[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

Sun Aug 17 04:13:36 CDT 2008

WTUS82 KKEY 170912
HLSKEY

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM FAY LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
512 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008

...HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...

.AT 5 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 19.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.3 WEST OR ABOUT 445 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST.

FAY IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH. A TURN TO THE
NORTHWEST WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE
NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH A TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST EXPECTED BY LATE
MONDAY. FAY IS EXPECTED TO MOVE VERY NEAR THE SOUTH COAST OF CUBA
TODAY...CROSS CENTRAL CUBA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT...AND EMERGE INTO THE
SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO OR THE FLORIDA STRAITS ON MONDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND FAY COULD BE
APPROACHING HURRICANE STRENGTH WHEN IT REACHES CENTRAL CUBA. ALTHOUGH
SOME WEAKENING IS LIKELY AS FAY CROSSES CUBA...FAY IS EXPECTED TO BE
NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH AS IT APPROACHES THE FLORIDA KEYS.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1003 MB OR 29.62 INCHES.

GMZ031>033-052>054-072>075-171045-
/O.NEW.KKEY.HU.A.0001.080817T0912Z-000000T0000Z/
FLORIDA BAY-GULF SIDE OF THE LOWER KEYS OUT 20 NM-
GULF WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY OUT 20 NM-
CRAIG KEY TO THE WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE OUT 20 NM-
WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST OUT 20 NM-
OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
CRAIG KEY TO THE WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
WEST END OF THE 7 MILE BRIDGE TO KEY WEST 20 TO 60 NM OUT-
KEY WEST TO 20 NM WEST OF DRY TORTUGAS OUT 60 NM-
512 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008

...HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT...

...AREAS AFFECTED...

THIS STATEMENT DETAILS SPECIFIC PREPAREDNESS AND SAFETY ACTIONS
TO BE TAKEN IN THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY CONCERNING THE
EFFECTS OF TROPICAL STORM FAY.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS...FROM
OCEAN REEF TO THE DRY TORTUGAS. THIS INCLUDES ALL ADJACENT COASTAL
WATERS...INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT
HURRICANE CONDITIONS...INCLUDING SUSTAINED WINDS OF 74 MPH OR
GREATER...ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 36
HOURS.

...NEXT UPDATE...

A MORE DETAILED LOCAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE IMPACTS OF TROPICAL
STORM FAY TO THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE ISSUED BY 630 AM.

$$

FLZ076>078-171045-
/O.NEW.KKEY.HU.A.1006.080817T0912Z-000000T0000Z/
MONROE UPPER KEYS-MONROE MIDDLE KEYS-MONROE LOWER KEYS-
512 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008