|
Show Selection: |
| #31519 (Received by flhurricane at: 6:58 PM 09.Jul.2005) TCPAT4 BULLETIN HURRICANE DENNIS SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER 22 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 7 PM EDT SAT JUL 09 2005 ...DENNIS STRENGTHENS RAPIDLY TO DANGEROUS CATEGOTY 3 MAJOR HURRICANE... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST FROM THE STEINHATCHEE RIVER FLORIDA WESTWARD TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER AT THE LOUISIANA-MISSISSIPPI BORDER. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST COAST FROM EAST OF THE STEINHATCHEE RIVER SOUTHWARD TO FLAMINGO... AND FOR THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS WEST OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA COAST WEST OF THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER TO GRAND ISLE...INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONCHARTRAIN. A HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...RESPECTIVELY...ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 7 PM EDT...2300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 84.9 WEST OR ABOUT 285 MILES SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA AND ABOUT 385 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BILOXI MISSISSIPPI. DENNIS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED TONIGHT OR SUNDAY. THIS MOTION COULD BRING THE CENTER OF DENNIS NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST ON SUNDAY. REPORTS FROM AIR FORCE AND NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT DENNIS HAS STRENGTHENED RAPIDLY DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOW NEAR 115 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES DENNIS A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED...AND DENNIS COULD BECOME A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL ON THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 947 MB...27.96 INCHES. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY ENROUTE TO INVESTIGATE DENNIS. DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ACROSS THE FLORIDA KEYS...THE FLORIDA WEST COAST...THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SOUTHERN ALABAMA...AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. ISOLATED TOTALS NEAR 12 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE NEAR WHERE DENNIS MAKES LANDFALL ALONG THE GULF COAST. ADDITIONAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL CUBA...WHICH COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES. STORM SURGE WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE ALONG THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS TONIGHT. A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 4 FEET IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF FLORIDA TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. A STORM SURGE OF 12 TO 14 FEET...ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...IS POSSIBLE NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER OF DENNIS CROSSES THE NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST ON SUNDAY. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA PENINSULA AND THE FLORIDA KEYS TODAY...AND ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. REPEATING THE 7 PM EDT POSITION...26.1 N... 84.9 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 947 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 9 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 PM EDT. FORECASTER BEVEN |
