725 AM EDT. SPECIAL EVACUATION ADVICE (Official)

[ColinD]

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
725 AM EDT SAT SEP 25 2004

...SPECIAL EVACUATION ADVICE FOR COASTAL EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA MEDIA OUTLETS PLEASE GIVE WIDEST DISSEMINATION... ...A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM FLORIDA CITY TO SAINT AUGUSTINE WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST...

...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...VOLUSIA...BREVARD... INDIAN RIVER...SAINT LUCIE...AND MARTIN.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FLORIDA CITY TO SAINT AUGUSTINE...WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COASTAL COUNTIES FROM MARTIN TO VOLUSIA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY FOR THESE LOCATIONS IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE HURRICANE WARNING INCLUDES LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 7 AM EDT...THE LARGE EYE OF HURRICANE JEANNE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 225 MILES EAST OF STUART FLORIDA. JEANNE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH. THE CURRENT FORECAST IS FOR A FLORIDA LANDFALL AS A MAJOR HURRICANE AROUND MIDNIGHT BETWEEN PALM BEACH AND COCOA BEACH.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
WE ARE CONCERNED AFTER WATCHING SOME NEWS ACCOUNTS REGARDING RESIDENTS OF BARRIER ISLANDS WHO ARE PLANNING TO RIDE OUT HURRICANE JEANNE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH HURRICANE FRANCES. WE HAVE DONE A DETAILED DAMAGE SURVEY OF THE COASTLINE OF THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE FRANCES...AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR RESIDENTS TO REALIZE THAT THE WORST WIND AND STORM SURGE FROM FRANCES AFFECTED AN UNPOPULATED AREA OF HUTCHINSON ISLAND BETWEEN FORT PIERCE BEACH AND JENSEN BEACH AND NETTLES ISLAND. THE GREATEST IMPACT WAS FROM NEAR MIDDLE COVE BEACH ACCESS TO HERMAN'S BAY PARK. EVIDENCE OF BATTERING WAVES ON TOP OF STORM SURGE TO A HEIGHT OF 12 FEET OR GREATER...ALONG WITH EXTREME BEACH EROSION AND A BRIDGE FAILURE... WERE NOTED. IMPORTANTLY...PEOPLE LOCATED ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH END OF HUTCHINSON ISLAND DID NOT RECEIVE THE WORST OF THE IMPACTS OF FRANCES.

WE ALSO NOTED THAT VOLUSIA AND NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTY EXPERIENCED ONLY CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE EFFECTS FROM FRANCES. SOUTHERN BREVARD AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES EXPERIENCED CATEGORY ONE TO CATEGORY TWO IMPACTS WITH MARTIN AND ST LUCIE COUNTIES SOLIDLY WITHIN THE CATEGORY TWO IMPACT RANGE. TO BASE YOUR EVACUATION DECISION SOLELY ON YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES DURING FRANCES IS A MISTAKE.

JEANNE WILL LIKELY BE STRONGER...ESPECIALLY NEAR AND TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE THE INNER EYEWALL MAKES LANDFALL. AT THIS POINT IT IS STILL UNCERTAIN EXACTLY WHERE THIS AREA WILL BE. THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME THIS MORNING TO COMMIT TO EVACUATING AS ADVISED AND MOVE TO SAFETY.
WE HAVE MADE IT THROUGH CHARLEY AND FRANCES WITHOUT ANY DIRECT DEATHS FROM HURRICANE WIND OR WATER IMPACTS...PLEASE FOLLOW ADVICE OF YOUR COUNTY OFFICIALS AND LETS ALL MAKE IT THROUGH THIS AGAIN.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND NOON TODAY...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

HAGEMEYER

[Aquawind]

Ohh Great..Now they think they are experienced enough to "Ride it Out"..one thing or another ..we need more video of Haiti played..

[LadyStorm]

I am in northeast volusia county. I live on mainland but about 1 mile stone's throw from the shore.

If I were to leave, I would be a sitting duck on the major highway in a car. Sitting in stop and go traffic. I had trouble finding gas yesterday, gas stations were all out. I am sorry, but I feel safer in my house, then riding the storm out in a car in major traffic not knowing if I can even find gas to get back home. Our evaction plans here in Florida suck. There is no where to go.

Ohh Great..Now they think they are experienced enough to "Ride it Out"..one thing or another ..we need more video of Haiti played..

[Aquawind]

Well everyone has to make thier own plans and choices..It's tough for Floridians with this sureal season..I think people will be adjusting thier evacuation and hurricane preparation plans after this season..

Stay Safe LadyStorm!!

[Islandgirl]

We were waiting to see if was going to come up 95, or come through the gom.That is a huge deciding factor. Our normal thing is to go west, but with a back door storm, west is not the answer.Right now, we are only under a watch, so we have a little more time. With the back door storm we will just have to find a sturdy building to go to with our pets.Frances was enough for me to know that I do not want to stay here if we get hurricane force winds, or even close to it.