[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 120712
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ097-100-101-SCZ034-046-121200-

HURRICANE OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
300 AM EDT MON SEP 12 2005

...OPHELIA ON A SLOW MOVE TOWARDS THE WEST...

...NEW INFORMATION...
AT 2 AM EDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 76.6 WEST...OR ABOUT 222 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHEAST OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE WAS 983 MB OR 29.03 INCHES.

OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT 5 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE
NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
REMAINS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE
CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE LATEST
FORECAST TRACK TAKES OPHELIA'S EYE A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE CAPE FEAR
REGION LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL JUST WEST
OF CAPE LOOKOUT.

DUE TO THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF OPHELIAS MOVEMENT...THE OFFICIAL
FORECAST TRACK WILL BE SUBJECT TO CHANGES.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN 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...
SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS UP TO
45 MPH...WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS INTO THE DAYLIGHT
HOURS OF MONDAY. ACROSS PENDER...NEW HANOVER AND BRUNSWICK
COUNTIES...SUSTAINED NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH...WITH
FEW GUSTS AROUND 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE INTO THE DAYLIGHT HOURS OF
MONDAY. ACROSS HORRY AND GEORGETOWN COUNTIES...NORTHERLY WINDS WILL
RUN 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH.

BASED ON THE LATEST TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
WILL POTENTIALLY ENGULF THE COASTAL WATERS LATE MONDAY...REACHING
THE IMMEDIATE COAST MONDAY NIGHT. SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
REMAIN POSSIBLE LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...MAINLY OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS. ANY WESTWARD DEVIATION IN OPHELIAS TRACK COULD
EASILY BRING THESE STRONGER WINDS ONSHORE.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
SEAS REPORTED FROM NEARSHORE BUOYS WERE 7 TO 9 FT...WHILE BUOYS
FURTHER OFF THE COAST REPORTED SEAS UP TO 13 FT. WITH AN OFFHORE
NORTHERLY WIND ACROSS THE WATERS OFF BRUNSWICK COUNTY...SEAS WILL BE
KNOCKED DOWN SOMEWHAT WITH ONLY 4 TO 5 FT SURF CONDITIONS. AS
OPHELIA MOVES CLOSER...SEAS ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS WILL BUILD AS
HIGH AS 17 FEET. MARINERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT.

ACCOMPANYING THE VERY ROUGH AND LARGE SURF WILL BE STRONG LONG SHORE
CURRENTS AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS. AS A RESULT...PEOPLE ARE URGED
TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
BEACH EROSION WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FOR TODAY...WITH
PENDER AND NEW HANOVER COUNTIES...AND BALD HEAD ISLAND BARING THE
BRUNT. REPORTS OF EROSION DROP OFFS RANGE FROM 3 TO 5 FEET...MAINLY
ALONG THESE EAST FACING BEACHES.

WATER LEVELS NORTH OF CAPE FEAR WILL CONTINUE 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE
PREDICTED ASTRONOMICAL TIDES...THROUGH TODAY. AT THE TIME OF HIGH
TIDE...AROUND 2 PM MONDAY...MINOR TIDAL FLOODING ACROSS FLOOD PRONE
LOCATIONS CAN BE EXPECTED.

...RAINFALL...
OUTER RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH OPHELIA WILL OCCASIONALLY MOVE
ONSHORE TODAY...MAINLY ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST FROM CAPE FEAR TO
SURF CITY. BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...THE HEAVIEST
RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. COASTAL SECTIONS
OF SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COULD SEE 1 TO 4 INCHES OF TOTAL
RAINFALL...WITH NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA SLIGHTLY LESS. LOCATIONS
FARTHER INLAND WILL HAVE CONSIDERABLY LESS RAINFALL. BECAUSE RIVERS
ARE LOW AND THE GROUND IS RELATIVELY DRY...WIDESPREAD RIVER FLOODING
IS NOT EXPECTED 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 6 AM.

$$

HOEHLER


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