[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KEYW 100730
HLSEYW
FLZ076>078-GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-100930-

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


...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS...
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER KEYS UNTIL 500 AM...


...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE.
UPDATED STORM INFORMATION.
UPDATED WIND AND STORM TIDE 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 300 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 330 MILES
NORTHWEST OF KEY WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO 145
MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. DENNIS IS NOW A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY
BEFORE THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MAKES LANDFALL ON THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TODAY. DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARDS THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS
EXPECTED LATER TODAY. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS MEASURED AT
934 MB...OR 27.58 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.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING ON LOCAL STREETS
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 SHOULD 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...AND ARE STILL OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE
NEAR 40 MPH. WINDS OVER THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS ARE 15 TO 20 MPH
WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 30 MPH. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH
THIS MORNING.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WIND AND SEAS SUBSIDE. WINDS
OF 25 TO 35 KNOTS WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS 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. ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 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 500 AM.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE ON HURRICANE DENNIS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN KEY WEST WILL BE AROUND 530 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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