National Weather Service Melbourne - Local Statement

[dolphinslady]

TROPICAL STORM KATRINA HEADING WESTWARD AND FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL
UNTIL 12:02PM EDT
Hurricane Local Statement National Weather Service Melbourne FL 546 AM EDT Thu Aug 25 2005

... Tropical Storm Katrina Heading Westward And Forecast To Become A Hurricane Before Landfall...

... New Information... Hurricane Warnings Have Now Been Issued For Parts Of East Central Florida.

... Watches And Warnings... A Hurricane Warning Is Now In Effect For The Florida East Coast From Vero Beach Southward... Including Lake Okeechobee. A Tropical Storm Watch Remains In Effect North Of Vero Beach To Titusville... Including All Of Merritt Island. An Inland Tropical Storm Warning Is In Effect For Okeechobee County With An Inland Tropical Storm Watch In Effect For Osceola County.

... Areas Affected... This Statement Recommends Action To Be Taken For Residents Of Martin... Saint Lucie... Indian River... Brevard... Okeechobee And Osceola Counties For Tropical Storm Katrina. This Statement Also Recommends That Orange... Seminole... Lake... And Volusia Counties Keep Abreast Of The Latest Threat Situation Associated With Katrina Given The Current Forecast Uncertainty.

... Storm Information... At 5 AM EDT The Center Of Tropical Storm Katrina Was Located Near Latitude 26.2 North... Longitude 78.7 West Or About 90 Miles East Of Ft. Lauderdale Florida.

Katrina Is Moving Toward The West Near 8 Mph And This Motion Should Bring The Center Near Or Over The Southeastern Florida Coast Tonight Or Friday Morning.

Maximum Sustained Winds Are Near 50 Mph With Higher Gusts... But Katrina Is Expected To Reach Hurricane Strength Before The Center Reaches The Coast Of Florida.

... Precautionary/Preparedness Actions... A Hurricane Warning Means That Hurricane Conditions... Sustained Winds Above 73 Mph... Are Possible Within The Next 24 Hours. Consequently... Storm Preparations Should Be Completed By This Morning. Evacuations ... As Necessary... Should Be Conducted According To The Direction Of Local Officials.

A Tropical Storm Warning Means That Tropical Storm Conditions... Sustained Winds From 39 To 73 Mph... Are Possible Within The Next 24 Hours. A Tropical Storm Watch Means That Tropical Storm Conditions Are Possible Within The Next 36 Hours. Residents In The Tropical Storm Watch And Warning Areas Should Review Their Action Plan... And Stay On Top Of This Storm Threat Situation.

... Wind Impacts... Katrina Is Forecast To Become A Hurricane Before Making Landfall Along The Lower Southeast Florida Coast. However... Due To The Uncertainty In The Forecast Track... A Hurricane Warning Is In Effect As Far North As Vero Beach. Importantly... The Latest Projection For Tropical Storm Katrina Brings Tropical Storm Force Winds Into Southern Sections Of Martin County This Evening And Spreading North And Inland Into Friday. Gusts To Hurricane Force Are Possible... Especially Along The Immediate Coast... And In Passing Squalls In Martin... Saint Lucie... And Indian River Counties. These Winds Could Damage Awnings... Blow Down Trees Or Large Limbs Causing Power Outages. Gusty Onshore Winds... Reaching 30 To 40 Mph In Heavy Showers... Will Also Be Possible Along Much Of The East Central Florida Coast... Especially From Cape Canaveral Southward.

... Storm Surge Flood And Storm Tide Impacts... Based On Current Forecast Track And Intensity... Storm Surge Values Of 3 To 5 Feet Are Possible Near And Just North Of Where The Center Makes Landfall. Based On The Current Forecast... However... The Storm Surge For Martin County Is Expected To Be Around 2 To 3 Feet... Decreasing To 2 Feet Or Less From Vero Beach Northward. Large Surf... Strong Rip Currents... And Some Beach Erosion Will Likely Impact The Entire East Central Florida Coast.

... Flood Impacts... Due To The Slow Forward Motion Of Katrina... Heavy Rains Are Expected With This System. Storm Total Rainfall Amounts Of 4 To 8 Inches With Locally Higher Amounts Are Possible Near The Core Of The Storm... With A Moderate Flood Threat Across Martin... Saint Lucie... And Okeechobee Counties. If Katrina Moves Further North Or Slower Than Currently Forecast... Higher Rainfall Totals Will Be Possible And Impacts From Flooding Rains Could Affect Areas Farther Northward Toward Kissimmee And Cape Canaveral. Showers And Thunderstorms Will Become Numerous Today With Bands Of Heavy Rain And Squalls Possible Well Into Friday. Persons In Highly Flood Prone Areas Are Urged To Have A Plan To Protect Property From Rising Waters.

... Tornado Impacts... There Is A Moderate Threat Of Tornadoes To In The Outer Rainbands Today And Continuing Into Friday. The Threat Area Is Mainly Confined To The Immediate Coast South Of Vero Beach... And In Vicinity Of Lake Okeechobee. Elsewhere... A Low To Very Low Threat Of Isolated Tornadoes Exists.

... Marine Impacts... Winds Over The Atlantic Coastal Waters Will Begin Increasing Early Today And Will Likely Reach Tropical Storm Force By Mid Day 20 To 60 Miles East Of Jupiter Inlet... Spreading Further West And North Into This Evening. Gusts To Hurricane Force Are Forecast In Passing Squalls South Of Sebastian Inlet. Due To The Uncertainty In The Forecast... Hurricane Conditions Should Be Expected Over The Waters From Vero Beach Southward. As Winds Become Northeast And Increase... Seas Will Build... So Small Craft Should Stay In Port Or Seek Safe Harbor.

Also... Increasing Waves Along The Coast Today Will Result In A Greater Danger Of Rip Currents.

... Next Update... The Next Local Statement On Tropical Storm Katrina Will Be Issued Around Noon... Or Sooner If Conditions Warrant.

For A Graphical Version If This Statement... Go To The Nws Melbourne Web Page At: http://Www.Srh.Noaa.Gov/Mlb.