Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Middle Keys, Lower Keys and Key West
The National Hurricane Center Tuesday extended a tropical storm warning to include the Middle Keys due to expectations that Tropical Storm Helene will mature into a widespread, major hurricane that is likely to strike the Big Bend area of Florida.
The warning begins at the Channel 5 Bridge and continues through Marathon, the Lower Keys, Key West and the Dry Tortugas.
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, the center of Helene was about 385 miles southwest of Key West. The tropical cyclone was moving west-northwest at 12 mph with sustained winds of 50 mph.
For the Lower Keys and Key West there is about a 37 percent chance of sustained tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph to 57 mph. From North Key Largo through Marathon, chances of sustained tropical storm-force winds range from 10 to 23 percent. Chances of sustained tropical storm-force winds above 57 mph are 1 percent or less for the entire contiguous Keys island chain, said Jon Rizzo, warning coordination meteorologist for the Florida Keys National Weather Service office.
Monroe County Emergency Management Director Shannon Weiner said her office is at a level 2 partial activation and is preparing for any needed response actions. As a precautionary measure and to qualify for federal support and funding reimbursement if needed, a local state of emergency was issued for Monroe County Tuesday. Meanwhile, Weiner scheduled a countywide coordinating call Wednesday morning to discuss protective actions.
Officials urged residents and visitors in the Keys to closely monitor the future progress of the system and to take personal safeguards, which include securing boats and loose outdoor objects from likely strong wind gusts.
The arrival time of tropical storm-force winds is likely to be Wednesday evening with potential storm surge impacts up to 3 feet in some low-lying areas, according to forecasters.
