[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 131337
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ096-097-099>101-SCZ032>034-039-046-131700-

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

...OPHELIA SLOWLY MOVING NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE COAST...

...NEW INFORMATION...
AT 8 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 32.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.8 WEST...OR ABOUT 145 MILES SOUTH
OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 120 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MYRTLE
BEACH. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 989 MB OR 29.20
INCHES.

OPHELIA IS CURRENTLY MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AT 4 MPH...
AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH EXPECTED TONIGHT OR ON WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...
STEERING CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK...SO SOME ERRATIC MOTION WILL BE
POSSIBLE.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REGAIN HURRICANE STRENGTH LATER TODAY OR
TONIGHT.

THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK TAKES THE BROAD CENTER OF OPHELIA WITHIN
10 MILES OF THE CAPE FEAR COAST AT ITS CLOSEST APPROACH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...THE WINDS WILL INCREASE TO HURRICANE FORCE
ALONG COASTAL AREAS AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE INLAND WELL AHEAD OF
THE CENTER OF OPHELIA.

DUE TO THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF OPHELIAS MOVEMENT...THE OFFICIAL
FORECAST TRACK WILL CONTINUE TO BE REFINED THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
HURRICANE WARNINGS EXTEND FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER IN SOUTH CAROLINA
TO SURF CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA...AND INCLUDE THE COUNTIES OF
GEORGETOWN...HORRY...BRUNSWICK...NEW HANOVER AND PENDER.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR BLADEN...
COLUMBUS...MARION...FLORENCE AND WILLIAMSBURG COUNTIES. THE INLAND
TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR DILLON AND ROBESON
COUNTIES.

A FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR BLADEN...PENDER...COLUMBUS...
BRUNSWICK...NEW HANOVER AND HORRY COUNTIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON.

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

...WIND IMPACTS...
BASED ON THE LATEST TRACK...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...REACHING THE IMMEDIATE COAST
LATER THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SPREADING FARTHER INLAND THROUGH THIS
EVENING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL AFFECT THE COASTAL WATERS OF
LONG BAY...OR AREAS SOUTH OF CAPE FEAR...FROM THIS EVENING INTO
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL AFFECT THE COASTAL
WATERS NORTH OF CAPE FEAR FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING.

...SEAS AND RIP CURRENTS...
LONG PERIOD SWELLS WILL COMBINE WITH LOCALLY DRIVEN WIND WAVES TO
PRODUCE SEAS OF 10 TO 15 FEET ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. AT OPHELIAS
CLOSEST APPROACH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...SEAS WILL FURTHER
BUILD TO 13 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 TODAY. WATER LEVELS FROM
CAPE FEAR NORTHWARD...COULD RISE TO 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY DURING OPHELIAS CLOSEST APPROACH. DURING THE
NEXT HIGH TIDE...AROUND 3 PM TODAY...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...
BUILDING SURF CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT THE COAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
WITH 7 TO 10 FOOT BREAKERS NORTH OF CAPE FEAR...AND 4 TO 8 FEET
SOUTH OF THE CAPE.

MODERATE TO MAJOR BEACH EROSION WILL CONTINUE ACROSS AREA BEACHES
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE EAST FACING BEACHES WILL BE MOST
VULNERABLE...MAINLY 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 SURF...ENOUGH TO
KEEP EROSION IN THE SLIGHT TO MODERATE CATEGORIES.

...RAINFALL...
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. COASTAL
SECTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COULD SEE WIDESPREAD 5 TO 7
INCHES OF TOTAL RAINFALL...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS. RAINFALL
TOTALS ACROSS COASTAL NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA COULD SEE 2 TO 6
INCHES. LOCATIONS FARTHER INLAND...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-95...WILL
RECEIVE CONSIDERABLY LESS RAINFALL.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MAINLY ACROSS
THE CAPE FEAR REGION.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE COMPLETING THEIR PREPARATIONS
EARLY TODAY. 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 NOON WEDNESDAY.

$$

JAQ

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