URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE GUSTAV LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
600 PM CDT SAT AUG 30 2008
…A HURRICANE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI TO
THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA STATE LINE…AND A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS NOW IN
EFFECT FROM THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA STATE LINE EASTWARD TO DESTIN
FLORIDA…
AT 530 PM CDT…THE EYE OF HURRICANE GUSTAV WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
22.1 NORTH…LONGITUDE 82.9 WEST OR ABOUT 130 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST
OF THE WESTERN TIP OF CUBA.
GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH…AND THIS GENERAL
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON
THIS TRACK…THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL CROSS WESTERN CUBA
TONIGHT…THEN EMERGE OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO EARLY ON
SUNDAY…AND REACH THE NORTHERN GULF ON MONDAY.
DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 150 MPH…WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
GUSTAV IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS WITH AN OVERALL
SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS…AND
GUSTAV COULD REACH CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY DURING THIS PERIOD. GUSTAV
IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE THROUGH LANDFALL ALONG THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES…FROM THE
CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175
MILES.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY THE RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT WAS 942 MB…27.82 INCHES.
——————————————————————————————
UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE-LOWER BALDWIN-
600 PM CDT SAT AUG 30 2008
…HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT…
…NEW INFORMATION…
THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV WILL CROSS WESTERN CUBA TONIGHT…AND
MAINTAIN CATEGORY 4 INTENSITY AS IT MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN GULF ON
MONDAY. A HURRICANE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI
TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA STATE LINE…AND A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS NOW
IN EFFECT FROM THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA STATE LINE EASTWARD TO DESTIN
FLORIDA.
…AREAS AFFECTED…
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS
IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES…
IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA…
MOBILE AND BALDWIN
…WATCHES/WARNINGS…
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
…STORM INFORMATION…
AT 530 PM CDT…THE EYE OF HURRICANE GUSTAV WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
22.1 NORTH…LONGITUDE 82.9 WEST OR ABOUT 130 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST
OF THE WESTERN TIP OF CUBA.
GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH…AND THIS GENERAL
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON
THIS TRACK…THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL CROSS WESTERN CUBA
TONIGHT…THEN EMERGE OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO EARLY ON
SUNDAY…AND REACH THE NORTHERN GULF ON MONDAY.
DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 150 MPH…WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
GUSTAV IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS WITH AN OVERALL
SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS…AND
GUSTAV COULD REACH CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY DURING THIS PERIOD. GUSTAV
IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE THROUGH LANDFALL ALONG THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES…FROM THE
CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175
MILES.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY THE RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT WAS 942 MB…27.82 INCHES.
…PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
RESIDENTS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BEGIN TROPICAL CYCLONE PREPARATIONS
TODAY. TAKE ACTION NOW TO SECURE PROPERTY…ESPECIALLY AT BEACH FRONT
HOMES AND WITH BOATS. STAY TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION FOR
DETAILS FOR THE LATEST EVACUATION INFORMATION.
…STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE…
BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK AND SPEED…THE CENTER OF GUSTAV
IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA COAST ON
MONDAY. THE MAXIMUM STORM TOTAL TIDE HEIGHTS COULD REACH 4 TO 6 FEET
IN SOME AREAS…MAINLY OVER NORTHERN AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF MOBILE
BAY AND ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI SOUND…INCLUDING BAYOU LA BATRE.
…WINDS…
EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS SUNDAY EVENING. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE LIKELY TO
OVERSPREAD THE ALABAMA COASTAL AREAS BY MONDAY MORNING…MAINLY ALONG
AND TO THE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE-10.
…INLAND FLOODING…
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA COULD SEE RAINFALL TOTALS RANGING FROM TO AROUND
TWO INCHES ACROSS NORTHERN BALDWIN COUNTY…TO SIX INCHES ACROSS
SOUTHWEST MOBILE COUNTY FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
…TORNADOES…
THE RISK OF TORNADOES IN RAIN BANDS WILL INCREASE SUNDAY EVENING INTO
MONDAY AS THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN
GULF. THE RAIN BANDS ON THE EAST SIDE OF TROPICAL CYCLONES WILL BE
MORE LIKELY TO CONTAIN TORNADOES.
…NEXT UPDATE…
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MOBILE BY 8 PM CDT.
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