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Expires 2:30 PM EDT on August 27, 2006 Statement as of 1:10 PM EDT on August 27, 2006 ... Mandatory evacuation of all visitors and non-residents beginning 100 PM today... ... No hurricane watches or warnings in effect at this time... ... Areas affected... this statement is specific to the Florida Keys of Monroe County... including the Dry Tortugas. ... Watches/warnings... there are no hurricane or tropical storm watches or warnings in effect for any portion of the Keys at this time... since tropical storm and hurricane watches are issued when tropical storm or hurricane force winds are expected to begin generally within 36 hours. ... Storm information... at 1100 am EDT... the center of Hurricane Ernesto was located near latitude 17.6 north... longitude 73.7 west... or about 690 miles southeast of Key West. Hurricane Ernesto is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph... and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph... with higher gusts. Ernesto is a category one on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Some strengthening is forecast today and tonight... and Ernesto could become a category 2 hurricane before it reaches the coast of Cuba. The estimated minimum central pressure was estimated at 997 mb... or 29.44 inches of Mercury. ... Precautionary/preparedness actions... Monroe County emergency management has ordered a mandatory evacuation of all visitors and non-residents in the Florida Keys beginning at 100 PM this afternoon. A local state of emergency has been declared by Monroe County at noon today. The emergency operations center will be activated at level one at 600 am Monday. All County and state Parks are encouraged to close this afternoon. At 600 am Monday... an evacuation for all special needs residents will go in effect. At 1000 am Monday... an evacuation for all Mobile home residents will go in effect. Tolls are being lifted on Card Sound Road this afternoon. The Monroe County shelters will open at 1000 am Monday. ... Winds... winds will remain safe for travel for high profile vehicles through Monday evening. Tropical storm force winds are expected to reach the Keys possibly as early as Tuesday morning. Hurricane force winds will be possible late Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night. ... Next update... the next Hurricane Ernesto local statement from the National Weather Service office in Key West will be issued around 230 PM EDT. |
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