[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS81 KBOX 161523
HLSBOX
MAZ019-020>024-RIZ005>008-ANZ231>237-254-255-162100-

HURRICANE OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1123 AM EDT FRI SEP 16 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF COASTAL SOUTHEAST
NEW ENGLAND VERY LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS IN
COASTAL SECTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING
NANTUCKET...DUKES...BARNSTABLE AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES AS WELL AS THE
SOUTH COASTAL RHODE ISLAND COUNTIES OF NEWPORT AND WASHINGTON

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
AT 11 AM...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR COASTAL
SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND.  THIS INCLUDES THE AREA FROM WATCH HILL RHODE
ISLAND TO PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS...WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON CAPE
COD...MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET.  THE WARNING REPLACES A
TROPICAL STORM WATCH THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN EFFECT.

OPHELIA IS STILL EXPECTED PASS AROUND 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
NANTUCKET LATE SATURDAY MORNING. SUSTAINED WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH
WILL SPREAD INTO THE WARNING AREA AROUND DAWN SATURDAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 35.7 NORTH AND LONGITUDE 74.4 WEST.  THIS IS ABOUT 450
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET...AND 70 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF
CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.  OPHELIA WAS MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST
NEAR 8 MPH. SHE IS EXPECTED TO TURN TO THE NORTHEAST WITHIN THE NEXT
24 HOURS AND INCREASE HER FORWARD SPEED.

..PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE LIVING ON OR WITH PROPERTY ON CAPE COD...MARTHAS VINEYARD OR
NANTUCKET SHOULD PREPARE FOR A STORM THAT MAY BE COMPARABLE TO A
POWERFUL NOREASTER.  PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE WEST SHORE OF CAPE COD
BAY AND THE COASTLINE FROM BUZZARDS BAY TO WATCH HILL RHODE ISLAND
SHOULD ALSO PREPARE FOR STRONG WINDS...ALTHOUGH NOT AS INTENSE AS ON
THE CAPE AND ISLANDS.

BOAT OWNERS SHOULD COORDINATE WITH MARINA OPERATORS AND TAKE
NECESSARY ACTIONS TO SECURE THEIR VESSELS...UNLESS ARRANGEMENTS HAVE
BEEN MADE TO PULL THEIR BOATS OUT OF THE WATER. REMOVE ANY
NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS AND HAVE PICTURES AND A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF
THE VESSEL FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT
UNTIL THE TROPICAL STORM THREAT PASSES.

COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE IN ANY OUTDOOR ITEMS THAT
LIE CLOSE TO THE WATER OR CAN BE BLOWN ABOUT. SOME COASTAL FLOODING
IS POSSIBLE AS THE STORM PASSES SATURDAY MORNING.

EVERYONE MUST REMAIN CLEAR OF BEACHES. SWELLS WILL INCREASE FROM
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH SURF FROM THESE SWELLS CAN
CREATE DEADLY RIP CURRENTS WHICH POSE A DANGER TO EVEN THE MOST
SKILLED SWIMMER.

...WIND IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAY SPREAD ACROSS NANTUCKET...MARTHAS
VINEYARD AND CAPE COD EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. NORTHEAST WINDS 40 TO
50 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CAPE
AND ISLANDS WITH THIS STORM.  NORTHEAST WINDS OF 30 TO 45 MPH WITH
GUSTS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF CAPE
COD BAY AND ALONG THE SOUTH NEW ENGLAND COAST FROM WAREHAM
MASSACHUSETTS TO WATCH HILL RHODE ISLAND.  SUCH WINDS WOULD BE
STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES...AND WELL AS
BLOW ABOUT UNSECURED LIGHT OBJECTS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
A STORM SURGE OF 1 TO 3 FEET MAY OCCUR ON TOP OF THE EXPECTED
ASTRONOMICAL TIDE DURING SATURDAY MORNING. THIS COULD CAUSE MINOR TO
MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING ALONG EAST AND NORTHEAST FACING
SHORELINES...IF THE STRONGEST NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD COINCIDE WITH
THE SATURDAY MORNING HIGH TIDE.  HIGH TIDE SATURDAY AT NANTUCKET
HARBOR WILL OCCUR AT 1205 PM.  HIGH TIDE AT OAK BLUFFS WILL OCCUR AT
1139 AM.  HIGH TIDE AT CHATHAM WILL OCCUR AT 103 PM.

...RIVER AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD IMPACTS...
RAINFALL OF 3 TO 6 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS MAY FALL
TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY ACROSS SOUTHEAST SECTIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS AND
RHODE ISLAND. SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING MAY OCCUR. IN ADDITION THE
HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO CAUSE A FEW SMALL STREAMS TO OVERFLOW THEIR
BANKS...AND FLOOD WATCHES MAY EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE ISSUED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED NEXT AROUND 5 PM EDT.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PREPAREDNESS MEASURES FOR BOTH COASTAL AND
INLAND RESIDENTS IS CONTAINED IN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTS
/BOSSPSBOX/ THAT WILL BE ISSUED DURING THIS STORM THREAT.

$$

WTB



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