DATE: February 03, 2012

ROAD CLOSURES
State Road (S.R.) 85 drivers between General Bond Boulevard and the S.R. 85/123 intersection will encounter alternating and intermittent lane closures Monday, Feb.6 through Thursday, Feb. 9. from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. for paving operations. Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.

Initial paving operations will continue on Lewis Turner Boulevard from Roberts Boulevard to Eglin Boulevard (S.R. 397) for the next three weekends. Drivers can anticipate alternating and intermittent lane closures on Lewis Turner Boulevard between Ranger Camp Road and Roberts Boulevard beginning Friday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. until Monday, Feb. 6 at 5 a.m.

Due to construction to the base pedestrian bridge, a section of Highway 98, located directly in front of Hurlburt Field, will be closed Sunday, Feb. 5, beginning 12:01 a.m. Traffic on Highway 98 will be stopped and will reopen approximately 8 a.m., after which two-way traffic may be limited until noon.

Weather permitting; motorists can expect intermittent lane restrictions between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. on the following dates and locations in Okaloosa County as crews from Transfield Services perform routine bridge maintenance.

• U.S. 98 Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach Jan. 30-31
• I-10 over Shoal River Bridge Jan. 31
• U.S. 98 East Pass Bridge in Destin Feb. 6-10

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK:

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

TROPICAL FORECAST

The tropical forecast will resume 1 June 2012

GENERAL WEATHER OUTLOOK:

Today: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 69 and east winds between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers. Patchy fog after midnight, otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 57 and east winds between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon, partly sunny, with a high near 72. Southeast winds between 10 and 15 mph.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South winds around 5 mph.

Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Southwest winds around 5 mph becoming north.

MARINE WEATHER:

A small craft advisory is in effect through Saturday morning

Today: East winds around 20 knots, seas building to 4 to 6 feet. Bays and coastal waterways will be rough. Isolated thunderstorms are likely until late afternoon. There is a chance of showers through the day.

Tonight: Southeast winds around 20 knots, seas 4 to 6 feet. Bays and coastal waterways will be rough. Isolated thunderstorms are possible until early morning. There is a slight chance of showers through the night and patchy dense fog in the late evening and overnight.

Saturday: Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots and diminishing to 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas will be subsiding to 3 to 5 feet. Bays and coastal waterways will be choppy to rough and becoming a light to moderate chop. Scattered showers are possible through the day. Isolated thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon.

Saturday night: South winds around 10 knots and becoming southwest late. Seas will be around 2 feet. Bays and coastal waterways will be smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible.

Sunday: West winds 10 to 15 knots and becoming northwest in the afternoon. Seas will be 2 to 3 feet. Bays and coastal waterways will be a light to moderate chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible.

SURF FORECAST:

The surf forecast will resume March 1st 2012.

FIRE WEATHER

Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI): 100 – 199
Index for previous day: 190

Humidity: 59% inland & 67% coastal
Mixing Height: 4000 inland & 4000 coastal
Transport winds: SE at 21 inland & SE at 24 coastal
Dispersion index: 64 inland & 71 coastal

RIVER LEVELS:

(R = rising, S = steady, F= falling)

Yellow/Milligan: 2.98 ft (R)
Blackwater/Baker: 2.74 ft (F)
Shoal/SR 85, Crestview: 4.16 ft (R)
Shoal/Mossy Head: 6.45 ft (F)

SUN / MOON DATA:

Sunset: 1724 today
End Civil Twilight: 1749 today
Moon Phase: waxing 82%
Moonrise: 1334 today
Moonset: 0352 tomorrow
Begin Civil Twilight: 0610 tomorrow
Sunrise: 0635 tomorrow

Randy McDaniel, Okaloosa County Emergency Management