[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 130657
HLSCHS
AMZ330-350-370-374-SCZ044-045-050-131030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
257 AM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005

...ERRACTIC TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA HAS MOVED LITTLE...

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

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT
NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH TO THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 2 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 31.9 NORTH... LONGITUDE 77.9 WEST OR ABOUT 140 MILES
EAST SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS WERE NEAR 70 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA MAY REGAIN
HURRICANE STATUS DURING THE NEXT TWENTY FOUR HOURS.

OPHELIA HAS MOVED VERY LITTLE DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS AND IS
EXPECTED TO DRIFT TO THE NORTHWEST THIS MORNING. A GRADUAL TURN
TO THE NORTH IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PERSONS ALONG AND NEAR THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH
SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SLOW MOVING AND ERRATIC TROPICAL STORM.
PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE COASTAL COUNTIES SHOULD HEED THE ADVICE OF
LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
CURRENT WINDS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS WITHIN 20 NM OFF THE SOUTH
CAROLINA COAST ARE 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS. WINDS
FURTHER OFFSHORE ARE IN THE 30 TO 40 KNOTS RANGE WITH GUSTS TO 50
KNOTS.

BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK...THE WINDS IN THE COASTAL WATERS
WITHIN 20 NM WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 50
KNOTS LATER TONIGHT. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

WINDS IN BERKELEY AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES WILL BE NORTHERLY 20 TO
30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH...EXCEPT 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55
MPH ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. FURTHER INLAND...WINDS WILL BE 15
TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
THE ASTRONOMICAL TIDAL DEPARTURES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO RUN
1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE PREDICTED VALUES. BASED ON THE CURRENT
TRACK...THE NORTH WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST WITH A MORE
SIGNIFICANT OFFSHORE COMPONENT. STORM SURGE IMPACTS ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO BE SIGNIFICANT.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WILL EXIST THROUGH TONIGHT. DANGEROUS SURF
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT AND THEREFORE PEOPLE ARE
URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER. SEAS IN THE COASTAL WATERS OUT TO
20 NM WILL BE IN THE TO 7 TO 12 FOOT RANGE THROUGH TONIGHT. BEYOND
20 NM...SEAS WILL APPROACH 18 FT.

THE BEACHES ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST WERE BATTERED DURING
THE PAST WEEK WITH STRONG WINDS THAT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT EROSION.
WINDS FROM OPHELIA WILL LIKELY CAUSE ADDITIONAL EROSION BUT WITH
THE WINDS EXPECTED TO BE OFFSHORE...FURTHER BEACH EROSION SHOULD
BE MINOR TO MODERATE.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN AFFECTED AREAS WILL AVERAGE 1 TO 3
INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES POSSIBLE...MAINLY
ACROSS NORTHERN CHARLESTON COUNTY AND EASTERN BERKELEY COUNTY.
AREAS FURTHER WEST AND NORTHWEST WILL RECEIVE LESSER AMOUNTS.
HOWEVER...IF OPHELIA TRACKS FURTHER TO THE WEST...RAINFALL AMOUNTS
COULD INCREASE. WITH ALL RIVERS WELL WITHIN THEIR BANKS...WIDESPREAD
FLOODING IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON BY 630 AM.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OPHELIA CAN BE FOUND IN ADVISORIES ISSUED
BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER....AS WELL AS PUBLIC INFORMATION
STATEMENTS AND SHORT TERM FORECASTS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE.


$$

JH/JRJ




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