ABC 33/40 EWARN: Hurricane Local Statement

From ABC 33/40 E-Warn :

WTUS84 KMOB 091613
HLSMOB
ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-091600-

HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1115 AM CDT SAT JUL 9 2005

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

...AN INLAND HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND PARTS OF 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 AND
INLAND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
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. INLAND HURRICANE WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT
FOR WASHINGTON...CLARKE...MONROE...BUTLER...CRENSHAW...CONECUH...
COVINGTON AND ESCAMBIA COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND FOR WAYNE...
PERRY...GREENE...GEORGE AND STONE IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. AN INLAND
TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHOCTAW AND WILCOX
COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

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

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 10 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 24.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 83.8 WEST OR ABOUT 439 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA. DENNIS IS MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST NEAR
14 MPH WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 100 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
DENNIS HAS BEEN WEAKENED BY ITS LONG TREK ACROSS CUBA...AND IS NOW
EXPERIENCING SOME COOLER WATERS NORTH OF THAT ISLAND. AS A
RESULT...IT HAS NOT GAINED BACK AS MUCH OF ITS PREVIOUS STRENGTH AS
ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. HOWEVER...DENNIS HAS MANY HOURS LEFT TO
GET STRONGER OVER WARMER WATERS IN THE EASTCENTRAL GULF...SO
INTENSIFICATION BACK TO CATEGORY 3 STRENGTH IS VERY POSSIBLE.

DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST
SUNDAY AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY OVER THE EXTREME NORTHWEST FLORIDA
PANHANDLE OR ALABAMA COASTS. IT IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE CONDITIONS
SIMILAR TO THOSE PRODUCED BY HURRICANE IVAN LAST YEAR...EVEN IF IT
MAKES LANDFALL AS A HIGH-END CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE...AND CATEGORY
THREE STRENGTH IS STILL A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
SHELTERS ARE OPEN IN MANY AREAS...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EMA
OFFICE OR WATCH LOCAL TV FOR LOCATIONS OF THESE SHELTERS. SOME TYPE
OF EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF THE COASTAL COUNTIES.
AGAIN CHECK LOCAL TV FOR THE LATEST EVACUATION RECOMMENDATION. 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...DONT ASSUME THAT DENNIS WILL
BE THE SAME. DON'T BE A STATISTIC...OBEY ALL EVACUATION ORDERS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR AROUND MIDDAY ON SUNDAY...AND
COMBINED WITH THE SURGE FROM DENNIS...COULD RESULT IN A STORM SURGE
AROUND 10 FEET IN AND NEAR WHERE DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL. THIS WILL
RESULT IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO COASTAL AREAS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT
THE COASTAL AREAS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...WHICH WILL MAKE DRIVING
CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...75 MPH OR GREATER...
WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE AREA AROUND MIDDAY SUNDAY AND PERSIST
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO BE
AT OR NEAR CATEGORY THREE STRENGTH...WITH WINDS FROM 110 TO 115
MPH...MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS LIKELY WITH DENNIS. THESE WINDS
WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE INLAND COUNTIES SUNDAY EVENING WITH THE
HIGHEST WINDS BEING ALONG AND NEAR THE CENTER OF DENNIS.

...RIP CURRENTS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS...
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND SUNDAY DUE TO
INCREASING SURF AND WINDS. PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED FROM SWIMMING...
SURFING AND RECREATIONAL BOATING UNTIL DENNIS MOVES OUT OF THE AREA.

WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH
ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE AS DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL
AND TRACKS INLAND. GROUND CONDITIONS ARE STILL FAIRLY MOIST DUE TO
HEAVY RAINFALL FROM TROPICAL STORM CINDY EARLIER IN THE 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 THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL BE INCREASED AS DENNIS APPROACHES THE
COAST AND MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
LANE REVERSAL OF I-65 HAS BEGUN IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. THE REVERSE
LANING BEGINS NEAR THE STOCKTON EXIT (EXIT 31) AND ENDS JUST SOUTH
OF MONTGOMERY. MOTORISTS DESIRING TO GO SOUTH FROM MONTGOMERY WILL BE
DIVERTED TO OTHER ROADWAYS.

WHEN TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS BEGIN TO AFFECT PENSACOLA BAY...THE
I-10 BRIDGE ACROSS PENSACOLA BAY WILL BE CLOSED.

BANKHEAD TUNNEL IN MOBILE WILL CLOSE AT 100 PM SATURDAY...WALLACE
TUNNEL ON INTERSTATE 10 WILL REMAIN OPEN.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT SCHEDULED HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND
530 PM.

$$

BEELER/CULLEN

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