[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 130707
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ087-096-097-099-100-101-SCZ024-033-034-046-
131100-

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
305 AM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005

...OUTER RAINBANDS AFFECTING THE COAST WITH OPHELIA NOW STATIONARY...

...NEW INFORMATION...
HURRICANE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER IN SOUTH
CAROLINA TO SURF CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA.

AT 2 AM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 155 MILES SOUTH
OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA OR ABOUT 137 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MYRTLE
BEACH. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 990 MB OR 29.23
INCHES.

OPHELIA HAS BEEN NEARLY STATIONARY THE PAST FEW HOURS. A SLOW
NORTHWESTWARD COURSE IS EXPECTED THIS MORNING...WITH A GRADUAL
TURN TO THE NORTH EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REGAIN HURRICANE STRENGTH DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS.

THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK TAKES THE CENTER OF OPHELIA JUST EAST OF
THE CAPE FEAR REGION AT ITS CLOSEST APPROACH EARLY WEDNESDAY.
POTENTIAL LANDFALL CONTINUES WEST OF CAPE LOOKOUT LATER WEDNESDAY.
THIS TRAJECTORY WOULD BRING THE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ALONG THE EAST
FACING BEACHES BETWEEN SUNSET BEACH AND SURF CITY EARLY WEDNESDAY
MORNING.

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

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
HURRICANE WARNINGS EXTEND FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER IN SOUTH CAROLINA
TO SURF CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH
CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ROBESON...BLADEN...COLUMBUS...DILLON AND
MARION COUNTIES. A FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR
BLADEN...PENDER...COLUMBUS...BRUNSWICK...NEW HANOVER AND HORRY
COUNTIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

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

...WIND IMPACTS...
SUSTAINED NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45
MPH...WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS OVERNIGHT. ALONG THE
IMMEDIATE COAST...PENDER...NEW HANOVER AND BRUNSWICK COUNTIES WILL
OBSERVE SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH...WITH A FEW GUSTS
TO AROUND 40 MPH ESPECIALLY WITHIN OPHELIAS RAINBANDS. ACROSS HORRY
AND GEORGETOWN COUNTIES...NORTHERLY WINDS WILL RUN 15 TO 25 MPH WITH
A FEW GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH.

BASED ON THE LATEST TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
WILL OVERSPREAD THE COASTAL WATERS OVERNIGHT...REACHING THE
IMMEDIATE COAST DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS OF TUESDAY MORNING.
SUSTAINED 55 MPH WINDS WILL POTENTIALLY BE FELT ALONG COASTAL
SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...WITH POSSIBLE
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE BEACHES BETWEEN SUNSET
BEACH AND SURF CITY.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL COMBINE WITH LOCALLY DRIVEN WIND WAVES TO
PRODUCE SEAS IN THE 10 TO 14 FEET ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. AT
OPHELIAS CLOSEST APPROACH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...SEAS WILL
FURTHER BUILD TO 14 TO 18 FEET. MARINERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT.

THE LARGE SURF COMBINED WITH THE STRONG WINDS...WILL CREATE STRONG
LONG SHORE CURRENTS AND RIP CURRENTS. AS A RESULT...PEOPLE ARE URGED
TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
WATER LEVELS ALONG THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF COASTLINE WILL RUN 1 TO 2
FEET ABOVE PREDICTED ASTRONOMICAL TIDES OVERNIGHT. WATER LEVELS FROM
CAPE FEAR NORTHWARD...COULD RISE TO 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TUESDAY
NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY DURING OPHELIAS CLOSEST APPROACH. DURING THE
NEXT 2 HIGH TIDES...3 AM AND 3PM TUESDAY...MINOR TIDAL FLOODING
ACROSS FLOOD PRONE LOCATIONS CAN BE EXPECTED. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE
NORTH END OF CAROLINA BEACH...AND ROADWAYS BORDERING MARSHES AND
SOUNDS.

...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION IMPACTS...
HIGH SURF CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT THE COAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH
6 TO 10 FOOT BREAKERS NORTH OF CAPE FEAR...AND 4 TO 8 FT SOUTH OF
THE CAPE.

MODERATE TO MAJOR BEACH EROSION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS AREA BEACHES
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE EAST FACING BEACHES WILL BE MOST VULNERABLE
...ESPECIALLY ACROSS PENDER AND NEW HANOVER COUNTIES...AND BALD HEAD
ISLAND. BEACHES SOUTH OF CAPE FEAR...WILL SEE A NORTHERLY PREVAILING
WIND. THIS WILL AID IN KNOCKING DOWN THE HIGH SURF ENOUGH TO KEEP
EROSION IN THE SLIGHT TO MODERATE CATEGORIES.

...RAINFALL...
OUTER RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH OPHELIA WILL OCCASIONALLY MOVE
ONSHORE OVERNIGHT...AFFECTING THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF SOUTH AND
NORTH CAROLINA. SOME OF THE STRONGER RAIN BANDS MAY MAKE IT ACROSS
INLAND COUNTIES AS WELL. THESE BANDS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO
2 INCHES OF RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS AS
THEY TRACK INLAND.

THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY.
COASTAL SECTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COULD SEE 4 TO 7 INCHES
OF TOTAL RAINFALL...WITH ISOLATED 8 INCH AMOUNTS. RAINFALL TOTALS
ACROSS COASTAL NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA COULD SEE 2 TO 5 INCHES.
LOCATIONS FARTHER INLAND...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-95 WILL HAVE
CONSIDERABLY LESS RAINFALL.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO PREPARE FOR THE
STORM. PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY NOW. 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 PM.

$$

HOEHLER

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