[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 131543
HLSCHS
AMZ330-350-352-370-374-SCZ044-045-050-131930-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1145 AM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WOBBLING SLOWLY NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD...

...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 A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT
NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH TO THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR BERKELEY...CHARLESTON AND DORCHESTER
COUNTIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 32.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.0 WEST OR ABOUT 120 MILES EAST
SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE
NEAR 70 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SLOW STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND OPHELIA MAY REGAIN HURRICANE STATUS THIS
AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT.

OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON. A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH IS EXPECTED TONIGHT OR ON WEDNESDAY.
HOWEVER... STEERING CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK...SO SOME ERRATIC MOTION
WILL BE POSSIBLE.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE ALONG AND NEAR THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH
SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SLOW MOVING AND ERRATIC TROPICAL
STORM. PEOPLE 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 RANGE FROM 30 TO 40 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS.

BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK...THE WINDS IN THE COASTAL WATERS WITHIN
20 NM SHOULD INCREASE TO 40 TO 50 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 65 KNOTS LATER
THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN
IN PORT.

WITHIN RAIN BANDS...WINDS IN BERKELEY AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES WILL
BE NORTHERLY 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH...EXCEPT 35 TO 45 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. FURTHER INLAND AND
OUTSIDE OF RAIN BANDS...WINDS WILL BE LESS.

WITH STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OVER LAKE MOULTRIE...BEACH EROSION IS
POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN BEACH AREA. DAMAGE TO DOCKS WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONG WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDAL DEPARTURES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING AROUND 1 FOOT ABOVE EXPECTED
ASTRONOMICAL VALUES. BASED ON THE CURRENT TRACK...NORTH WINDS SHOULD
BECOME NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL RESULT IN A MORE
SIGNIFICANT OFFSHORE COMPONENT WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN A DECREASE IN
TIDAL DEPARTURES. IF THE TIDAL DEPARTURES DO NOT DECREASE...SHALLOW
COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE LATE
THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY IF HEAVY RAINFALL IS OCCURRING AT THE
SAME TIME. WITH THE EXPECTED PATH OF THE OPHELIA...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.

AS WINDS BECOME NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON...ANY ADDITIONAL BEACH
EROSION IS EXPECTED TO BE MINOR.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
A FLOOD WATCH FOR BERKELEY...DORCHESTER...AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES IS
IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THESE AREAS
WILL AVERAGE 1 TO 3 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES
POSSIBLE. AREAS FURTHER WEST AND SOUTHHWEST 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 330 PM.

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.

$$

MTE






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