000 WTUS82 KTAE 060019 HLSTAE FLZ007>014-060330- TROPICAL STORM CINDY LOCAL STATEMENT (TAE) NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 817 PM EDT TUE JUL 5 2005 ...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PANHANDLE COAST FROM EAST OF DESTIN TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA... ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE INCLUDING WALTON...BAY AND GULF COUNTIES. ...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE COAST FROM EAST OF DESTIN TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. ...STORM INFORMATION... AT 7 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CINDY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 90.3 WEST OR ABOUT 55 MILES SOUTH- SOUTHWEST OF GRANDE ISLE LOUISIANA. CINDY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 14 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER WILL BE NEAR THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST LATER TONIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS STILL POSSIBLE UNTIL LANDFALL OCCURS. DURING THE PAST HOUR...AN OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER REPORTED A WIND GUST TO 99 MPH AT A HEIGHT OF 150 FT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 992 MB OR 29.29 INCHES. ...WIND IMPACTS... BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK FOR TROPICAL STORM CINDY...GUSTS TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE WILL BEGIN AFFECTING THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND THE IMMEDIATE COAST LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. A SLIGHT DEVIATION TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST TRACK WOULD BRING SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS TO THESE AREAS. ...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL INFORMATION... THE CENTER OF CINDY IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STORM. TOTAL RAINFALL ON THE ORDER OF TWO TO THREE INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS...ARE EXPECTED FOR THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. ...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS... THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CINDY WILL BE PASSING WEST OF THE PANHANDLE...WITH INCREASING ONSHORE WINDS. THIS WILL CAUSE TIDES OF 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE COAST OF WALTON...BAY AND GULF COUNTIES LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. RESIDENTS ALONG THE PANHANDLE COAST SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR FORECAST UPDATES AND HEED ADVICE FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS. LOCAL TIDES FOR TODAY AND WEDNESDAY ARE AS FOLLOWS... APALACHICOLA... TODAY: LOW 11:21 PM. WEDNESDAY: HIGH 7:18 AM AND 2:54 PM...LOW 10:18 AM AND 11:56 PM. PORT ST. JOE... TODAY: LOW 9:08 PM. WEDNESDAY: HIGH 10:40 AM...LOW 9:49 PM. SAINT ANDREW BAY AT PANAMA CITY... TODAY: LOW 8:48 PM. WEDNESDAY: HIGH 10:07 AM...LOW 9:29 PM. EAST PASS AT DESTIN... TODAY: LOW 11:19 PM. WEDNESDAY: HIGH 10:37 AM. ...RIP CURRENTS... ONSHORE WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS WILL SUPPORT STRONGER AND MORE FREQUENT RIP CURRENTS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. ONLY EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS SHOULD CONSIDER ENTERING THE WATER. ...TORNADO THREAT... THE PRIMARY AREA FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT IN TROPICAL SYSTEMS IS THE RIGHT FRONT QUADRANT OF THE STORM. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... RESIDENTS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE FLOODING LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THE MOST VULNERABLE ARE THOSE LIVING NEAR STREAMS...CREEKS AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. RESIDENTS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT PROPERTY EXPOSED TO TIDAL FLOODING. SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS THAT MAY BE TOSSED AROUND IN THE WIND. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM CINDY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 1130 PM EDT. $$ BARRY