000 WTUS82 KTAE 180349 HLSTAE URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TROPICAL STORM FAY LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 1149 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 ......TROPICAL STORM FAY CONTINUES TO TRACK NORTHWEST JUST TO THE SOUTH OF CUBA... FLZ015>019-026>029-034-GAZ127>131-145>148-156>161-GMZ730-750-755- 765-770-775-181500- /O.NEW.KTAE.HU.S.0001.080818T0349Z-000000T0000Z/ FRANKLIN-GADSDEN-LEON-JEFFERSON-MADISON-LIBERTY-WAKULLA-TAYLOR- LAFAYETTE-DIXIE-WORTH-TURNER-TIFT-BEN HILL-IRWIN-MITCHELL- COLQUITT-COOK-BERRIEN-DECATUR-GRADY-THOMAS-BROOKS-LOWNDES-LANIER- APALACHEE BAY OR COASTAL WATERS FROM KEATON BEACH TO OCHLOCKONEE RIVER FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO KEATON BEACH OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 1149 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 ...NEW INFORMATION... AT 1100 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.6 WEST OR ABOUT 170 MILES... SOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA AND ABOUT 235 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA. FAY IS APPROXIMATELY 550 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CEDAR KEY FLORIDA. FAY IS MOVING NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH AND A TURN TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 2 DAYS. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND THE FLORIDA BIG BEND...INCLUDING BOATERS IN THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA BIG BEND SHOULD BE MOST READY FOR THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM TROPICAL STORM FAY...WHICH IS FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN INTO A HURRICANE BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL. HOWEVER...THE EXACT TRACK AND INTENSITY FORECAST OF FAY IS STILL UNCERTAIN...AND ANY SHIFTS IN THE TRACK OR INTENSITY COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT OTHER LOCATIONS IN OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA. ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...BUT ALL INTERESTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST ADVISORIES FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...AND LATER TROPICAL STORM FAY LOCAL STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE IN CASE WATCHES OR WARNINGS BECOME NECESSARY. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCHES ARE POSTED...PREPARATIONS SHOULD THEN BEGIN FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE CONDITIONS ALONG THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST. RESIDENTS WITHIN THIS AREA SHOULD IMPLEMENT PLANS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. STOCK UP ON CANNED GOODS...WATER...AND OTHER NON PERISHABLE SUPPLIES. PURCHASE BATTERIES...FILL YOUR CAR UP WITH GAS...AND PURCHASE THE NECESSARY SUPPLIES TO PROTECT YOUR HOME AND FAMILY SHOULD HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARRIVE. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EXTRA CASH ON HAND. REFILL ANY IMPORTANT PRESCRIPTIONS THAT WILL BE NEEDED THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE STORM. REMEMBER...SUPPLIES SUCH AS FOOD...WATER AND MEDICINE MAY BE IN SHORT SUPPLY IN THE DAYS AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED. LISTEN CAREFULLY TO YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS. BE READY TO TAKE ADDITIONAL MEASURES IF REQUESTED TO DO SO. ...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE... AT THIS TIME...TROPICAL STORM FAY IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL NEAR TAMPA LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. AS A RESULT...SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE IS NOT EXPECTED ALONG THE FLORIDA BIG BEND. HOWEVER...SINCE THERE STILL REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK OF FAY...RESIDENTS ALONG THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST FROM FRANKLIN TO DIXIE COUNTY SHOULD BEGIN MAKING PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY. EXPECTED TIMES OF ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES ALONG THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST: AT SUWANNEE RIVER ENTRANCE... 4:14 PM TUESDAY...4:31 AM WEDNESDAY...4:49 PM WEDNESDAY AT STEINHATCHEE RIVER ENTRANCE... 4:10 PM TUESDAY...4:27 AM WEDNESDAY...4:55 PM WEDNESDAY AT AUCILLA RIVER... 4:55 PM TUESDAY...5:05 AM WEDNESDAY...5:40 PM WEDNESDAY ...WINDS... BASED ON THE OFFICIAL FORECAST...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COASTAL WATERS SOUTHEAST FLORIDA BIG BEND TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. ...INLAND FLOODING... RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER TOTALS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA BIG BEND AND SOUTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED BY 8 AM EDT MONDAY. $$ GOULD/GIBBS/CAMP