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WWUS72 KMLB 020251
NPWMLB

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1050 PM EDT WED SEP 1 2004

...POTENTIAL FOR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OVER THE INTERIOR COUNTIES
STARTING SATURDAY AS POWERFUL HURRICANE FRANCES MOVES TOWARD EAST
CENTRAL FLORIDA...

HURRICANE FRANCES...CURRENTLY MOVING WEST NORTHWEST NEAR THE TURKS
AND CAICOS ISLANDS...IS LOCATED ABOUT 650 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE TOWN
OF OKEECHOBEE...OR ABOUT 725 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ORLANDO. FRANCES
CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST NORTHWEST AT 14 MPH TOWARD THE STATE OF
FLORIDA...AND IS FORECAST TO APPROACH THE EAST COAST FRIDAY. AS IT
DOES...THE POTENTIAL FOR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS AND SQUALLS WILL
INCREASE.

FLZ041-044>046-053-058-144-051200-
INLAND VOLUSIA-NORTHERN LAKE-OKEECHOBEE-ORANGE-OSCEOLA-SEMINOLE-
SOUTHERN LAKE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLERMONT...DELAND...KISSIMMEE...
ST. CLOUD...LEESBURG...ORLANDO...SANFORD

...INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH STARTING SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED AN INLAND
HURRICANE WIND WATCH FOR OKEECHOBEE...OSCEOLA...LAKE...ORANGE...
SEMINOLE AND INLAND VOLUSIA COUNTIES FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

IT IS MUCH TOO EARLY TO PRECISELY PINPOINT WHERE THE CENTER OF
HURRICANE FRANCES WILL EVENTUALLY GO...JUST HOW STRONG THE WINDS WILL
BE...AND THE EXACT TIMING OF THE INCREASED WINDS.

NEVERTHELESS...FRANCES IS A LARGE AND DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON SCALE AND CHANCES ARE INCREASING
THAT THERE COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT WIND EVENT FOR AT LEAST PART OF
...AND PERHAPS ALL...OF THE INTERIOR OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

IF YOU LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME...OR A HOME THAT IS VULNERABLE TO WIND
...OR OFFERS VERY LITTLE PROTECTION FROM FLYING GLASS AND DEBRIS...
DEVELOP PLANS FOR AN ALTERNATE SHELTER NOW. PLANS TO PROTECT YOUR
HOME AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE READIED AT THIS TIME. PRECAUTIONARY
MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE DONE AT THIS TIME INCLUDE APPLYING
PROTECTIVE COVERING TO WINDOWS AND CHECKING THE SECURITY OF DOORS
AND GARAGES. LEAVE YOURSELF SUFFICIENT TIME TO FASTEN DOWN ANY LOOSE
DOORS AND WINDOWS. MOVE ANY OTHER LOOSE OUTDOOR ITEMS THAT CAN BE
CARRIED AWAY BY THE WIND INDOORS.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PREPAREDNESS AND OTHER ACTIONS
DURING HURRICANE CHARLEY REFER TO THE HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE AND
THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.

$$

AJC/RL