CURRENT PORT STATUS:

 

All commercial, oceangoing vessels, barges over 500GT, and vessels deemed by the COTP to pose a significant threat to bridges/waterways are prohibited from entering the safety zone.  All ship-to-shore cargo operations are suspended, including bunkering and lightering.

 

YANKEE – MIAMI, PORT EVERGLADES

Prohibited Operations: • Inbound vessel transits are prohibited. • All oceangoing commercial vessels greater than 500 gross tons must have departed the ports and anchorages. • Cargo operations not associated with storm preparations are prohibited

 

X-RAY – NO PORTS CURRENTLY IN X-RAY

Oceangoing vessels greater than 500 GT ITC, including oceangoing tugs and barges greater than 500 GT ITC, already in port or arriving during PORT CONDITION X-RAY shall continue with preparations and safely depart the port before the setting of PORT CONDITION ZULU.

 

WHISKEY –SAVANNAH, CHARLESTON  - Port Condition Whiskey:  1.    Sustained tropical storm force winds (39-54 mph / 34-47 knots) are predicted to arrive within 72 hours.

a.    Take due diligence to prepare for potential storm impacts.

b.    Waterfront facilities shall begin removing all debris and secure potential flying hazards.

c.    Container stacking plans should be implemented. Waterfront facilities that, due to space constraints, are unable to reduce container stacking height to no more than four high (or no more than two high for hazardous materials), must submit a container stacking protocol to the COTP Miami for approval.

 

4/SEASONAL – WILMINGTON

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NHC UPDATE  - Hurricane Milton Advisory Number  17 - NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL142024  400 AM CDT Wed Oct 09 2024

 

...MILTON REMAINS A CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE......FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL ON THE FLORIDA GULF COAST LATE TONIGHT AS A DANGEROUS MAJOR HURRICANE...

 

SUMMARY OF 400 AM CDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION

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LOCATION...24.5N 85.4W

ABOUT 160 MI...255 KM W OF THE DRY TORTUGAS

ABOUT 300 MI...485 KM SW OF TAMPA FLORIDA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH...260 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...NE OR 45 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...907 MB...26.78 INCHES

 

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

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SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

 

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...

* Florida west coast from Flamingo northward to Yankeetown, including Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay

* Sebastian Inlet Florida to Altamaha Sound Georgia, including the St. Johns River

 

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...

* Florida west coast from Bonita Beach northward to Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay

* Florida east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line northward to Ponte Vedra Beach

 

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...

* North of Altamaha Sound Georgia to Edisto Beach South Carolina

 

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

* Dry Tortugas

* Lake Okeechobee

* Florida west coast from Chokoloskee to south of Bonita Beach

* Florida east coast north of Ponte Vedra Beach to the mouth of the St. Marys River

* Florida east coast from the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to the Palm Beach/Martin County Line

 

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Florida Keys, including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay

* Lake Okeechobee

* Florida west coast from Flamingo to south of Bonita Beach

* Florida west coast from north of Suwanee River to Indian Pass

* Florida east coast south of the St. Lucie/Martin County Line to Flamingo

* North of Ponte Vedra Beach Florida to the Savannah River

* Extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Grand Bahama Island, the Abacos, and Bimini

 

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...

* North of the Savannah River to South Santee River South Carolina

 

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

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At 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Milton was located near latitude 24.3 North, longitude 85.5 West. Milton is moving toward the northeast near 14 mph (22 km/h).  A northeastward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected through tonight.  A turn toward the east-northeast and east is expected on Thursday and Friday.  On the forecast track, the center of Milton will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico today, make landfall along the

west-central coast of Florida late tonight or early Thursday morning, and move off the east coast of Florida over the western Atlantic Ocean Thursday afternoon.

 

Maximum sustained winds remain near 160 mph (260 km/h) with higher gusts.  Milton is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.  Milton is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the west-central coast of Florida.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km).

The minimum central pressure based on aircraft data is 907 mb   (26.78 inches).

 

 

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

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Key Messages for Milton can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT4 and WMO header WTNT44 KNHC and on the web at hurricanes.gov/text/MIATCDAT4.shtml

 

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.  The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

 

Egmont Key, FL to Boca Grande, FL...10-15 ft

Tampa Bay...10-15 ft

Anclote River, FL to Egmont Key, FL...9-13 ft

Boca Grande, FL to Bonita Beach, FL...8-12 ft

Charlotte Harbor...8-12 ft

Bonita Beach, FL to Chokoloskee, FL...5-8 ft

Aripeka, FL to Anclote River, FL...4-7 ft

Chokoloskee, FL to Flamingo, FL...3-5 ft

Sebastian Inlet, FL to Altamaha Sound, GA...3-5 ft

Altamaha Sound, GA to Edisto Beach, SC...2-4 ft

Yankeetown, FL to Aripeka, FL...2-4 ft

Dry Tortugas...2-4 ft

St. Johns River...2-4 ft

 

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area across Florida beginning this evening through early Thursday and are possible in the hurricane watch area on Thursday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in the warning area on the west coast of Florida around midday, spreading across the peninsula and reaching the east coast tonight. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in the warning area on the east coast of Florida

tonight and along the Georgia coast on Thursday.

 

Tropical storm conditions are expected in portions of the northwestern Bahamas on Thursday.

 

Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area on the South Carolina coast on Thursday.

 

TORNADOES: Several tornadoes are likely today and tonight across parts of central and southern Florida.

 

SURF:  Swells generated by Milton are expected to continue to affect much of the Gulf Coast during the next day or two, and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.  Please consult products from your local weather office.

 

NEXT ADVISORY

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