Coastal Flood Warning
LAZ038-040-058-060>064-069-070-MSZ080>082-221600-
COASTAL FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
430 AM CDT THU SEP 22 2005
...A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MISSISSIPPI COAST
AND FOR THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST...
A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS FROM
THE MISSISSIPPI/ALABAMA STATE LINE TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER INCLUDING LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND LAKE MAUREPAS. THIS WARNING
REPLACES THE COASTAL FLOOD WATCH ISSUED TUESDAY.
HURRICANE RITA HAS MOVED A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE NORTHWEST.
AS THIS STORM PROGRESSES NORTHEASTWARD WINDS AND WAVES GENERATED BY
THE STORM ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE CENTRAL GULF COAST TONIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY. EAST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT AND BECOME
SOUTHEASTERLY AT 25 TO 30 KNOTS FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. THIS
PROLONGED EAST AND SOUTHEAST WINDS ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS WILL
PILE WATER ONTO ADJACENT LAND AREAS AND RAISE WATER LEVELS ON TIDAL
LAKES.
TIDES WILL BEGIN A STEADY INCREASE TODAY AS EASTERLY WINDS INCREASE.
TIDE LEVELS OF 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL WILL LIKELY OCCUR IN THE
COASTAL FLOOD WARNING AREAS THIS AFTERNOON AND INCREASE TO 4 TO 5
FEET ABOVE NORMAL BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY
MORNING OVER THE LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI COASTAL WATERS.
MANY AREAS OF COASTAL MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...
INCLUDING AROUND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN...MAY EXPERIENCE SOME SALT WATER
FLOODING THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY. THE COASTAL AREAS ARE MORE
VULNERABLE TO COASTAL TIDAL FLOODING DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE
KATRINA SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. AS WATER LEVELS RISE...CONDITIONS MAY
BECOME HAZARDOUS TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY ALONG THE COAST AND LOW
LYING AREAS AROUND TIDAL AREAS DUE TO COASTAL FLOODING.
ALL PERSONS IN COASTAL AREAS OF MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO MOVE THEMSELVES AND THEIR
PROPERTY TO HIGHER GROUND SHOULD COASTAL FLOODING THREATEN. LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
UPDATES ON THIS COASTAL FLOOD SITUATION.$$