Critical HLS Hurricane/Tropical Local Statment — Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:52 PM

HLSHFO
HIZ023>028-150045-

HURRICANE FLOSSIE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1140 AM HST TUE AUG 14 2007

...DANGEROUS HURRICANE FLOSSIE IS PASSING SOUTH OF THE BIG ISLAND
OF HAWAII...

...NEW INFORMATION...
PLEASE REFER TO THE PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS SECTION AND THE
STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE SECTION FOR UPDATED 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 1100 AM HST...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLOSSIE WAS NEAR LATITUDE
17.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 154.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 165 MILES
SOUTH OF HILO...HAWAII. FLOSSIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST
NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH
TODAY. GIVEN THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FLOSSIE WILL PASS ABOUT 70
MILES SOUTH OF SOUTH POINT ON THE BIG ISLAND TUESDAY EVENING.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
WEAKENING IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
COUNTY OF HAWAII CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED THAT THE HONOLII
ROAD...POHOIKI ROAD AT THE HIGHWAY 137 JUNCTION AND THE PORT OF HILO
HAVE BEEN CLOSED.  THE FOLLOWING AREAS AND FACILITIES ALSO REMAIN
CLOSED...PUNALUU BEACH PARK...SOUTH POINT...VACATIONLAND...
WHITTINGTON BEACH PARK...THE MAUNA KEA ACCESS ROAD FROM THE 9000 FT
ELEVATION AND ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

IF YOU ARE ON THE BIG ISLAND...PREPARATIONS FOR TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL
RADIO STATION FOR INFORMATION ON EVACUATIONS AND OTHER PREPAREDNESS
ACTIONS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
OBSERVATIONS FROM PUNALUU BEACH PARK INDICATED 15 TO 20 FT SURF
WHILE REPORTS FROM POHOIKI WERE IN THE 10 TO 20 FT RANGE.  THE
FORECAST STILL CALLS FOR SURF TO REACH 20 TO 25 FT. SURF AT THESE
LEVELS IS SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING AND DAMAGE DUE
TO WAVE RUNUP. SUBSTANTIAL SHORELINE EROSION IS ALSO LIKELY.
ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE AREAS INCLUDE PUNALUU...VACATIONLAND AND
COASTAL PROPERTIES IN THE KAPOHO BEACH AREA.

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 TODAY. 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...RESULTING IN MUCH GREATER DAMAGE POTENTIAL.

...FLOODING IMPACTS...
RAIN OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE BIG ISLAND IS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN
EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT. 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 TONIGHT. 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 245 PM HST OR SOONER IF
NECESSARY.

$$