WTUS82 KMLB 310931
HLSMLB
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
311300-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
530 AM EDT THU AUG 31 2006

...ERNESTO STEADILY MOVING AWAY FROM EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA...

...NEW INFORMATION...
WITH ERNESTO MOVING AWAY FROM THE FORECAST AREA...THE POTENTIAL FOR
SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS HAS DIMINISHED.

 ...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
ALL TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN LIFTED WITHIN EAST CENTRAL
FLORIDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF FLAGLER
BEACH.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 30.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.2 WEST...OR ABOUT 90
MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF JACKSONVILLE OUT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS.
ERNESTO WAS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 15 MPH...AWAY FROM EAST
CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 50 MPH.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING HAS BEEN A PROBLEM...ESPECIALLY OVER
PARTS OF BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. PONDING OF WATER HAS COVERED
SEVERAL STREETS CAUSING TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES AND DETOURS IN A FEW
PLACES. MORNING MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO KEEP ALERT FOR THESE DETOURS.
ALSO...DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH PLACES WHERE WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH
COVERS THE ROAD.

RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CHECK THE DAILY HAZARDOUS
WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER WEATHER HAZARDS
AFFECTING THE FORECAST AREA TODAY.

...WINDS...
ERNESTO REGAINED TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH AS IT MOVED OFF THE BREVARD
COUNTY COAST NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL LAST NIGHT. HOWEVER...THE SUSTAINED
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE NOW LOCATED WELL OFFSHORE. A FEW GUSTS
TO 30 MPH MAY OCCUR THIS MORNING ALONG THE COAST NORTH OF CAPE
CANAVERAL...MAINLY IN PASSING SHOWERS.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
THE WIND FLOW FROM MARTIN COUNTY TO VOLUSIA COUNTY IS OFFSHORE.
THEREFORE...COASTAL FLOODING IS NO LONGER A THREAT.

...INLAND FLOODING...
ALTHOUGH TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO IS MOVING AWAY FROM CENTRAL
FLORIDA...ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAIN TODAY. A LARGE AREA OF COASTAL VOLUSIA AND BREVARD
COUNTIES RECEIVED 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT.
WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN TODAY...THE FLOOD
WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL THIS EVENING FOR BREVARD AND VOLUSIA
COUNTIES. THE CHANCE OF RAIN WILL BE HIGH AGAIN TODAY...AND HEAVY AT
TIMES. LOCALIZED ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE WITH ISOLATED 3 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...
PARTICULARLY WITHIN BACKSIDE OUTER RAINBANDS. THIS MAY AGGRAVATE
ALREADY SWOLLEN CREEKS...CANALS...AND SMALL STREAMS. RAPID PONDING OF
WATER MAY ALSO CAUSE A FEW ROADS TO BECOME TEMPORARILY IMPASSABLE.

...TORNADOES...
THERE IS A VERY LOW THREAT OF TORNADOES WITHIN A FEW BACKSIDE
OUTER RAINBANDS TODAY.

...MARINE...
OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...THE THREAT FOR SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS HAS EXITED NORTHWARD. HOWEVER...WIND GUSTS IN SQUALLS MAY
REACH 40 KNOTS...MAINLY FROM COCOA BEACH NORTHWARD THIS MORNING. A
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM JUPITER INLET TO FLAGLER
BEACH. WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE AS THE DAY PROGRESSES.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS WILL BE THE LAST HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT ISSUED BY NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE REGARDING TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO.

$$

DWS