WTUS84 KHGX 141125 HLSHOU TXZ213-214-235>238-141600- TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 624 AM CDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF... BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...HARRIS...JACKSON...AND MATAGORDA COUNTIES... ...WATCHES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT O'CONNOR TO MATAGORDA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM MATAGORDA TO HIGH ISLAND. ...CURRENT STORM INFORMATION... .LOCATION... AT 4 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 92.5 WEST. THIS IS ABOUT 245 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FREEPORT TEXAS. .MOVEMENT... TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE WAS MOVING NORTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH. .WINDS... MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... RESIDENTS ALONG THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS COAST SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE TODAY. RESIDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE PREPAREDNESS PLANS TODAY AND MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY DISASTER KIT IS FULLY STOCKED. ...STORM SURGE AND TIDES... TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING 1 TO 1.5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL. SINCE HIGH TIDE IS OCCURRING EARLY THIS MORNING...ACTUAL TIDE LEVELS ARE ALREADY AT 3.5 FEET. TIDES AT THIS LEVEL WILL PRODUCE MINOR FLOODING ON THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA AS THE WATER ENCROACHES ON THE DUNES. AS EAST WINDS INCREASE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...TIDE LEVELS WILL INCREASE 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE PREDICTED LEVELS. LOCATION EXPECTED WATER LEVELS AT HIGH TIDE CLEAR LAKE MON 1:43 PM 2.9 FT. TUE 2:19 PM 3.8 FT. EAGLE POINT MON 11:32 AM 2.8 FT. TUE 12:08 PM 3.4 FT. FREEPORT MON 6:54 AM 3.1 FT. MON 1:39 PM 3.9 FT. TUE 7:30 AM 4.7 FT. TUE 3:06 PM 3.5 FT. GALVESTON CHANNEL MON 7:38 AM 3.3 FT. MON 2:23 PM 3.2 FT. TUE 8:14 AM 4.0 FT. TUE 3:50 PM 3.6 FT. JAMAICA BEACH MON 10:16 AM 3.2 FT. MON 5:01 PM 3.7 FT. TUE 10:52 AM 4.3 FT. TUE 6:28 PM 3.4 FT. MORGANS POINT MON 5:59 PM 3.2 FT. TUE 6:35 PM 3.4 FT. PLEASURE PIER MON 6:19 AM 3.8 FT. TUE 7:00 AM 4.3 FT. TUE 3:05 PM 4.1 FT. PORT BOLIVAR MON 7:52 AM 3.5 FT. MON 2:37 PM 3.8 FT. TUE 8:28 AM 4.2 FT. TUE 4:04 PM 3.7 FT. PORT OCONNOR MON 1:53 PM 3.1 FT. TUE 2:59 PM 4.4 FT. SAN LUIS PASS MON 7:29 AM 2.9 FT. MON 2:14 PM 3.4 FT. TUE 8:05 AM 4.2 FT. TUE 3:41 PM 4.1 FT. ...WIND IMPACTS... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT AREAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM FREEPORT TO WHARTON TO EDNA TUESDAY AFTERNOON...THEN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM EDNA TO SARGENT TUESDAY EVENING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE CURRENTLY FORECAST TO REMAIN SOUTH OF THE MATAGORDA BAY AREA. IF THE TRACK OF CLAUDETTE SHIFTS FURTHER NORTH...HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER PARTS OF JACKSON...MATAGORDA...AND SOUTHERN WHARTON COUNTIES. ...RAINFALL... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ON THE PERIPHERY OF CLAUDETTE TODAY. THIS MORNING...AN INITIAL BAND OF SHOWERS WAS ALREADY AFFECTING THE COASTLINE OF CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES. TODAY THE RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNDER A HALF INCH. HEAVIER RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY. SOME OF THE RAINFALL TOTALS WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY ON TUESDAY...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM GALVESTON TO RICHMOND TO COLUMBUS. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT UPDATE FOR TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE WILL BE AT 11 AM CDT. FOR MORE HURRICANE INFORMATION...SEE THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER WEB PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV OR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE'S WEB PAGE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/HGX. $$