WTUS82 KMLB 241534
HLSMLB
AMZ555-575-FLZ054-058-059-064-242200-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1134 AM EDT WED AUG 24 2005

...TROPICAL STORM KATRINA SLOWLY STRENGTHENING AND MOVING TOWARD
SOUTH FLORIDA...

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE
FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM VERO BEACH SOUTHWARD. AN INLAND TROPICAL
STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR OKEECHOBEE COUNTY...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR RESIDENTS OF
MARTIN...ST LUCIE...OKEECHOBEE AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES FOR TROPICAL
STORM KATRINA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE  76.7 WEST OR ABOUT 250 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF WEST PALM BEACH. THE STORM IS MOVING ERRATICALLY TOWARD
THE NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40
MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...MAINLY IN SQUALLS TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS...SUSTAINED WINDS
ABOVE 73 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 36 TO 48 HOURS. A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS...
SUSTAINED WINDS FROM 39 TO 73 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE
NEXT 24 HOURS. RESIDENTS IN THE WATCH AND WARNING AREA SHOULD HAVE A
PLAN IN PLACE AND KEEP INFORMED OF THE LATEST ADVISORIES.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
DUE TO THE SLOW FORWARD MOTION OF KATRINA...HEAVY RAINS ARE POSSIBLE
WITH THIS SYSTEM. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE TRACK OF THE STORM. IF
THE STORM MOVES FURTHER NORTH OR SLOWER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST...
HIGHER RAINFALL TOTALS WILL BE POSSIBLE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BECOME NUMEROUS BY LATE THURSDAY WITH BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN AND
SQUALLS POSSIBLE WELL INTO FRIDAY. PERSONS IN HIGHLY FLOOD PRONE
AREAS ARE URGED TO HAVE A PLAN TO PROTECT PROPERTY FROM RISING
WATERS. IF THE THREAT FOR FLOODING BECOMES MORE CERTAIN...A FLOOD
WATCH WILL BE ISSUED.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE LATEST PROJECTION FOR TROPICAL STORM KATRINA BRINGS TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS INTO SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA
THURSDAY EVENING AND FRIDAY. THESE WINDS COULD CAUSE TREE LIMBS TO
BLOW DOWN OR TREES TO UPROOT...CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. GUSTY ONSHORE
WINDS...REACHING 30 TO 40 MPH IN HEAVY SHOWERS...WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE ALONG MUCH OF THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS A LOW CHANCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOES OCCURRING IN THE OUTER
RAINBANDS BEGINNING THURSDAY AND CONTINUING FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY
SATURDAY...MAINLY NEAR THE EAST COAST AND NORTH OF THE CENTER.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
BASED ON CURRENT FORECAST TRACK AND INTENSITY...STORM SURGE VALUES OF
1 TO 3 FEET ARE POSSIBLE NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THE CENTER
MAKES LANDFALL. LARGE SURF...STRONG RIP CURRENTS...AND BEACH EROSION
WILL LIKELY IMPACT THE ENTIRE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WINDS OVER THE ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS WILL BEGIN INCREASING EARLY
THURSDAY WILL LIKELY REACH TROPICAL STORM FORCE LATE THURSDAY. AS
WINDS BECOME NORTHEAST AND INCREASE...SEAS WILL BUILD...ESPECIALLY IN
THE GULF STREAM...AND SMALL CRAFT SHOULD NOT VENTURE FAR FROM PORT.
INCREASING WAVES ALONG THE COAST WILL MEAN A HIGHER DANGER OF RIP
CURRENTS BEGINNING THURSDAY.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM KATRINA WILL BE ISSUED
AROUND 6 PM...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

$$

SPRATT