[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 110344
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ097-100-101-SCZ034-046-110800-

HURRICANE OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1145 PM EDT SAT SEP 10 2005

...OPHELIA SLOWLY MEANDERING OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST...

...NEW INFORMATION...
AT 11 PM EDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 75.8 WEST...ABOUT OR 200 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA.

OPHELIA IS NEARLY STATIONARY AND LITTLE MOTION IS ANTICIPATED
OVERNIGHT AND ON SUNDAY.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 977 MB OR 28.85 INCHES.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 80 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
OPHELIA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
SLOW STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH
CAROLINA TO SURF CITY NORTH CAROLINA.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...GEORGETOWN...HORRY...AND IN SOUTHEAST
NORTH CAROLINA...BRUNSWICK...NEW HANOVER...PENDER.

...WIND IMPACTS...
ALONG THE COAST...WINDS WERE GUSTING NEAR 30 KT THIS AFTERNOON.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...WITH GUSTS TO 50 KT...ARE OCCURRING
OVER PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL WATERS. THESE WINDS ARE ASSOCIATED
WITH A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN OPHELIA AND A HIGH PRESSURE
SYSTEM TO THE NORTHWEST. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE FORECAST TO
DEVELOP OVER THE WATERS LATE MONDAY.

BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE
FORECAST TO SPREAD INLAND OVER NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND
SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA MONDAY EVENING. ALTHOUGH THE LATEST TRACK
FROM THE HURRICANE CENTER KEEPS MOST OF THE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST...THE TRACK OF OPHELIA IS VERY MUCH IN
QUESTION AND THERE STILL REMAINS A GOOD CHANCE THAT OPHELIA COULD
MAKE LANDFALL IN THE CAPE FEAR REGION AS A STRONG CATEGORY 1
HURRICANE.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
SEAS REPORTED FROM NEARSHORE BUOYS WERE 7 TO 8 FT...WHILE BUOYS
FURTHER OFF THE COAST REPORTED SEAS 12 TO 14 FT. SEAS WILL INCREASE
HIGHER TO AROUND 20 FT AS OPHELIA MOVES CLOSER. MARINERS ARE URGED
TO REMAIN IN PORT.

SWIMMERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO STRONG LONG SHORE CURRENTS AND STRONG
RIP CURRENTS...AND ARE URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
EROSION AT WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH...CAROLINA BEACH...AND KURE BEACH WAS
REPORTED THIS AFTERNOON WITH A 3 FOOT DROP IN PLACES.

WITH THE SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WIND...WATER LEVELS ON EAST FACING
BEACHES ARE ABOUT A FOOT HIGHER THAN NORMAL...AND ARE EXPECTED TO
BE 1 TO 2 FT ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH SUNDAY.

AT THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...MINOR FLOODING WAS
REPORTED AT CAROLINA BEACH ALONG CANAL DRIVE. AT THE HIGH TIDE
TONIGHT AROUND MIDNIGHT...MINOR COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED
AGAIN...AND THE WATER IS EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT A FOOT HIGHER ON THE
EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON HIGH TIDE.

BASED ON A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE INTENSITY...STORM SURGE VALUES NEAR
THE EYE LANDFALL WILL BE NEAR 10 FT...CAUSING COASTAL FLOODING.

...RAINFALL...
TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 5 INCHES WITH THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALL EXPECTED ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST LATE MONDAY AND
ON TUESDAY. ALTHOUGH RIVERS ARE LOW AND THE GROUND IS RELATIVELY
DRY...EXTENSIVE PONDING OF WATER IS EXPECTED. WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS
NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FOR THE LATEST STORM AND PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION VISIT
WEATHER.GOV/ILM

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA AROUND 3 AM.

$$

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