[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 132152
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ097-099>101-SCZ032>034-039-046-140130-

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
550 PM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005

...OPHELIA IS BACK UP TO HURRICANE STRENGTH AS IT MOVES CLOSER TO
THE CAROLINA COASTS...

...NEW INFORMATION...
AT 5 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 32.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.0 WEST...OR ABOUT 110 MILES SOUTH
OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MYRTLE
BEACH. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 989 MB OR 29.21
INCHES.

OPHELIA IS MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 4 MPH AND
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TONIGHT. A GRADUAL TURN
TOWARD THE NORTH IS EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...STEERING
CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK...SO SOME ERRATIC MOTION WILL BE POSSIBLE.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOW 75 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS...AND
OPHELIA IS BACK TO BEING A HURRICANE. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS
STILL POSSIBLE.

THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK TAKES THE BROAD CENTER OF OPHELIA WITHIN
20 TO 30 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.

...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.

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
THIS EVENING...THEN SPREADING FARTHER INLAND THROUGH MIDNIGHT.
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 16 FEET ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. AT OPHELIAS
CLOSEST APPROACH LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...SEAS WILL FURTHER
BUILD TO 12 TO 17 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 NEW HANOVER...PENDER...HORRY AND GEORGETOWN
COUNTIES WILL RUN 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE PREDICTED ASTRONOMICAL TIDES
TONIGHT. ALONG THE SOUTH FACING BEACHES OF BRUNSWICK THE TIDES ARE
RUNNING 1.5 TO 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL. AT 6 PM MINOR COASTAL FLOODING
IS OCCURRING IN GEORGETOWN NEAR PAWLEYS ISLAND.

STORM SURGE FROM CAPE FEAR NORTHWARD...COULD RISE TO 5 TO 6 FEET
WEDNESDAY DURING OPHELIAS CLOSEST APPROACH. IN BRUNSWICK ALONG THE
SOUTH FACING BEACHES THE SURGE WILL BE 3 TO 4 FEET AND ALONG THE
EAST SIDE OF BALD HEAD ISLAND BETWEEN 6 AND 6.5 FEET.

DURING THE NEXT HIGH TIDE...AROUND 430 AM WEDNESDAY...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 10
INCHES OF TOTAL RAINFALL...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS. RAINFALL
TOTALS ACROSS COASTAL NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA COULD SEE 4 TO 8
INCHES. LOCATIONS FARTHER INLAND...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-95...WILL
RECEIVE CONSIDERABLY LESS RAINFALL.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT...MAINLY ACROSS COASTAL
AREAS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE COMPLETE. 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 930 PM.

$$

MAC


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