[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KBMX 100523
HLSBMX
ALZ011>015-017>050-100700-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1223 AM CDT SUN JUL 10 2005

...INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA STARTING THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA
STARTING THIS 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 TODAY AT NOON CDT THROUGH MONDAY AT NOON CDT.

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

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 12AM CDT...0500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.6 WEST OR
ABOUT 235 MILES SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA AND ABOUT 310
MILES SOUTHEAST OF BILOXI MISSISSIPPI.

DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH.  A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED TODAY.  THIS MOTION
WILL BRING THE CENTER OF DENNIS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
LATER TODAY.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT
INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR
135 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  THIS MAKES DENNIS A CATEGORY FOUR
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME ADDITIONAL
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230
MILES.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH DENNIS MAY OCCUR
AS FAR AS 150 TO 175 MILES INLAND ALONG THE TRACK OF THE
HURRICANE.

AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE RECENTLY REPORTED A MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 937 MB...27.67 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SECURE ALL LOOSE OBJECTS...SUCH AS PATIO FURNITURE AND TRASH
CANS...OR MOVE THEM INDOORS. BRING YOUR PETS 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
LATER THIS 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...5 TO 8 INCHES
OF RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH LOCALLY
HIGHER AMOUNTS OF UP TO 12 INCHES. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS
ANTICIPATED THIS 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 THIS MORNING...AND THE THREAT WILL SPREAD TO CENTRAL
ALABAMA THIS 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...
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 2 AM CDT THIS MORNING.
&&
$$
JBW



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