PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT # 1
Hurricane IKE
Monroe County Emergency Management
Division of Emergency Services
Emergency Management Information Hotline: 1-800-955-5504
September 4, 2008
Published at 10:00 AM EDT
Monroe County Emergency Operations Center Level 3 - Monitoring
Operational Period: September 4, 2008; 6:00 am to September 5, 2008; 6:00 am
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CURRENT SITUATION:
Monroe County Emergency Management continues to monitor the progress of Hurricane IKE.
Hurricane Ike continues to track west-northwest but should turn to the west to west-southwest in about 24 hours. Model guidance is in good agreement that Ike will track towards the central to southeastern Bahamas over the weekend, then turn towards the northwest over the Bahamas on Sunday and early Monday.
Some weakening is expected over the next day or two as wind shear increases. Occasional eyewall replacement cycles will also produce some variations in the maximum winds. Some re-intensification is possible once Ike nears the Bahamas as the shear begins to decrease.
Protective actions are not being implemented at this time.
Monroe County Emergency Management encourages all residents, visitors and interested parties to:
· Closely monitor this Hurricane through local weather reports, radio stations, TV channel 76 or the Monroe County Website at www.monroecounty-fl.gov.
· Review their Emergency Plan
· Recognize that due to the location of this hurricane, it may, unexpectedly, intensify rapidly and threaten the area necessitating the rapid implementation of all preparations and response plans
· Questions regarding Monroe County Weather; please call the Key West National Weather Service at (303) 295-1316 or visit their website at www.weather.gov/keywest
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