WTUS82 KMLB 070955 HLSMLB AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147- 071600- HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 555 AM EDT WED SEP 7 2005 ...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA MAKING NORTHWARD PROGRESS WHILE MOVING NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE COAST... ...NEW INFORMATION... THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED NORTHWARD AND IS NOW IN EFFECT AS FAR NORTH AS FLAGLER BEACH. HOWEVER...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN DROPPED FROM SEBASTIAN INLET SOUTHWARD. ...WATCHES AND WARNINGS... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT EMPHASIZES ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN IN THE FOLLOWING COASTAL COUNTIES...INDIAN RIVER...BREVARD...AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. ADDITIONALLY...THE COUNTIES OF MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...OKEECHOBEE...OSCEOLA...ORANGE...SEMINOLE...AND LAKE SHOULD STAY CLOSELY INFORMED SINCE THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST. ...STORM INFORMATION... AT 5 AM...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.9 WEST OR ABOUT 105 MILES EAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL. OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NORTHWEST AT 8 MPH. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE BUT OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO GRADUALLY SLOW ITS FORWARD SPEED. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...AND SOME FURTHER STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY TODAY. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY SLOWLY TO A STRONG TROPICAL STORM BY THURSDAY...AND REMAIN OFFSHORE. BEYOND 36 HOURS...THE FORECAST BECOMES MORE UNCERTAIN. RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED TO THE LATEST FORECAST...SMARTLY MAKING THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR DAILY AND WEEKLY PLANS. REVIEW PERSONAL OR BUSINESS ACTION PLANS AND REPLENISH HURRICANE SUPPLY KITS. INITIAL PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE FOR STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN THE WATCH AND WARNING AREAS...RECALLING THAT IT REMAINS PEAK HURRICANE SEASON. ...MARINE IMPACTS... SMALL CRAFT ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...WITH GUSTS IN SQUALLS...ARE FORECAST TO SPREAD NORTHWARD OVER THE NEAR SHORE WATERS TO AFFECT MUCH OF THE COASTAL WATERS DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AS OPHELIA SLOWS ITS FORWARD SPEED. SEAS WILL BUILD TO 12 FEET OR HIGHER FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH. ...FLOOD IMPACTS... LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH OUTER BANDS FROM OPHELIA CONTINUE TO AFFECT EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND WILL LIKELY DO SO OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM COCOA BEACH TO ORLANDO. ISOLATED EVENT TOTALS COULD REACH 6 TO 8 INCHES. AS A RESULT...THERE IS A MODERATE THREAT FOR FLOODING. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VOLUSIA...SEMINOLE...ORANGE...AND NORTH BREVARD COUNTIES. FLOODING WILL BE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN URBAN LOCATIONS...AS WELL AS POORLY DRAINED AND LOW LYING AREAS THAT ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. ...WIND IMPACTS... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS IN THE OUTER RAINBANDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WITHIN PASSING SQUALLS...MAINLY ALONG THE COAST WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY START TO IMPACT PARTS OF THE COASTLINE EARLY THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL... AND SPREAD NORTHWARD INTO VOLUSIA NEAR NEW SMYRNA BEACH AND DAYTONA BEACH. SINCE OPHELIA IS MOVING NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE COASTLINE...THERE ARE CURRENTLY 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...BUT SHOULD NOT BE REALIZED WITH OPHELIA SINCE ITS RIGHT SIDE IS FORECAST TO REMAIN OVER THE MARINE AREA. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE PERSISTENT...LONG FETCH OF INCREASING ONSHORE FLOW...BATTERING WAVES WILL IMPACT BEACHES FOR 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. ...TORNADO IMPACTS... THERE IS A VERY LOW THREAT FOR AN ISOLATED BRIEF TORNADO...MAINLY WITHIN THE COASTAL ZONE FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND NOON...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. $$