FLUS42 KTBW 201048
HWOTBW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
548 AM EST TUE JAN 20 2009
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-202300-
LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK-
MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DE SOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE-
548 AM EST TUE JAN 20 2009
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA.
.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
...WIND AND SEA IMPACT...
STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL PERSIST IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT...
RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY.
NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO GALE FORCE...ALONG
WITH SEAS OF 6 TO 10 FEET NEARSHORE AND 10 TO 14 FEET OFFSHORE...CAN
BE EXPECTED TODAY THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES
ARE IN EFFECT FOR TAMPA BAY AND GULF COASTAL WATERS. MARINERS...ESPECIALLY
THOSE THAT ARE INEXPERIENCED OR OPERATING SMALLER VESSELS...SHOULD POSTPONE
TRIPS UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE.
...RIP CURRENT IMPACT...
STRONG ONSHORE WINDS WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT DEADLY RIP CURRENTS
TODAY. A RIP CURRENT IS A 10 TO 30 YARD WIDE CHANNEL OF WATER
THAT CAN PULL EVEN A STRONG SWIMMER INTO DEEPER WATER. RESIDENTS
AND VISITORS ARE URGED TO REMAIN OUT OF THE WATER UNTIL CONDITIONS
IMPROVE.
...FIRE WEATHER IMPACT...
DRY AIR AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS TODAY ACROSS LEVY AND SUMTER COUNTIES. A RED FLAG
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE COUNTIES.
...EXCESSIVE COLD IMPACT...
THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON WITH WIDESPREAD FREEZING CONDITIONS
WILL AFFECT MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND PORTIONS OF
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES ARE
EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW FREEZING FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN MANY AREAS
BOTH TONIGHT. A HARD FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR
LEVY...CITRUS...SUMTER...AND HERNANDO COUNTIES. OVERNIGHT LOWS
WILL DROP INTO THE MID 20S IN THESE LOCATIONS. A FREEZE WARNING IS
ALSO IN EFFECT FOR PASCO...HILLSBOROUGH AND POLK COUNTIES...WITH
SEVERAL HOURS OF 28 TO 32 DEGREE TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. THESE
CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION. IN
ADDITION...APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE OUTDOOR
PETS AND WATER PIPES HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM THE COLD
TEMPERATURES.
IN ADDITION...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL MAKE IT FEEL EVEN COLDER.
WIND CHILL VALUES EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING WILL RANGE FROM THE MID
TEENS NORTH OF TAMPA BAY TO THE MID 20S FROM TAMPA BAY SOUTH TO
FORT MYERS AND EAST TO POLK AND HIGHLANDS COUNTIES. RESIDENTS
VENTURING OUT TONIGHT SHOULD DRESS WARMLY. SEVERAL LAYERS OF
CLOTHING WILL INSULATE YOU BETTER THAN A SINGLE COAT OR JACKET.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
...WIND AND SEA IMPACT...
WINDS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH WITH
SUBSIDING SEAS DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. MARINERS SHOULD CONTINUE
TO DELAY TRIPS UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE LATER WEDNESDAY.
...RIP CURRENT IMPACT...
STRONG RIP CURRENTS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AS THE WAVE ENERGY FROM THE RECENT GUSTY WINDS
GRADUALLY DECREASES. SWIMMERS SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE WATER UNTIL
CONDITIONS IMPROVE.
...FIRE WEATHER IMPACT...
THE DRY AIR WILL REMAIN OVER WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA THOUGH THE END
OF THE WEEK. RED FLAG WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR MUCH IF
NOT ALL OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
WEDNESDAY...THURSDAY...AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.
...EXCESSIVE COLD IMPACT...
THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON WITH WIDESPREAD FREEZING CONDITIONS
WILL CONTINUE AFFECT WEST CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. LOWS THURSDAY
MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO FALL TO THE LOW TO MID 20S NORTH OF TAMPA
BAY...TO THE UPPER 20S TO AROUND 30 FROM HILLSBOROUGH AND POLK
COUNTY SOUTH TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY...INLAND FROM THE COAST. A HARD
FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING FOR LEVY...CITRUS...SUMTER...HERNANDO...AND PASCO
COUNTIES. A FREEZE WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY
NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...
MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DE SOTO...HIGHLANDS...AND CHARLOTTE
COUNTIES. ONCE AGAIN...THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER
SENSITIVE VEGETATION. APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE
OUTDOOR PETS AND WATER PIPES HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM THE
COLD TEMPERATURES.
IN ADDITION TO THE COLD TEMPERATURES...HEAVY FROST IS EXPECTED
ACROSS MOST OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA...INCLUDING SOME INTERIOR
LOCATIONS IN PINELLAS AND LEE COUNTIES. FROST ADVISORIES WILL
LIKELY BE ISSUED FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. NOW IS
THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THESE COLD TEMPERATURES. SENSITIVE
OUTDOOR PLANTS MAY BE KILLED IF LEFT UNCOVERED.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY.
$$
PETRO