000 WTUS82 KTAE 082348 HLSTAE FLZ008-012-014-015-018-027-028-034-090245- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED HURRICANE DENNIS LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 735 PM EDT FRI JUL 8 2005 ...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM THE STEINHATCHEE RIVER WESTWARD... ...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF THE STEINHATCHEE RIVER... ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE. ...WATCH AND WARNING INFORMATION... A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE FROM TAYLOR COUNTY WEST TO BEYOND DESTIN. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM DIXIE COUNTY SOUTH. ...STORM INFORMATION... AT 7 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DENNIS WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.4 WEST OR ABOUT 65 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA AND ABOUT 130 MILES SOUTH OF KEY WEST FLORIDA. ...WIND IMPACTS... GIVEN THE CURRENT FORECAST...WINDS WILL INCREASE TO NEAR TROPICAL STORM FORCE ALONG THE COAST FROM DOG ISLAND AND SAINT GEORGE ISLAND SOMETIME AFTER MIDNIGHT SATURDAY. THEN...DURING THE REST OF SUNDAY MORNING...WINDS WILL INCREASE FURTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE COAST. HURRICANE WINDS COULD REACH THE COAST BY SUNRISE SUNDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE AND EVENTUALLY HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL PUSH INLAND OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATER SUNDAY. IF THE TRACK OF DENNIS IS SLIGHTLY EAST...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COULD RECEIVE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. ALL PEOPLE IN THE HURRICANE WATCH AREA SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING SUNDAY. ...RAINFALL AND FLOOD POTENTIAL INFORMATION... SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL WILL OCCUR OVER A LARGE SWATH AS THE HURRICANE MOVES INLAND. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS LIKELY TO FALL OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE FROM THE APALACHICOLA RIVER WESTWARD AND INTO SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. EXPECT TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. FURTHER EAST...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA CAN EXPECT 3 TO 5 INCHES. ...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS... STORM SURGE SHOULD BEGIN ALONG THE COAST EARLY SUNDAY. IF THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE MOVES TOWARD AND INLAND OVER THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AS A MAJOR HURRICANE...STORM TIDES WILL BE EXTREME OVER THE PANHANDLE COAST. SURGES FROM ST GEORGE ISLAND EASTWARD ACROSS THE BIG BEND WOULD LIKELY BE IN THE 6 TO 8 FOOT RANGE. EXPOSED BARRIER ISLAND AND PENINSULAS INCLUDING CAPE SAN BLAS WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE LARGE DAMAGING WAVE ACTION AND EROSION. NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ARE AS FOLLOWS... APALACHICOLA... SATURDAY...LOW 12:52 AM AND 12:22 PM...HIGH 8:07 AM AND 5:18 PM SUNDAY...LOW 1:14 AM AND 1:09 PM...HIGH 8:22 AM AND 6:07 PM PANAMA CITY... SATURDAY...HIGH 11:46 AM...LOW 10:29 PM SUNDAY...HIGH 12:07 AM...LOW 10:31 PM ...RIP CURRENTS... DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ARE LIKELY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DUE TO INCREASING SURF AND WINDS. ...TORNADO THREAT... TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BEGINNING SATURDAY ESPECIALLY OVER THE FLORIDA BIG BEND. AS DENNIS MOVES NORTHWEST TOWARD THE AREA... TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED. THE GREATEST THREAT IS NORMALLY TO THE NORTH THROUGH NORTHEAST OF THE HURRICANE. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND SECURE YOUR PROPERTY. THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR PREPARING FOR THE STORM. YOUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE MAY SELL OUT OF ITEMS SOON. STOCK UP ON... BATTERIES FOR RADIOS AND FLASHLIGHTS...CANNED OR DRIED FOOD... DRINKING WATER...FIRST AID SUPPLIES AND PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE...AND FUEL FOR AUTOMOBILES...GENERATORS AND CHAIN SAWS. ALSO...BE SURE TO HAVE CASH ON HAND...AS CREDIT CARDS AND ATM'S MAY NOT WORK WITHOUT POWER. AROUND THE HOUSE...STORE LOOSE ITEMS SUCH AS TRASH CANS OR YARD FURNITURE. CHECK THAT YOUR BATTERY OPERATED RADIOS ARE WORKING. IF YOU OWN A BOAT...MOVE IT TO A SAFE LOCATION. TRIM ANY LARGE TREES THAT COULD FALL ON THE HOUSE. IF YOU ARE ORDERED TO EVACUATE TO A PUBLIC SHELTER...REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR FIRST AID KIT AND MEDICINE...BABY FOOD AND DIAPERS... TOILETRIES...A CHANGE OF CLOTHES...A BATTERY POWERED RADIO AND EXTRA BATTERIES...A FLASHLIGHT...SLEEPING BAGS OR BLANKETS...A FORM OF IDENTIFICATION...ANY VALUABLE PAPERS...AND CASH. REMEMBER...PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN MOST PUBLIC SHELTERS. IF YOU ARE STAYING AT HOME...TURN REFRIGERATOR TO MAXIMUM COLD. TURN OFF PROPANE TANKS. UNPLUG SMALL APPLIANCES. FILL STERILIZED JUGS AND BOTTLES WITH WATER FOR DRINKING. FILL THE BATH TUB AND CONTAINERS WITH WATER FOR SANITARY PURPOSES. IF YOU PLAN ON USING A PORTABLE GENERATOR...CHECK IT NOW FOR PROPER VENTILATION. CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING DEATHS CAN OCCUR DUE TO IMPROPERLY VENTILATED PORTABLE GENERATORS! PRECAUTIONS OUTSIDE YOUR HOME SHOULD BE STARTED NOW WHILE THE WEATHER IS STILL GOOD. IT MAY BE DANGEROUS TO WORK OUTSIDE BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. FOR FUTURE INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE EVACUATION ORDERS...AND FOR SPECIFIC SCHOOL AND/OR BUSINESS CLOSURE INFORMATION...STAY TUNED TO LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM CINDY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE BY 11 PM EDT. $$ 8-JAMSKI