[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 100513
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-100730-

HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
110 AM EDT SUN JUL 10 2005


...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS...
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS TO 5 AM...


...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED STORM TIDE IMPACTS.
UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY ACTIONS FOR TIME REFERENCES.
UPDATED WIND IMPACTS.
REMOVED TORNADO IMPACTS.
UPDATED RAINFALL IMPACTS.


...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE
COUNTY...INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS WEST
OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE...INCLUDING DRY TORTUGAS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 100 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.6 WEST...OR ABOUT 300 MILES
NORTHWEST OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO 135
MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. DENNIS IS NOW A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED LATER
TODAY BEFORE THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MAKES LANDFALL ON
THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR
14 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARDS THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED
TODAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED AT 937 MB...OR
27.67 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDES ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT ONE HALF FOOT ABOVE NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL
TIDE LEVELS...BUT THE THREAT OF ANY ADDITIONAL STORM SURGE HAS
ENDED. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON THOSE STREETS THAT
WERE INUNDATED BY STORM SURGE YESTERDAY. WIND DRIVEN WAVES AND
SPRAY WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE SOUTH FACE OF THE
ISLANDS...MAINLY IN THE LOWER KEYS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED NOT TO VENTURE OUT ONTO THE STREETS EARLY THIS
MORNING. THE OVERSEAS HIGHWAY FROM FLORIDA CITY TO KEY WEST IS IN
GOOD SHAPE WITHOUT DAMAGE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT EVACUEES DELAY
THEIR RETURN TO THE KEYS UNTIL AFTER SUNRISE THIS MORNING...WHILE
CREWS COMPLETE THEIR WORK ON DEBRIS REMOVAL...AND THE WEATHER
CONDITIONS IMPROVE. MARATHON AIRPORT SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL
TODAY...BUT KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL NOT OPEN UNTIL
MONDAY AT THE EARLIEST. ELECTRICAL SERVICE TO MOST CUSTOMERS IN THE
FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE FULLY RESTORED BY TONIGHT. NO PROBLEMS ARE
REPORTED WITH THE FRESHWATER AQUEDUCT.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS IN THE LOWER KEYS ARE DIMINISHING...AND ARE CURRENTLY AT 20 TO
30 MPH...BUT ARE STILL GUSTING TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE NEAR 40 MPH.
WINDS OVER THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS ARE NEAR 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
30 MPH. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH THIS MORNING.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WIND AND SEAS SUBSIDE.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 35 KNOTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 45
KNOTS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE STRAITS WEST OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE
AND THE SOUTHEAST GULF WATERS EARLY THIS MORNING.

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS DURING
SATURDAY...MAINLY OVER THE LOWER KEYS. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES
OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE THIS MORNING IN THE LOWER KEYS. THE FLOOD WATCH
FOR THE LOWER KEYS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 5AM.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON HURRICANE DENNIS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE AROUND 330 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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