS...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EMA
OFFICE...WATCH LOCAL TV OR LISTEN TO RADIO FOR LOCATIONS OF THESE
SHELTERS. SOME TYPE OF EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF THE
COASTAL COUNTIES. 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...DO NOT
ASSUME THAT DENNIS WILL BE THE SAME. DON'T BE A STATISTIC.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR AROUND MIDDAY SUNDAY. COMBINED
WITH THE SURGE FROM DENNIS...THE LATTER COULD RESULT IN A TOTAL STORM
SURGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 14 FEET AROUND THE CENTER OF DENNIS.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY THE CASE JUST TO THE EAST OF WHERE DENNIS MAKES
LANDFALL AND CURRENTLY THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE PENSACOLA AREA.
THIS WILL RESULT IN MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION ALONG
THE IMMEDIATE COAST...SIMILAR TO THAT PRODUCED BY HURRICANE IVAN OF
2004.  RESIDENTS OF MOBILE BAY SHOULD REMAIN ABREAST OF THIS
SITUATION...BECAUSE IF DENNIS' TRACK SHIFTS ANY FARTHER TO THE
WEST...MOBILE BAY SURGE VALUES COULD INCREASE TO THE 10 TO 14 FEET
RANGE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
GIVEN THE CURRENT TRACK AND INTENSITY FORECAST...DENNIS SHOULD BE
VERY SIMILAR TO HURRICANE IVAN OF 2004. TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE COASTAL AREAS
VERY 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
EVENING. DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO BE AT LEAST AN UPPER CATEGORY 3...AND
POSSIBLY A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE AT LANDFALL.  THUS...MAJOR
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS LIKELY WITH DENNIS.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL
SPREAD INTO THE INLAND COUNTIES SUNDAY EVENING WITH THE HIGHEST
WINDS BEING NEAR THE CENTER AND JUST TO THE EAST OF DENNIS.  THERE
IS ONE LAST CHANCE TO SECURE ALL LOOSE OBJECTS. UNSECURED LOOSE
OBJECTS CAN BECOME DEADLY PROJECTILES IN SUCH HIGH WIND CONDITIONS.

...RIP CURRENTS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS...
RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY THIS EVENING. ON SUNDAY...OF COURSE...
HURRICANE CONDITIONS WILL PRECLUDE RECREATIONAL BEACH ACTIVITY.
PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM SWIMMING...SURFING AND RECREATIONAL
BOATING UNTIL DENNIS MOVES WELL EAST OF THE AREA. DO NOT GO BACK
INTO THE WATER TOO EARLY...AS RESIDUAL RIP CURRENTS WILL REMAIN.

WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE AS DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL
AND MOVES INLAND. GROUND CONDITIONS ARE STILL VERY MOIST DUE TO
HEAVY RAINFALL FROM TROPICAL STORM CINDY AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL DURING THE PAST 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 TORNADO THREAT WILL INCREASE LATER TONIGHT AS DENNIS APPROACHES.
TORNADO PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS IN THE OUTER RAINBANDS ARE THE FIRST
THREAT. CURRENTLY...THESE ARE OCCURRING OVER THE FLORIDA PENINSULA.
THE THREAT WILL SHIFT WESTWARD TONIGHT AS DENNIS MOVED FURTHER
WESTWARD. THE SECOND TORNADO THREAT WILL BE CONCENTRATED AROUND THE
EYE DURING LANDFALL. STAY TUNED FOR A TORNADO WATCH AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY ON SUNDAY.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
LANE REVERSAL OF I-65 HAS BEGUN IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. THE REVERSE
LANING BEGINS NEAR THE STOCKTON EXIT (EXIT 31) AND ENDS JUST SOUTH
OF MONTGOMERY.  MOTORISTS DESIRING TO GO SOUTH FROM 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.

BANKHEAD TUNNEL IN MOBILE WILL CLOSE AT 100 PM SATURDAY...WALLACE
TUNNEL ON INTERSTATE 10 WILL REMAIN OPEN.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND
11 PM.

$$

MEDLIN/MCKEE

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