[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[Nashville EMWIN]

WTUS82 KILM 290155
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ024-032>034-039-046-
290415-

TROPICAL STORM GASTON LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
955 PM EDT SAT AUG 28 2004

...GASTON PICKING UP STRENGTH AS IT DRIFTS WESTWARD...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...BRUNSWICK...NEW HANOVER...PENDER...
COLUMBUS...BLADEN AND ROBESON. IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
GEORGETOWN...HORRY...WILLIAMSBURG...FLORENCE...MARION AND DILLON.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE COASTAL WATERS FROM SURF CITY NORTH CAROLINA
SOUTH TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT ALONG THE ENTIRE SOUTH CAROLINA
COAST.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE NORTH CAROLINA
COAST AS FAR NORTH AS SURF CITY.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF
SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA...FROM HEAVY RAIN.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 8 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GASTON WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.1 WEST OR ABOUT 95 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS IS ABOUT 200 MILES SOUTH OF
WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 994 MB OR 29.35 INCHES.

GASTON IS DRIFTING WESTWARD. A SLOW MOTION TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR
NORTH IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST...AND GASTON COULD BE A
HURRICANE WHEN THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST
ON SUNDAY. AFTER MAKING LANDFALL...GASTON IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INLAND
AND GRADUALLY WEAKEN AS IT CROSSES THE PEE DEE REGION OF SOUTH
CAROLINA SUNDAY NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING...AND CROSSES
SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA LATE MONDAY MORNING.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION WHEN HURRICANES OR
TROPICAL STORMS THREATEN. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE...NOW IS THE TIME
TO FORMULATE ONE. RESIDENTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. STORE OR SECURE LAWN FURNITURE...
BARBECUE GRILLS...GARBAGE CANS AND OTHER LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS. BOAT
OWNERS SHOULD TAKE ACTION NOW AND SECURE THEIR BOATS FOR HIGH WIND
CONDITIONS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
AS GASTON APPROACHES...THE THREAT OF TORNADOES ASSOCIATED WITH
SQUALLS WILL INCREASE TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...MAINLY
IN GEORGETOWN AND WILLIAMSBURG COUNTIES. THE TORNADO THREAT WILL
SPREAD NORTH DURING THE DAY SUNDAY ACROSS THE AREA...NEAR AND AHEAD
OF THE CENTER OF THE STORM.

ON SUNDAY...GEORGETOWN AND WILLIAMSBURG COUNTIES WILL FIRST
EXPERIENCE INCREASING WINDS DURING THE MORNING...REACHING GALE
STRENGTH OF 45 TO 55 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON...
SPREADING TO THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER OVERNIGHT. AS THE CENTER OF
GASTON PASSES EARLY MONDAY MORNING...WINDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WILL
DECREASE.

GASTON IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES INTO NORTH CAROLINA...WITH
WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH EARLY MONDAY MORNING...DECREASING FROM THE SOUTH
FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A STORM SURGE OF 3 TO 5 FEET NEAR WHERE THE
STORM MAKES LANDFALL. HIGH TIDE SUNDAY MORNING WILL BE 7:30 AM...AND
LOW TIDE WILL BE AROUND 1 TO 2 PM. THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK OF
GASTON HAS THE CENTER MAKING LANDFALL IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON...
AROUND THE TIME OF LOW TIDE.

CONTINUING ONSHORE WINDS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND
POTENTIAL HEAVY RAINFALL WILL INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF COASTAL
FLOODING ALONG THE GRAND STRAND...ESPECIALLY IN THE CHERRY GROVE AND
GARDEN CITY BEACH AREAS..AT THE TIME OF THE NEXT HIGH TIDE AROUND 8
PM. FLOOD PRONE AREAS IN SOUTHERN GEORGETOWN COUNTY NEAR WINYAH BAY
AND THE MOUTH OF THE SANTEE RIVERS WILL ALSO NEED TO BE MONITORED.
MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...MAINLY IN GUSTS...AND INCREASED SEAS
WILL DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL WATERS SUNDAY.
TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ON THE NORTH CAROLINA WATERS ARE NOT
EXPECTED UNTIL EARLY MONDAY MORNING. MARINERS SHOULD EXPECT TO STAY
IN PORT. THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS ON SUNDAY.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN HAVE ALREADY FALLEN IN SPOTS DURING THE PAST
FEW DAYS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH SOME
AREAS RECEIVING CONSIDERABLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. FLOODING IS POSSIBLE
AND WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS DEVELOP.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS TROPICAL SYSTEM CAN BE FOUND IN
ADVISORIES ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...AND IN PUBLIC
INFORMATION STATEMENTS AND SHORT TERM FORECASTS ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN WILMINGTON.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON AROUND MIDNIGHT.

$$
TM


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