[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS81 KBOX 162143
HLSBOX
ANZ231>237-254-255-MAZ019>024-RIZ005>008-170400-

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
543 PM EDT FRI SEP 16 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA TO PASS ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
NANTUCKET ISLAND MIDDAY SATURDAY...

...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...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT 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.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR PLYMOUTH...BARNSTABLE...DUKES AND NANTUCKET COUNTIES.  IN
ADDITION...A NEW FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR WINDHAM COUNTY IN NORTHEAST
CONNECTICUT...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN
MASSACHUSETTS FROM SOUTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY EAST INCLUDING THE
MERRIMACK VALLEY SOUTHWARD TO THE CAPE COD CANAL.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 PM THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 36.8 NORTH AND LONGITUDE 73.2 WEST.  THIS IS ABOUT 355
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET.  OPHELIA IS NOW MOVING
NORTHEAST NEAR 13 MPH AND A CONTINUED INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS
EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

ON THIS EXPECTED TRACK...OPHELIA WILL PASS ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF NANTUCKET ISLAND AROUND MIDDAY SATURDAY...CLOSE TO THE TIME OF
HIGH TIDE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
A PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT
NANTUCKET...MARTHAS VINEYARD AND CAPE COD TOWARD DAYBREAK.
NORTHEAST WINDS OF 35 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65 MPH ARE POSSIBLE
SATURDAY MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ON CAPE COD AND
THE ISLANDS.  THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY AFFECT NANTUCKET WHICH
WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE STORM CENTER.

TO THE WEST...FROM WATCH HILL RHODE ISLAND TO WOODS HOLE
MASSACHUSETTS...A PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OR AT LEAST
WIND GUSTS IS LIKELY SATURDAY MORNING DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH
OPHELIA HAS WEAKENED AS SHE ACCELERATES PAST NANTUCKET ISLAND.
THIS REGION COULD SEE WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS TO 50
MPH.

WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE CAN BLOW ABOUT LIGHT UNSECURED OBJECTS
AND CAN BRING DOWN SMALL TREES AND LARGE TREE BRANCHES RESULTING IN
SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

...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 TIDES WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 8 AND
10 AM ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF RHODE ISLAND AND IN AND AROUND
BUZZARDS BAY.  HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1 PM FOR
THE OUTER CAPE...MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET.

TIDE ELEVATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
LOCATION           FLOOD      HIGH TIDE         STORM TIDE
                   (NGVD)      (NGVD)        (3 FT SURGE NGVD)
NANTUCKET HARBOR   4.2 FT   1.7 FT/1205 PM          4.7 FT
WOODS HOLE         5.7 FT   1.6 FT/ 800 AM          4.6 FT

...RIVER AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD IMPACTS...
RAINFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES IS LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND.  UP TO 6 INCHES IS POSSIBLE
ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS WHERE A BAND OF HEAVY RAINFALL IS
ALREADY OCCURRING WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM CENTER.

SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING MAY OCCUR. IN ADDITION THE HEAVY RAIN MAY
ALSO CAUSE A FEW SMALL STREAMS TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS.

..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 ALONG THE COASTLINE SHOULD COMPLETE PREPARATIONS TO
SECURE THEIR VESSELS THIS EVENING.

MORE DETAILED PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ARE CONTAINED IN SPECIAL
WEATHER STATEMENTS /BOSSPSBOX/ ISSUED BY NWS TAUNTON.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED NEXT AROUND 830 PM EDT.

$$

DRV



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