[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KMOB 101305
HLSMOB
ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-101500-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
800 AM CDT SUN JUL 10 2005

...DENNIS IS NOW TRACKING IN A MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTION AND
WILL IMPACT NORTHWEST FLORIDA EARLIER THAN EXPECTED...

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

...AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS
OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...

...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST 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...
WE WILL LEAVE ALL WATCHES AND WARNINGS AS THEY ARE BUT WILL LIKELY
HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN THE NEXT TWO HOURS AS DENNIS IS
TRACKING IN A MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTION. 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...CHOCTAW...WILCOX AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND FOR WAYNE...GREENE...GEORGE...PERRY AND STONE
COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING
IS IN EFFECT FOR BUTLER...CRENSHAW AND COVINGTON COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

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

A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA UNTIL 200 PM

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 745 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 28.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.3 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 115
MILES SOUTH OF FORT WALTON BEACH FLORIDA.  REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE
RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 145 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. DENNIS REMAINS A
CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS
IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY BEFORE LANDFALL. DENNIS WAS MOVING NORTH AT 18
MPH.

...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.
BECAUSE OF THE SMALL DIAMETER OF RADIUS OF MAXIMUM WINDS OF
DENNIS THE STORM SURGE VALUES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED DOWN TO
BETWEEN 8 AND 10 FEET.  THE LATEST TRACK PLACES THE
GREATEST STORM SURGE HAZARD FROM PENSACOLA TO DESTIN.

...WIND IMPACTS...
GIVEN THE CURRENT TRACK AND INTENSITY FORECAST...THE WINDS FROM
DENNIS WOULD BE MUCH HIGHER THAN HURRICANE IVAN OF 2004. TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER ARE NEARING THE COAST...
WHICH WILL MAKE DRIVING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS. HURRICANE FORCE
WINDS...75 MPH OR GREATER...WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE AREA AROUND
MIDDAY AND PERSIST THROUGH THIS EVENING.  DENNIS IS EXPECTED
TO POSSIBLY BE A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE AT LANDFALL.  THIS WOULD RESULT
IN EXTREME DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL SPREAD
INTO THE INLAND COUNTIES THIS EVENING WITH THE HIGHEST WINDS BEING
NEAR THE CENTER AND JUST TO THE EAST OF DENNIS.

...RIP CURRENTS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS...
STAY OUT OF THE WATER.  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 HAS INCREASED OVER SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND WILL
SHIFT WEST INTO SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI LATER TODAY. USUALLY...THE
GREATEST THREAT FOR HURRICANE INDUCED TORNADOES IS IN THE OUTER
RAINBANDS NORTHEAST OF THE STORM'S CENTER. A SECOND TORNADO THREAT
WILL BE CONCENTRATED AROUND THE EYE DURING LANDFALL. OBVIOUSLY...THIS
WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED FOR POSSIBLE TORNADO WARNINGS
LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TODAY.

...NEW INFORMATION...
DENNIS HAS TAKEN A MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTION AND WILL LIKELY
HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ACROSS COASTAL NORTHWEST FLORIDA THAN ON
COASTAL SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.  WE WILL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO ALL
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN THE NEXT TWO HOURS.  WITH DENNIS
TRACKING MORE NORTHERLY...INLAND COUNTIES ACROSS SOUTHWEST ALABAMA
MAY SEE HIGHER WINDS THAN EARLIER THOUGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND
1000 AM OR EARLIER IF NEEDED.

$$

BEELER

This weather bulletin was brought to you by:
www.nashvilleweather.net