Critical HLS Hurricane/Tropical Local Statment — Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:49 AM

HLSHFO
HIZ023>028-141845-

 LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
243 AM HST TUE AUG 14 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 200 AM HST...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLOSSIE...AS LOCATED BY
DOPPLER RADAR NEAR SOUTH POINT...WAS NEAR LATITUDE 16.6 NORTH...
LONGITUDE 153.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 240 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
HILO...HAWAII. FLOSSIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST AT 14
MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. GIVEN
THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FLOSSIE WILL PASS ABOUT 80 MILES SOUTH
OF SOUTH POINT ON THE BIG ISLAND AT AROUND 200 PM HST TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
WEAKENING 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...
RECENT MEASUREMENTS FROM A BUOY LOCATED 185 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
HILO SHOW OPEN OCEAN WAVES OF UP TO 18 FT HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY
HURRICANE FLOSSIE. AS THESE WAVES APPROACH THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF
THE BIG ISLAND...SURF OF 20 TO 25 FEET WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
FLOODING AND DUE TO WAVE RUNNUP. SUBSTANTIAL SHORELINE EROSION IS ALSO
LIKELY. SURF ALONG NORTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND WILL
RISE TO 10 TO 15 FT TODAY...AND WILL RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING
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 THIS MORNING. 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 530 AM OR SOONER IF
NECESSARY.

$$
BROWNING