FFAMIA
FLZ063-066>068-070>074-040000-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
925 AM EDT FRI SEP 3 2004

...THE FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTIES 
OF...HENDRY...GLADES...PALM BEACH...EASTERN COLLIER...BROWARD...AND 
MIAMI-DADE UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY EVENING...

HURRICANE FRANCES AT 9 AM WAS NEAR THE ISLAND OF ELEUTHERA IN THE 
BAHAMAS...ABOUT 260 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF THE LOWER FLORIDA EAST 
COAST. THE FIRST OUTER SQUALLS FROM FRANCES WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE 
EAST COAST OF FLORIDA THIS MORNING AS THE HURRICANE SLOWLY MOVES 
TOWARD THE FLORIDA EAST COAST. THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK HAS THE 
HURRICANE MAKING LANDFALL AROUND ST. LUCIE OR INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES 
SOMETIME ON SATURDAY...SLOWING EVEN MORE AS IT APPROACHES THE COAST. 
THIS WILL RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR TORRENTIAL AMOUNTS OF RAIN AND 
AN EXTREME FLOOD EVENT SOMEWHERE IN FLORIDA. PAST HURRICANES THAT 
HAVE SLOWED TO SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 KNOTS AS THEY APPROACHED A 
LANDFALL HAVE PRODUCED IN EXCESS OF 20 INCHES OF RAIN. HURRICANE 
DANNY IN 1997 PRODUCED OVER 30 INCHES OF RAIN AT DAUPHIN ISLAND AS 
HE STALLED NEAR MOBILE BAY ALABAMA.

THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE EXACT TIMING AND LOCATION OF 
THE LANDFALL OF FRANCES. EVEN MINOR DEVIATIONS SOUTHWARD IN THE 
TRACK...OR CHANGES IN THE SPEED OF ADVANCE...CAN MAKE A BIG 
DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL THAT OCCURS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA.

FROM 8 TO 10 WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS TO 12 INCHES OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED 
ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY THROUGH SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO WHERE 
FRANCES CROSSES THE COASTLINE. ACROSS GLADES AND HENDRY RAINFALL 
AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 6 TO 8 INCHES. FOR THE REST OF 
SOUTH FLORIDA...RAINFALL WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 6 INCHES FOR METRO 
BROWARD COUNTY TO AROUND 2 INCHES FOR COASTAL COLLIER AND 
MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES.

HURRICANES CAN PRODUCE TORRENTIAL AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL IN A SHORT 
TIME. IN PARTICULAR...SPIRAL BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANES CAN 
CAUSE TRAINING OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE SAME LOCATION FOR SEVERAL 
HOURS PRODUCING EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND FLOODING. THIS IS POSSIBLE 
OVER THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS OF BROWARD AND MIAMI-DADE 
COUNTIES...TO AS FAR INLAND AS IMMOKALEE IN NORTHEAST COLLIER COUNTY.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORRENTIAL RAINS 
AND FLASH FLOODING IN THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS WITH POTENTIAL FLOOD 
IMPACTS SHOULD HAVE A PLAN READY. IF YOU LIVE IN A HIGHLY 
FLOOD-PRONE AREA TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT PROPERTY INCLUDING 
HAVING SAND BAGS ON HAND AND MOVING YOUR VEHICLE TO A HIGHER GROUND. 
HEED THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EVACUATE IF ASKED.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VISIT THE MIAMI NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WEBSITE AT MIAMIWEATHER.INFO. FOR INFORMATION IN SPANISH...VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT ELTIEMPOENMIAMI.INFO.

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