[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KMHX 141603
HLSMHX

AMZ130-135-150-152-154-156-158-NCZ045>047-080-081-093>095-098-103-104
-141900-

HURRICANE OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
12 NOON EDT WED SEP 14 2005

...HURRICANE WARNING FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER SOUTH
INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
CARTERET...WASHINGTON...TYRRELL...CRAVEN...BEAUFORT...DARE...HYDE...
PAMLICO...ONSLOW.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST FROM
THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER AND SOUTH...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO
AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT DESTRUCTIVE WINDS OF 74 MPH OR HIGHER
AND DANGEROUSLY HIGH TIDES CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA
WITHIN 24 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 33.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.6 WEST OR ABOUT 85 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CAPE LOOKOUT.

OPHELIA IS NOW MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 7 MPH.  THIS MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHEAST AND A
SLIGHT INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED BY TONIGHT. THE EYEWALL WILL LIKELY
MOVE ACROSS THE COAST NEAR CAPE LOOKOUT LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME SLIGHT
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE TODAY.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
AT 11 AM WATER WAS REPORTED OVER THE SEAWALL IN NEW RIVER MARINA.
ONSLOW COUNTY REPORTED SOME ROADS FLOODED NEAR THE COAST.  THE
PAMLICO RIVER WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL.  IN CLUB FOOT
CREEK...WATER LEVELS WERE ABOUT 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL.  THE WATER
LEVEL IN BEAUFORT WAS 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL.

STORM SURGE FROM OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO BE 5 TO 7 FEET ALONG ONSLOW
COUNTY BEACHES TODAY.  ON BOGUE BANKS EAST INCLUDING CORE
BANKS...THE SURGE WILL BE AROUND 5 FEET TODAY.  ON THE NEUSE AND
PAMLICO RIVERS...THE SURGE WILL BE FROM 7 TO 9 FEET TONIGHT.  THE
HIGHEST SURGES WILL BE IN EASTERN CRAVEN COUNTY AROUND CLUBFOOT
CREEK AND ADAMS CREEK.  THE SURGE WILL BE WITHIN A FOOT OR TWO OF
THE SURGE DURING HURRICANE ISABEL IN THE RIVERS AND ALONG THE SHORE
OF THE SOUTHERN PAMLICO SOUND.  IN MAINLAND HYDE COUNTY...A SURGE OF
AROUND 5 FEET IS EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.
A 5 TO 6 FOOT SURGE IS EXPECTED FROM OCRACOKE TO CAPE HATTERAS
TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.  THE SURGE ON THE WESTERN END OF THE ALBEMARLE
SOUND WILL BE UP TO 4 FEET BEGINNING TONIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO
THURSDAY MORNING. AFTER THE CENTER OF THE STORM MOVES EAST OF
HATTERAS TOMORROW...SOUNDSIDE FLOODING OF 4 TO 5 FEET IS EXPECTED
FROM RODANTHE SOUTH.


...WIND AND SEAS IMPACTS...
SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS WINDS WERE 35 TO 45 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO NEAR
55 KNOTS.  WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TO 50 TO 70 KNOTS SOUTH
OF CAPE LOOKOUT.  NORTH OF HATTERAS WINDS WERE 25 TO 35 KNOTS.  THEY
WILL INCREASE TO NEAR 50 KNOTS TONIGHT.  SEAS WERE RUNNING 15 FEET
TO 20 FEET SOUTH OF CAPE LOOKOUT.  SEAS NORTH OF CAPE LOOKOUT WERE
AROUND 10 FEET BUT WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 15 FEET BY TONIGHT.


...FLOODING IMPACTS...
THERE IS A FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. RAIN
BANDS ARE SPREADING NORTH THIS AFTERNOON.  BRIEF HEAVY RAINS WERE
OCCURRING UNDER THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF
6 TO 8 INCHES ARE LIKELY WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE
OVER COASTAL SECTIONS. THE HEAVY RAINS WILL RESULT IN LOCALIZED
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.


...TORNADO IMPACTS...
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TORNADOES TODAY AND TONIGHT.


...RIP CURRENT IMPACTS...
THERE IS A HIGH THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG AREA BEACHES.  PEOPLE
ARE URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER.


...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION IMPACTS...
SURF WILL BUILD TODAY AS OPHELIA APPROACHES. BREAKING WAVES OF 8
TO 10 FEET WILL BE POSSIBLE PRODUCING MODERATE TO SEVERE BEACH
EROSION.


...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE AROUND 3 PM.

$$

DB



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