[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 120257
HLSCHS
AMZ330-350-SCZ044-045-050-120730-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1057 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2005

...HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH TO SOUTH
SANTEE RIVER...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY
ALL PERSONS IN BERKELEY...CHARLESTON AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES
AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
...HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH TO
SOUTH SANTEE RIVER...

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.1 NORTH... LONGITUDE 76.4 WEST OR ABOUT 240 MILES
EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS WERE NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN
STRENGTH IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY.

OPHELIA WAS DRIFTING TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST AND IS EXPECTED TO
MAKE A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST AND THEN WEST-NORTHWEST ON MONDAY.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
RESIDENTS ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH
SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST HURRICANE ADVISORIES AND
HEED THE ADVICE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
DUE TO THE SLOW MOTION OF OPHELIA WELL OFF THE COAST...TIDES WILL
RUN AROUND 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE ASTRONOMICALLY PREDICTED LEVELS
THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. NO SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE EFFECTS ARE
EXPECTED BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK.

...WIND IMPACTS...
CURRENT WINDS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST
ARE 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY.
BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
MAY APPROACH THE COASTAL WATERS MONDAY NIGHT OR EARLY TUESDAY
MORNING.

INLAND WINDS HAVE BEEN 10 TO 20 MPH. INLAND WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS BY LATE MONDAY AND
CONTINUE INTO EARLY TUESDAY...MAINLY IN CHARLESTON AND BERKELEY
COUNTIES.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
DUE TO THE DRY AIR IN PLACE ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CURRENT
FORECAST TRACK...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHTER THAN MOST
HURRICANES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN AN INCH
OVER CHARLESTON AND BERKELEY COUNTIES...WITH MANY AREAS RECEIVING
LITTLE IF ANY RAINFALL. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE NEAR
AND EAST OF THE CENTER OF THE STORM. WITH MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL...
FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WILL EXIST THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT WITH
DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS POSSIBLE MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SEAS IN THE
COASTAL WATERS WILL INCREASE TO 6 TO 12 FEET MONDAY AND MONDAY
NIGHT...

STRONG WINDS OVER THE LAST WEEK ALONG THE COAST HAVE CAUSED SOME
BEACH EROSION ALREADY. THE WINDS FROM OPHELIA WILL LIKELY CAUSE
ADDITIONAL EROSION. WITH THE WINDS EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY
OFFSHORE...THE BEACH EROSION SHOULD BE MINOR TO MODERATE.

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OPHELIA CAN BE FOUND IN ADVISORIES ISSUED
BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER.


$$


JH

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