HLSHFO HIZ023>028-141230- LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 828 PM HST MON AUG 13 2007 ...DANGEROUS HURRICANE FLOSSIE CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII... ...NEW INFORMATION... PLEASE REFER TO THE PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS SECTION FOR UPDATED CLOSURE INFORMATION. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII. ...WATCHES AND WARNINGS... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ...STORM INFORMATION... AT 800 PM HST...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLOSSIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 152.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 295 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HILO...HAWAII. FLOSSIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST AT 16 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. GIVEN THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FLOSSIE WILL PASS SOUTH OF SOUTH POINT ON THE BIG ISLAND AT AROUND 11 AM HST TUESDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 120 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ...PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... COUNTY OF HAWAII CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED THAT PUNALUU BEACH PARK...SOUTH POINT...VACATIONLAND...WHITTINGTON BEACH PARK AND THE MAUNA KEA ACCESS ROAD FROM THE 9000 FT ELEVATION HAVE BEEN CLOSED. ALL SCHOOLS...INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII-HILO AND BOTH HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES...AND ALL PUBLIC PARKS ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY. IF YOU ARE ON THE BIG ISLAND...COMPLETE YOUR PREPARATIONS FOR THE APPROACHING HURRICANE. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION FOR INFORMATION ON EVACUATIONS AND OTHER PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS. ...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS... HURRICANE FLOSSIE WILL BRING 8 TO 12 FT SURF TO SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND TONIGHT INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 FT ON TUESDAY. SURF ALONG NORTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND WILL BE 6 TO 10 FT TONIGHT RISING TO 10 TO 15 FT TUESDAY. SURF AT THESE HEIGHTS MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING DUE TO WAVE RUNNUP AND SHORELINE EROSION. AVOID ENTERING THE WATER AND STAY AWAY FROM COASTAL AREAS. ...WIND IMPACTS... THE CURRENT FORECAST BRINGS EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH TO THE SOUTHERN BIG ISLAND BY NOON TUESDAY. WINDS OF THESE INTENSITIES WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO LIGHT STRUCTURES AND TREES. HOWEVER...IF THE TRACK OF FLOSSIE SHIFTS NORTHWARD...HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER COULD AFFECT SOME AREAS OF THE SOUTHERN BIG ISLAND TUESDAY...RESULTING IN MUCH GREATER DAMAGE POTENTIAL. ...FLOODING IMPACTS... HEAVY RAINS IN OUTER RAIN BANDS WILL BEGIN TO PASS OVER THE BIG ISLAND ON TUESDAY. EXPECT RAINFALL TOTALS OF 10 INCHES OR GREATER IN THE KAU DISTRICT...AND 5 TO 10 INCHES IN THE PUNA AND SOUTH HILO DISTRICTS THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. THESE HEAVY RAINS MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN THE KAU DISTRICT. A PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE SPOT WILL BE HIGHWAY 11 NEAR MILE POST 58. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN THIS AREA WILL RESULT IN CLOSURE OF THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AT 1130 PM HST OR SOONER IF NECESSARY. $$ BROWNING $$