Ruh roh ... TS watch extended north to Titusville as of 5 PM.
Statement as of 5:00 PM EDT on August 24, 2005
...Katrina getting better organized over the central Bahamas...
...New watches and warnings issued for Florida...
at 5 PM EDT...2100z...a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch have been issued for Lake Okeechobee. A Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch are now in effect for the Southeast Florida coast from Vero Beach southward to Florida City...including Lake Okeechobee. A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area...generally within 36 hours. A Hurricane Warning will likely be issued for portions of the Hurricane Watch area later this evening.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the central and northwest Bahamas. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. A Hurricane Warning may be required for portions of the northwest Bahamas later tonight.
At 5 PM EDT...a tropical storm watch has been issued for the east-central Florida coast from north of Vero Beach northward to Titusville...including all of Merritt Island. A tropical storm watch is now in effect for the middle and upper Florida Keys from west of the Seven Mile Bridge northward to south of Florida City...and from north of Vero Beach northward to Titusville... including all of Merritt Island. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area... generally within 36 hours.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 5 PM EDT...2100z...the center of Tropical Storm Katrina was estimated near latitude 25.6 north... longitude 77.2 west or about 45 miles... 70 km... north-northeast of Nassau and about 185 miles... 300 km...east of the southeast coast of Florida.
Katrina is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph...15 km/hr. A turn toward the west-northwest or west at a slower forward speed is expected to occur tonight or early Thursday. This motion will bring the center through the northwest Bahamas tonight and Thursday...and into the Florida Straits Thursday night.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph... 75 km/hr...with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles ...110 km from the center.
The minimum central pressure recently observed by an Air Force Reserve unit reconnaissance aircraft was 1002 mb...29.59 inches.
Due to its slow forward speed...Katrina is expected to produce a significant heavy rainfall event over the central and northwest Bahamas...and South Florida... with total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches and isolated maximum amounts of 15 to 20 inches possible.
Storm surge flooding of 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels... along with large and dangerous battering waves... can be expected near the center in areas of onshore winds in the Bahamas.
Repeating the 5 PM EDT position...25.6 N... 77.2 W. Movement toward...northwest near 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 45 mph. Minimum central pressure...1002 mb.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 8 PM EDT followed by the next complete advisory at 11 PM EDT.
Forecaster Stewart