NPWEYW

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1000 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

FLZ076>078-241600-
/X.CON.KEYW.HU.W.1024.000000T0000Z-051024T1600Z/
MONROE LOWER KEYS-MONROE MIDDLE KEYS-MONROE UPPER KEYS-
INCLUDING THE COMMUNITIES OF...KEY LARGO...KEY WEST...MARATHON

...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...ANYONE    
   WHO HAS REMAINED IN THE KEYS SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THE SAFEST      
   PLACE POSSIBLE...
...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED.
MARINE IMPACTS UPDATED.
STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS UPDATED.
 
...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS 
INCLUDING DRY TORTUGAS AND FLORIDA BAY...AND ALL SURROUNDING WATERS. 
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM MONDAY FOR ALL THE FLORIDA 
KEYS. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MONDAY FOR ALL OF THE 
FLORIDA KEYS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
HURRICANE WILMA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE. AT 900 AM EDT...THE 
CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...NEAR  
LATITUDE 26.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.7 WEST...WHICH IS ABOUT 136 MILES 
NORTHEAST OF KEY WEST...AND ABOUT 113 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF 
MARATHON. WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 23 MPH...AND A 
CONTINUED INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 
HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. 
SOME WEAKENING IS LIKELY AS WILMA CROSSES THE SOUTH FLORIDA 
PENINSULA TODAY. WILMA IS A LARGE HURRICANE IN SIZE...WITH SUSTAINED 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTENDING UP TO 90 MILES OUT FROM THE 
CENTER...AND WITH SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS UP TO 230 
MILES OUT FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 
WAS 952 MB...OR 28.11 INCHES OF MERCURY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ANYONE WHO HAS REMAINED IN THE KEYS SHOULD STAY IN THE SAFEST PLACE 
POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THE RAIN HAS LARGELY ENDED FOR NOW 
ACROSS THE LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS. HOWEVER...MANY ROADS REMAIN 
INUNDATED FROM THE STORM TIDE.  IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS...TIDES 
ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK IN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. DO NOT DRIVE UNTIL 
WIND...TIDE...AND ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE LATER TODAY. MONROE COUNTY 
OFFICES AND COURTS ARE TO BE CLOSED TODAY AND TUESDAY. MONROE COUNTY 
SCHOOLS ARE TO BE CLOSED TODAY AND TUESDAY. MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL 
DAYTIME CUSTODIANS SHOULD REPORT TUESDAY. ALL CAMPUSES OF FLORIDA 
KEYS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARE TO BE CLOSED TODAY. 

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND HURRICANE FORCE GUSTS WILL LIKELY 
AFFECT THE UPPER KEYS UNTIL AROUND 1000 AM. THE MIDDLE AND LOWER 
KEYS WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE WIND GUSTS NEAR TROPICAL STORM FORCE 
FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. REPORTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM 
KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DUE TO COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGE. SOME 
RECENT PEAK WIND GUST REPORTS FROM OTHER GAUGES INCLUDE 105 MPH AT 
SOMBRERO KEY...AND 84 MPH AT LONG KEY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. HIGH WATER DUE TO THE STORM 
TIDE...WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN MOST MARINAS ACROSS THE 
ISLAND CHAIN.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
ACROSS THE LOWER KEYS...THE STORM SURGE IS SLOWLY SUBSIDING IN THE 
LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS. HOWEVER...THE STORM SURGE ALONG THE BAY SIDE 
OF THE UPPER KEYS IS EXPECTED TO PEAK BETWEEN 11 AND NOON...AT 
BETWEEN 4 TO 6 FEET.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE REMAINS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOS THROUGH THE 
REMAINDER OF THE MORNING. AFTER THAT...CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE 
RAPIDLY. 

...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY. THE 
HEAVIEST RAINS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING THROUGH MIDDAY. IF YOU LIVE 
IN A HIGHLY FLOOD-PRONE AREA TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT PROPERTY. 

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE WILMA LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1130 
AM...OR SOONER IF NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. VISIT OUR KEY 
WEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST.

$$

SD