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west or about 260 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, moving on a course a little west of north at about twelve miles per hour. A slight change to a more northerly course was said to be indicated with little change in forward speed. The plane found Camille still well organized, with a small compact eye. Highest winds were estimated at 160 miles per hour near the center.
At 5 a.m. CDT Sunday, Aug 17, Advisory Number Thirteen was issued. It called Camille "extremely dangerous” and said that she had shifted a little westward, threatening Mississippi, Alabama, and the northwest Florida coast. Hurricane warnings were extended westward to Biloxi, including the Alabama coast and the Pensacola area of northwest Florida. Hurricane watch and gale warnings were extended westward to New Orleans and Grand Isle, Louisiana.
It said: “Hurricane warnings are now in effect from Biloxi, Mississippi, to St. Marks, Florida, and gale warnings elsewhere from New Orleans and Grand Isle to Cedar Keys, Florida.” It said preparations should be completed as early as possible that day in the area of hurricane warnings and persons in the area of hurricane watch should be prepared to take quick action if necessary. It called for winds to increase and tides to start to rise along the northern Gulf coast from Grand Isle eastward. It forecast tides up to 15 feet in the area where the center was to cross the coast and up to five to twelve feet elsewhere in the hurricane warning area. “Evacuation of the low-lying area that would be affected by these tides should be done as early as possible today before escape routes are closed. The center is expected to move inland near Mobile tonight.” A bulletin issued at 7 a.m. CDT Sunday, Aug. 17, stated that the movement of hurricane Camille during the past few hours had been generally toward the mouth of the Mississippi River and “unless the anticipated turn to a more northerly course occurs within the next few hours, it will be necessary to extend hurricane warnings into the area of hurricane watch.”
Advisory Number Fourteen issued at 9 a.m. CDT on Sunday, Aug. 17, extended warnings westward to include all of the Mississippi coast and southeastern Louisiana as far west as New Orleans and Grand Isle.
It stated: “Gale warnings have been extended westward to Morgan City, Louisiana. Hurricane warnings are now in effect from New Orleans and Grand Isle, Louisiana, eastward across the Mississippi, Alabama, and northwest Florida coasts to St. Marks. Gale warnings are now in effect elsewhere from Morgan City to Cedar Keys, Florida. Preparations against this extremely dangerous hurricane should be completed within the next few hours.
“Winds are increasing and tides are rising along the northern Gulf coast from Grand Isle eastward. Gales have begun a short distance offshore and will be spreading inland over the warning area today and will reach hurricane force from southeast Louisiana across coastal Mississippi, Alabama, and extreme northwest Florida by late this afternoon or early tonight. Tides up to 15 feet are expected in the area where the center crosses the coast and tides of five to 12 feet elsewhere in the hurricane warning area. Evacuation of the lowlying -area that will be affected by these tides should be done as early as possible today before escape routes are closed. Present indications are that the center, of Camille will pass close to the mouth of the Mississippi River late this afternoon and move inland on the Mississippi coast tonight.” At 9 a.m., the hurricane was located near latitude 27.4 north and longitude 88.4 west or about 200 miles southeast of New Orleans, moving north-northwest at about twelve miles per hour. Highest winds were estimated at about 160 miles per hour near the center. Hurricane force winds extended outward 50 miles, gales 150 miles from the center. Camille then was under the surveillance of radars at New Orleans, Pensacola, and Apalachicola.
A bulletin issued at 1 p.m. CDT on Sunday, Aug. 17, repeated the fact that Camille was extremely dangerous and moving toward the mouth of the Mississippi River, repeated the areas of watch and warning, and stated that “several tornadoes are likely over extreme southeast Louisiana eastward to Fort Walton, Florida, and up to 100 miles inland this afternoon and tonight.” Advisory Number Sixteen, issued at 3 p.m. CDT Sunday, Aug. 17, discontinued warnings east of Apalachicola and continued warnings at New Orleans and Grand
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Historic Hurricanes (Treutel Book) Historic-Hurricanes-Of-Hancock-County-1812-2012-(133)
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