WTUS82 KMLB 070650
HLSMLB
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
071000-

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
250 AM EDT WED SEP 7 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA OFFSHORE OF THE EAST CENTRAL
FLORIDA COAST...

...NEW INFORMATION...
LATEST AIRCRAFT AND RADAR DATA INDICATE THAT THE PREVIOUS DEPRESSION
HAS STRENGTHENED INTO TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NORTH OF JUPITER
INLET TO TITUSVILLE...INCLUDING ALL OF MERRITT ISLAND. A TROPICAL
STORM WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM NORTH OF TITUSVILLE TO FLAGLER
BEACH.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT EMPHASIZES ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN IN THE
FOLLOWING COASTAL COUNTIES...MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...INDIAN RIVER...
BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. ADDITIONALLY...THE INTERIOR COUNTIES
OF OKEECHOBEE...OSCEOLA...ORANGE...SEMINOLE AND LAKE SHOULD STAY
CLOSELY INFORMED SINCE THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE
FORECAST.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 2 AM...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.8 WEST OR ABOUT 115 MILES EAST
SOUTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL. OPHELIA IS DRIFTING TO THE NORTH
NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH. A DRIFT TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS FORECAST FOR
WEDNESDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS...AND SOME FURTHER STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY SLOWLY TO A STRONG TROPICAL STORM.
RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED TO THE LATEST FORECAST...AS
WELL AS INSTRUCTIONS FROM PUBLIC OFFICIALS...SMARTLY MAKING THE
APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR DAY ACCORDINGLY. REVIEW PERSONAL OR
BUSINESS ACTION PLANS AND REPLENISH HURRICANE SUPPLY KITS.
PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE FOR STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
WITHIN THE WATCH AND WARNING AREAS.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
SMALL CRAFT ARE STRONGLY URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT. TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS...WITH GUSTS IN SQUALLS...ARE FORECAST TO SPREAD
NORTHWARD OVER THE NEAR SHORE WATERS OVERNIGHT TO INCLUDE MOST OF THE
COASTAL WATERS DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. SEAS ARE ALREADY 8 TO 10
FEET AND WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OVERNIGHT...WITH SEAS REACHING
TO 12 FEET OR HIGHER IN THE WARNED AREA ON WEDNESDAY. SMALL CRAFT
SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT ACROSS ALL OF THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COASTAL
WATERS.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH OUTER BANDS FROM OPHELIA ARE
ALREADY AFFECTING EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. LOCAL AMOUNTS AROUND 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE
OVERNIGHT...MAINLY NEAR THE COAST. HIGHER AND MORE WIDESPREAD STORM
TOTAL AMOUNTS...BETWEEN 5 AND 10 INCHES...MAY OCCUR OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS AS THE SYSTEM GRADUALLY INTENSIFIES AND CONTINUES ITS
SLOW MOVEMENT. A FLOOD WATCH MAY BE ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA
ON WEDNESDAY.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS IN THE OUTER RAINBANDS ARE EXPECTED
TO START ALONG THE COAST OVERNIGHT IN PASSING SQUALLS. ON THE CURRENT
FORECAST TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY START TO
IMPACT PARTS OF THE COASTLINE WEDNESDAY EVENING OR EARLY
THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL.
CURRENTLY...THEIR ARE NO INLAND WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
SURGE HEIGHTS OF 2 TO 3 FEET ARE TYPICAL FOR A TROPICAL STORM.
HOWEVER...DUE TO THE PERSISTENT...LONG FETCH OF INCREASING ONSHORE
FLOW...BATTERING WAVES WILL IMPACT THE BEACHES FOR THE THE NEXT
COUPLE DAYS. THIS IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN BEACH EROSION AROUND THE
TIME OF EACH HIGH TIDE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...LEADING TO A MAJOR
BEACH EROSION EVENT. THE GREATEST IMPACTS WILL LIKELY BE OVER BREVARD
AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES...WHERE THE ONSHORE WINDS WILL PERSIST FOR TWO
DAYS OR MORE. AGAIN...THIS COULD RESULT IN MAJOR BEACH EROSION IN
SOME AREAS.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
AN OFFSHORE ATLANTIC TROPICAL STORM MOVING NEARLY PARALLEL TO
THE FLORIDA PENINSULA USUALLY RESULTS IN A VERY LOW THREAT FROM
TORNADOES IN THE OUTER RAINBANDS. IF A BRIEF TORNADO WERE TO OCCUR...
IT WOULD BE CONFINED MAINLY TO THE COASTAL ZONE.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 6 AM...OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

$$