Heads UP! - Here Comes Flossie

[Carolann R]

000
WTHW80 PHFO 141544
HLSHFO
HIZ023>028-142145-

LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
544 AM HST TUE AUG 14 2007

...DANGEROUS HURRICANE FLOSSIE CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII...

...NEW INFORMATION...
PLEASE REFER TO THE PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS SECTION FOR
UPDATED CLOSURE INFORMATION.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS
ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF
HAWAII.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII
THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 500 AM HST...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLOSSIE WAS NEAR LATITUDE
16.9 NORTH... LONGITUDE 154.1 WEST...OR ABOUT 205 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF HILO...HAWAII. FLOSSIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST AT
13 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT.
GIVEN THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FLOSSIE WILL PASS ABOUT 80 MILES
SOUTH OF SOUTH POINT ON THE BIG ISLAND AT AROUND 400 PM HST TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME
WEAKENING IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
COUNTY OF HAWAII CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED THAT PUNALUU BEACH
PARK...SOUTH POINT...VACATIONLAND...WHITTINGTON BEACH PARK AND THE MAUNA
KEA ACCESS ROAD FROM THE 9000 FT ELEVATION HAVE BEEN CLOSED. ALL
SCHOOLS...INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII-HILO AND BOTH HAWAII
COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES...AND ALL PUBLIC PARKS ON THE BIG
ISLAND OF HAWAII WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY.

IF YOU ARE ON THE BIG ISLAND...PREPARATIONS FOR TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION EARLY THIS MORNING. STAY
TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION FOR INFORMATION ON EVACUATIONS
AND OTHER PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
RECENT MEASUREMENTS FROM A BUOY LOCATED 185 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
HILO SHOW OPEN OCEAN WAVES OF UP TO 18 FT HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY
HURRICANE FLOSSIE. AS THESE WAVES APPROACH THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF
THE BIG ISLAND...SURF OF 20 TO 25 FEET WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
FLOODING AND DUE TO WAVE RUNNUP. SUBSTANTIAL SHORELINE EROSION IS ALSO
LIKELY. SURF ALONG NORTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND WILL
RISE TO 10 TO 15 FT TODAY...AND WILL RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING
AND SHORELINE EROSION. AVOID ENTERING THE WATER AND STAY AWAY FROM
COASTAL AREAS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
THE CURRENT FORECAST BRINGS EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 40 TO 50
MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH TO THE SOUTHERN BIG ISLAND AFTER NOON
TODAY. WINDS OF THESE INTENSITIES WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO LIGHT
STRUCTURES AND TREES.

HOWEVER...IF THE TRACK OF FLOSSIE SHIFTS NORTHWARD...HURRICANE FORCE
WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER COULD AFFECT SOME AREAS OF THE SOUTHERN
BIG ISLAND...RESULTING IN MUCH GREATER DAMAGE POTENTIAL.

...FLOODING IMPACTS...
OUTER RAIN BANDS WILL BEGIN TO PASS OVER THE BIG ISLAND THIS
MORNING...WITH THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN EXPECTED AFTER AROUND
2 PM. EXPECT RAINFALL TOTALS OF 10 INCHES OR GREATER IN THE KAU
DISTRICT...AND 5 TO 10 INCHES IN THE PUNA AND SOUTH HILO DISTRICTS
THROUGH TONIGHT. THESE HEAVY RAINS MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY
IN THE KAU DISTRICT. A PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE SPOT WILL BE
HIGHWAY 11 NEAR MILE POST 58. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN THIS AREA
WILL RESULT IN CLOSURE OF THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AT 830 AM OR SOONER IF
NECESSARY.

$$
BROWNING





Carrie

"All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it." Bob Newhart