[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 132136
HLSCHS
AMZ330-350-352-370-374-SCZ044-045-050-140145-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
536 PM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005

...OPHELIA UPGRADED TO A HURRICANE...

...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.

THE FLOOD WATCH PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT FOR BERKELEY...CHARLESTON
AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES HAS BEEN CANCELED.

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS FOR THE MARINE ZONES FROM THE SAVANNAH
RIVER TO THE ALTAMAHA RIVER FROM 20 TO 60 NM AND FROM EDISTO BEACH
TO THE SAVANNAH RIVER OUT 20 NM...HAVE BEEN CANCELED AND WILL SOON
BE REPLACED BY SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 530 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 32.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.1 WEST OR ABOUT 110 MILES EAST
OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 75
MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 4 MPH...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TONIGHT. A GRADUAL TURN
TOWARD THE NORTH IS EXPECTED 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...
WINDS OVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL WATERS WITHIN 40 NM OF THE
SOUTH CAROLINA COAST FROM EDISTO BEACH TO THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
SHOULD CONTINUE IN THE RANGE OF 35 TO 45 KNOTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 60
KNOTS THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

WITHIN RAIN BANDS...WINDS IN BERKELEY AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES WILL
BE NORTH AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH...ESPECIALLY ALONG
THE COAST. FURTHER INLAND AND OUTSIDE OF RAIN BANDS...WINDS WILL BE
WEAKER.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
TIDAL DEPARTURES ARE NOW RUNNING AROUND 0.75 FEET ABOVE EXPECTED
ASTRONOMICAL VALUES. NO SIGNIFICANT TIDE OR STORM SURGE IMPACTS
ARE EXPECTED.

...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 LATER TONIGHT...ANY ADDITIONAL BEACH EROSION
IS EXPECTED TO BE MINOR.

...FLOOD IMPACTS...
A SMALL AREA OF HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED NEAR MCCLELLANVILLE IN CHARLESTON
COUNTY. OTHERWISE...RAINFALL WILL BE LIGHT.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON BY 900 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.

$$




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