000 WTUS82 KMLB 182253 HLSMLB URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TROPICAL STORM FAY LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 653 PM EDT MON AUG 18 2008 ...TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS... ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING INLAND COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA...OKEECHOBEE ...OSCEOLA...ORANGE...LAKE...SEMINOLE. THIS STATEMENT ALSO RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COASTAL COUNTIES...MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...INDIAN RIVER...BREVARD... AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. FOR MARINE INTERESTS...THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY MARINERS IN THE FOLLOWING COASTAL WATER AREAS...FROM JUPITER INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH AND OUT 60 NAUTICAL MILES. ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... A TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL INLAND COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL COASTAL COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL ADJACENT MARINE ZONES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE. A FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES. THIS WATCH WILL BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA LATER TONIGHT. ...STORM INFORMATION... AT 500 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.9 WEST OR NEAR KEY WEST FLORIDA. THIS IS ABOUT 270 MILES SOUTH OF ORLANDO FLORIDA. FAY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH WITH A SLOWER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT...FOLLOWED BY A GENERALLY NORTHWARD MOTION TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS MOTION SHOULD BRING THE CENTER OF FAY NEAR THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF FLORIDA ON TUESDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...AND FAY IS FORECAST TO BE AT OR NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH AS IT APPROACHES LANDFALL. FLZ047-054-059-064-141-147-192300- /O.CON.KMLB.TR.W.1006.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ SOUTHERN BREVARD-INDIAN RIVER-ST. LUCIE-MARTIN-COASTAL VOLUSIA- NORTHERN BREVARD- 653 PM EDT MON AUG 18 2008 ...FAY MOVING EVER CLOSER TO EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA... ...NEW INFORMATION... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL COASTAL COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COASTAL COUNTIES...MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...INDIAN RIVER...BREVARD... AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... LOCAL COMMUNITIES SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF AT LEAST A LOW IMPACT FROM DAMAGING WIND. THE LIKELIHOOD EXISTS FOR WINDS TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO UNANCHORED MOBILE HOMES...PORCHES...CARPORTS... AWNINGS...POOL ENCLOSURES...WITH SOME SHINGLES BLOWN FROM ROOFS. LARGE BRANCHES MAY BREAK OFF TREES...BUT SHALLOW ROOTED AND DISEASED TREES MAY ALSO BE BLOWN DOWN. LOOSE OBJECTS CAN BE EASILY BLOWN ABOUT AND BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES. WINDS MAY BECOME DANGEROUS ON BRIDGES AND CAUSEWAYS...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES... FORCING CLOSURES. SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. POTENTIAL DAMAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT REALIZED BY WINDS OF STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE. ...WINDS... MAXIMUM WINDS FOR THE AREA ARE FORECAST TO BE 30 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH. ISOLATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH MAY OCCUR IN VICINITY OF THE CENTER TRACK OF FAY...AND JUST TO ITS RIGHT. STRONG CONVECTIVE WIND GUSTS WILL ALSO BE COMMON WITHIN RAINBANDS...WHICH WILL MAXIMIZE ALONG THE COAST. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO ARRIVE IN MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THEY WILL SPREAD NORTH INTO OSCEOLA...INDIAN RIVER...AND SOUTH BREVARD BY SUNRISE. THEN...THEY WILL SPREAD FARTHER NORTH INTO ORANGE COUNTY...SOUTH LAKE COUNTY...SEMINOLE COUNTY...AND NORTH BREVARD COUNTY DURING THE MORNING...AND THEN INTO NORTH LAKE AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON. GIVEN THE LATEST OFFICIAL FORECAST...ALONG WITH INHERENT FORECAST UNCERTAINTIES IN CYCLONE TRACK AND INTENSITY...THERE IS AN ELEVATED THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY FOR THE LOCAL AREA FROM HIGH WINDS...WITH THE LIKELIHOOD FOR STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 58 TO 73 MPH IN SOME OF THE HIGHER GUSTS. ...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS... THERE IS A 60 TO 75 PERCENT CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS TO OVERSPREAD COASTAL COUNTIES FROM THE SOUTH DIRECTION. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE IN THE PROBABILITY TREND. THE CITIES OF COCOA BEACH AND FORT PIERCE HAVE ABOUT A 65 PERCENT CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS. AT THIS TIME...THE CHANCE FOR HURRICANE CONDITIONS IS 5 PERCENT OR LESS. ...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE... WHEN CONSIDERING THE LATEST FORECAST AND INHERENT UNCERTAINTIES... THERE IS A LIMITED THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY NEAR THE COAST AND ALONG THE LOCAL BARRIER ISLANDS...WITH THE LIKELIHOOD FOR STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE WATERS TO REACH LEVELS OF 2 FEET OR LESS. EFFECTS WILL BE GREATEST DURING TIMES OF PEAK ONSHORE WINDS COINCIDENT WITH TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE LOCAL AREA SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF AT LEAST A VERY LOW BUT NOTEWORTHY IMPACT FROM COASTAL FLOODING. THE LIKELIHOOD EXISTS FOR MINOR TO MODERATE BEACH EROSION WITH HEAVY SURF. FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE...SINCE FAY IS EXPECTED TO PASS WEST OF THE LAKE...SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS WILL BE BLOWING LAKE WATERS FROM THE SOUTH SHORE TOWARD THE NORTH SHORE...RESULTING IN HIGHER THAN NORMAL LAKE LEVELS FROM CANAL POINT NORTH TO THE TOWN OF OKEECHOBEE AND WEST TO LAKEPORT...WHILE BELOW NORMAL LAKE LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE BELLE GLADE...SOUTH BAY AND CLEWISTON AREAS. IF FAY PASSES DIRECTLY OVER OR EAST OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE...THE WATER LEVELS IN THE LAKE WILL FLUCTUATE DRAMATICALLY DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION AND SPEED OF THE WIND. ...INLAND FLOODING... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES. THIS WATCH WILL BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA LATER TONIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING WILL INCREASE TONIGHT FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AS RAIN BANDS CONTAINING TORRENTIAL TROPICAL DOWNPOURS SPREAD NORTHWARD...WITH MULTIPLE BANDS MOVING REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS. THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING THE HIGHEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL OCCUR FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE ACROSS MARTIN AND SAINT LUCIE COUNTIES...WHERE TWO TO FOUR INCHES IS FORECAST. FARTHER NORTH TO AROUND ORLANDO AND COCOA BEACH...BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES IS LIKELY...AND ONE INCH OR LESS WILL BE COMMON TO THE NORTH ACROSS LAKE...SEMINOLE AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TUESDAY WILL INCREASE RAINFALL TOTALS AREAWIDE. ...TORNADOES... AS THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY MOVES NORTH TOWARD A SOUTH FLORIDA LANDFALL EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING THROUGH OVERNIGHT FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF FAY...WHICH IS THE PREFERRED AREA FOR TORNADIC STORMS TO FORM. INCREASING LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL PRIME THE ATMOSPHERE TO PRODUCE ROTATING STORMS...AND THESE TORNADIC STORMS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN SPIRAL BANDS WHICH WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD AS INDIVIDUAL CELLS MOVE NORTHWEST. THE INCREASING TORNADIC THREAT WILL SPREAD NORTH INTO OKEECHOBEE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE TREASURE COAST BY THIS EVENING... AND THEN NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA OVERNIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADIC DAMAGE WILL BE FURTHER ENHANCED NEAR THE COAST DUE TO STRONGER ONSHORE WINDS BLOWING UNIMPEDED INTO THESE AREAS. TORNADO WATCHES CURRENTLY IN PLACE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA ARE VERY LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED NORTHWARD LATER THIS EVENING. SINCE THE THREAT FOR TORNADIC STORMS WILL OCCUR DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU MAKE SURE YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO IS SET TO WORK PROPERLY...WITH FRESH BATTERIES INSTALLED IN THE EVENT OF A POWER OUTAGE. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE AROUND MIDNIGHT EDT...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...SEE THE MELBOURNE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. $$ AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-192300- /O.CON.KMLB.TR.W.0001.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ COASTAL WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- 653 PM EDT MON AUG 18 2008 ...FAY MOVING EVER CLOSER TO EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA... ...NEW INFORMATION... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL ADJACENT MARINE ZONES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE WARNING WAS EXTENDED NORTH TO FLAGLER BEACH. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY MARINERS IN THE FOLLOWING COASTAL WATER AREAS...FROM JUPITER INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH AND OUT 60 NAUTICAL MILES. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... LOCAL MARINERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF A HIGH IMPACT...WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS DUE TO INTENSE WINDS AND VERY HIGH COMBINED SEAS. BAY AND INLAND WATERS MAY BECOME VERY ROUGH. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR OR REMAIN IN PORT. AT BEAUFORT SCALE 8...HIGH WAVES OF GREATER LENGTH FORM. AT BEAUFORT SCALE 9...VERY HIGH WAVES BUILD WITH THE VISIBILITY BECOMING AFFECTED BY BLOWING FOAM AND SPRAY. SMALL SHIPS MAY BE LOST TO VIEW BEHIND WAVES. ...MARINE... AS TROPICAL STORM FAY LIFTS NORTHWARD FROM THE FLORIDA STRAITS... SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE AFTER MIDNIGHT OFFSHORE THE TREASURE COAST OF MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTIES. THESE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD TUESDAY ACROSS THE BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTY COASTAL WATERS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. SEAS WILL BUILD TO 7 FEET TONIGHT OFFSHORE THE TREASURE COAST...THEN REACH 8 TO 10 FEET ACROSS ALL THE WATERS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. AS TROPICAL STORM FAY EXITS THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW TROPICAL STORM FORCE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. HOWEVER...STRONG SOUTHERLY GRADIENT WINDS ON WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY REQUIRE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES. ...TORNADOES... AS THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY MOVES NORTH TOWARD A SOUTH FLORIDA LANDFALL EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING THROUGH OVERNIGHT FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF FAY...WHICH IS THE PREFERRED AREA FOR TORNADIC STORMS TO FORM. INCREASING LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL PRIME THE ATMOSPHERE TO PRODUCE ROTATING STORMS...AND THESE TORNADIC STORMS AND WATERSPOUTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN SPIRAL BANDS WHICH WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD AS INDIVIDUAL CELLS MOVE NORTHWEST. THE INCREASING TORNADIC THREAT WILL SPREAD NORTH INTO THE WATERS OFFSHORE THE TREASURE COAST BY THIS EVENING... AND THEN NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA WATERS OVERNIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADIC DAMAGE TO PORTS...DOCKS...AND MARINAS..WILL BE ENHANCED DUE TO STRONGER ONSHORE WINDS BLOWING UNIMPEDED INTO THESE AREAS. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE AROUND MIDNIGHT EDT...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...SEE THE MELBOURNE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. $$ FLZ041-044>046-053-058-144-192300- /O.CON.KMLB.TI.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080820T0800Z/ INLAND VOLUSIA-NORTHERN LAKE-ORANGE-SEMINOLE-OSCEOLA-OKEECHOBEE- SOUTHERN LAKE- 653 PM EDT MON AUG 18 2008 ...FAY MOVING EVER CLOSER TO EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA... ...NEW INFORMATION... A TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL INLAND COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING INLAND COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA...OKEECHOBEE ...OSCEOLA...ORANGE...LAKE...SEMINOLE. THIS ALSO INCLUDES INLAND VOLUSIA COUNTY. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... LOCAL COMMUNITIES SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF AT LEAST A LOW IMPACT FROM DAMAGING WIND. THE LIKELIHOOD EXISTS FOR WINDS TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO UNANCHORED MOBILE HOMES...PORCHES...CARPORTS... AWNINGS...POOL ENCLOSURES...WITH SOME SHINGLES BLOWN FROM ROOFS. LARGE BRANCHES MAY BREAK OFF TREES...BUT SHALLOW ROOTED AND DISEASED TREES MAY ALSO BE BLOWN DOWN. LOOSE OBJECTS CAN BE EASILY BLOWN ABOUT AND BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES. WINDS MAY BECOME DANGEROUS ON BRIDGES AND CAUSEWAYS...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES... FORCING CLOSURES. SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. POTENTIAL DAMAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT REALIZED BY WINDS OF STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE. ...WIND... MAXIMUM WINDS FOR THE AREA ARE FORECAST TO BE 30 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH. ISOLATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH MAY OCCUR IN VICINITY OF THE CENTER TRACK OF FAY...AND JUST TO ITS RIGHT. STRONG CONVECTIVE WIND GUSTS WILL ALSO BE COMMON WITHIN RAINBANDS...WHICH WILL MAXIMIZE ALONG THE COAST. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO ARRIVE IN MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THEY WILL SPREAD NORTH INTO OSCEOLA...INDIAN RIVER...AND SOUTH BREVARD BY SUNRISE. THEN...THEY WILL SPREAD FARTHER NORTH INTO ORANGE COUNTY...SOUTH LAKE COUNTY...SEMINOLE COUNTY...AND NORTH BREVARD COUNTY DURING THE MORNING...AND THEN INTO NORTH LAKE AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON. GIVEN THE LATEST OFFICIAL FORECAST...ALONG WITH INHERENT FORECAST UNCERTAINTIES IN CYCLONE TRACK AND INTENSITY...THERE IS AN ELEVATED THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY FOR THE LOCAL AREA FROM HIGH WINDS...WITH THE LIKELIHOOD FOR STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 58 TO 73 MPH IN SOME OF THE HIGHER GUSTS. ...PROBABILITY OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS... THERE IS A 60 TO 75 PERCENT CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS TO OVERSPREAD INLAND COUNTIES FROM THE SOUTH DIRECTION. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE IN THE PROBABILITY TREND. THE HIGHER CHANCES WILL BE FOR OKEECHOBEE COUNTY...GRADUALLY DECREASING NORTHWARD. THE CITY OF ORLANDO HAS ABOUT A 70 PERCENT CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS. AT THIS TIME...THE CHANCE FOR HURRICANE CONDITIONS IS 5 PERCENT OR LESS. ...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE... FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE...SINCE FAY IS EXPECTED TO PASS WEST OF THE LAKE...SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS WILL BE BLOWING LAKE WATERS FROM THE SOUTH SHORE TOWARD THE NORTH SHORE...RESULTING IN HIGHER THAN NORMAL LAKE LEVELS FROM CANAL POINT NORTH TO THE TOWN OF OKEECHOBEE AND WEST TO LAKEPORT...WHILE BELOW NORMAL LAKE LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE BELLE GLADE...SOUTH BAY AND CLEWISTON AREAS. IF FAY PASSES DIRECTLY OVER OR EAST OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE...THE WATER LEVELS IN THE LAKE WILL FLUCTUATE DRAMATICALLY DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION AND SPEED OF THE WIND. ...INLAND FLOODING... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MARTIN...SAINT LUCIE...AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES. THIS WATCH WILL BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA LATER TONIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING WILL INCREASE TONIGHT FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AS RAIN BANDS CONTAINING TORRENTIAL TROPICAL DOWNPOURS SPREAD NORTHWARD...WITH MULTIPLE BANDS MOVING REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS. THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING THE HIGHEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL OCCUR FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE ACROSS MARTIN AND SAINT LUCIE COUNTIES...WHERE TWO TO FOUR INCHES IS FORECAST. FARTHER NORTH TO AROUND ORLANDO AND COCOA BEACH...BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES IS LIKELY...AND ONE INCH OR LESS WILL BE COMMON TO THE NORTH ACROSS LAKE...SEMINOLE AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TUESDAY WILL INCREASE RAINFALL TOTALS AREAWIDE. ...TORNADOES... AS THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY MOVES NORTH TOWARD A SOUTH FLORIDA LANDFALL EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING THROUGH OVERNIGHT FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF FAY...WHICH IS THE PREFERRED AREA FOR TORNADIC STORMS TO FORM. INCREASING LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL PRIME THE ATMOSPHERE TO PRODUCE ROTATING STORMS...AND THESE TORNADIC STORMS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN SPIRAL BANDS WHICH WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD AS INDIVIDUAL CELLS MOVE NORTHWEST. THE INCREASING TORNADIC THREAT WILL SPREAD NORTH INTO OKEECHOBEE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE TREASURE COAST BY THIS EVENING... AND THEN NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA OVERNIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADIC DAMAGE WILL BE FURTHER ENHANCED NEAR THE COAST DUE TO STRONGER ONSHORE WINDS BLOWING UNIMPEDED INTO THESE AREAS. TORNADO WATCHES CURRENTLY IN PLACE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA ARE VERY LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED NORTHWARD LATER THIS EVENING. SINCE THE THREAT FOR TORNADIC STORMS WILL OCCUR DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU MAKE SURE YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO IS SET TO WORK PROPERLY...WITH FRESH BATTERIES INSTALLED IN THE EVENT OF A POWER OUTAGE. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE AROUND MIDNIGHT EDT...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...SEE THE MELBOURNE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. $$