PNSHOU

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1032 PM CDT THU AUG 14 2003

...ACTION TO TAKE WHEN A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE WATCH IS
ISSUED...

TROPICAL STORM ERIKA CONTINUES TO MOVE RAPIDLY TO THE WEST INTO THE 
CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO. THE LATEST FORECAST FROM THE NATIONAL 
HURRICANE CENTER HAS ERIKA MOVING TO THE WEST AT 20 TO 25 MPH... 
APPROACHING THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO LATE FRIDAY...AND MAKING 
LANDFALL EITHER IN SOUTHERN TEXAS OR NORTHERN MEXICO ON SATURDAY 
MORNING AS A HURRICANE. THIS RAPID SPEED WILL ALLOW LESS PREPARATION 
TIME FOR INTERESTS ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. THOSE WITH 
INTERESTS...ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND THE MATAGORDA BAY AREA WHICH IS 
FORECASTED TO BE CLOSER TO THE STRONGER WINDS...SHOULD CONSIDER 
PREPARING AND COMPLETING THEIR PREPARATIONS FOR THE POTENTIAL 
EFFECTS OF ERIKA BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

6 TO 10 FOOT SWELLS FROM ERIKA ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE UPPER TEXAS
COASTAL WATERS FRIDAY NIGHT. ALONG WITH INCREASING SEA HEIGHTS...
NORTHEAST TO EAST WINDS AROUND 20 TO 25 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR
THE COAST FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY.

TIDE LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY INCREASE TO 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE
NORMAL LEVELS FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY. HIGHEST TIDES WILL 
LIKELY RANGE FROM 2 1/2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE MEAN LOWER LOW WATER. THERE 
IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME BEACH EROSION TO OCCUR FOR COASTAL 
LOCATIONS IN AND AROUND THE MATAGORDA BAY AREA.

IF ERIKA MOVES FURTHER NORTH OR STRENGTHENS MORE THAN EXPECTED...THE
ABOVE EXPECTED WIND SPEEDS AND TIDES WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED UPWARD.

RESIDENTS ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST...ESPECIALLY THOSE IN AND 
AROUND THE MATAGORDA BAY AREA...SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST 
FORECASTS ON ERIKA AND LISTEN FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

AS A REMINDER...

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS ISSUED FOR AN AREA WHEN TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE A POSSIBLE THREAT WITHIN 36 HOURS.  WINDS OF 39 TO 73
MPH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORMS.

A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUED FOR AN AREA WHEN HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE
A POSSIBLE THREAT WITHIN 36 HOURS.  HURRICANES PRODUCE WINDS OF 74
MPH AND HIGHER.

WHEN A WATCH IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...YOU SHOULD:

A.  MONITOR STORM REPORTS ON RADIO AND/OR TELEVISION.

B.  REFILL PRESCRIPTIONS.

C.  MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ALL PETS IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING MOVING TO A
    SHELTER AS THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY YOU.

D.  CONSIDER LEAVING THE AREA. IF EVACUATION IS RECOMMENDED...TRAFFIC
    ON LIMITED EVACUATION ROUTES WILL CAUSE LONG DELAYS. IT IS BETTER
    TO LEAVE EARLY.

E.  CHECK THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIES:

    1.  HAVE A BATTERY OPERATED RADIO WITH PLENTY OF SPARE BATTERIES
        AS ELECTRICITY COULD BE OFF FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

    2.  HAVE A FLASHLIGHT WITH SPARE BATTERIES.

    3.  FILL THE GASOLINE TANK ON YOUR VEHICLES. GAS WILL NOT BE
        AVAILABLE IF ELECTRIC POWER IS OUT.

    4.  STOCK UP ON CANNED AND NON-PERISHABLE FOODS...ENOUGH FOR
        SEVERAL DAYS. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COOK OR REFRIGERATE OTHER
        FOODS.

    5.  FILL THE BATHTUB AND OTHER CONTAINERS WITH WATER. WATER
        SUPPLIES MAY BE AFFECTED BY FLOODING AND/OR POWER OUTAGE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR 
THE LATEST INFORMATION ON ERIKA.

FOR MORE TROPICAL WEATHER INFORMATION...SEE THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER WEB PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV
OR THE HOUSTON/GALVESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB PAGE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/HGX.