[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS81 KBOX 170334
HLSBOX
ANZ231>237-254-255-MAZ019>024-RIZ005>008-170830-

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1133 PM EDT FRI SEP 16 2005

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA IS ACCELERATING AND WILL PASS ABOUT 60
MILES SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET ISLAND BY MIDDAY SATURDAY...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS IN
COASTAL SECTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING
NANTUCKET...DUKES...BARNSTABLE AND COASTAL PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
THE TROPICAL WARNING HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED WEST OF WESTPORT
MASSACHUSETTS TO WATCH HILL RHODE ISLAND.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WESTPORT
MASSACHUSETTS TO PLYMOUTH INCLUDING THE CAPE AND ISLANDS AND
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR NORTHEAST CONNECTICUT...
NORTHWEST RHODE ISLAND AND CENTRAL...EASTERN AND NORTHEAST
MASSACHUSETTS.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR
THE SOUTHERN TWO THIRDS OF RHODE ISLAND...SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS...
THE CAPE AND ISLANDS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 PM THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 37.8 NORTH AND LONGITUDE 72.2 WEST.  THIS IS ABOUT 265 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET.  OPHELIA IS NOW MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR
15 MPH AND A CONTINUED INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

ON THIS EXPECTED TRACK...OPHELIA WILL PASS ABOUT 60 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF NANTUCKET ISLAND AROUND MIDDAY SATURDAY...CLOSE TO THE TIME OF
HIGH TIDE.

...WIND IMPACTS...
OPHELIA IS BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF LOSING SOME OF ITS TROPICAL
CHARACTER.  AS THIS PROCESS CONTINUES...THE WIND FIELD NORTHWEST
OF THE STORM CENTER WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN.  AS A RESULT...THE
GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL BE
ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS OVERNIGHT THROUGH ABOUT MIDDAY SATURDAY.

BETWEEN WESTPORT AND WOODS HOLE AND ACROSS COASTAL PLYMOUTH COUNTY...
THE PRIMARY CONCERN WILL BE FREQUENT WIND GUSTS TO TROPICAL STORM
FORCE IN SOME OF THE HEAVY RAIN BANDS THAT MOVE ACROSS THE AREA
OVERNIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY MORNING.

TO THE WEST OF WESTPORT TO WATCH HILL RHODE ISLAND...TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED.  BRIEF WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH COULD
ACCOMPANY SOME OF THE HEAVIER SHOWERS OVERNIGHT AND SATURDAY
MORNING.

REMEMBER...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
COASTAL FLOODING ALONG EAST AND NORTHEAST FACING SHORELINES.  THE
GREATEST POTENTIAL WILL BE ON MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET ISLANDS
AS WELL AS THE OUTER CAPE WHICH WILL LIE CLOSEST TO THE PASSAGE OF
THE STORM CENTER.

STRONGEST NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD COINCIDE WITH THE SATURDAY MORNING
HIGH TIDE.  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...
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES APPEARS MOST LIKELY FOR THE
SOUTHERN TWO THIRDS OF RHODE ISLAND...SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AND THE
CAPE AND ISLANDS...WHERE FLASH FLOOD WATCHES CONTINUE THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

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

..PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL PREPARATIONS FOR OPHELIA SHOULD BE COMPLETED AT THIS TIME.
CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE STEADILY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

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

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AT AROUND 3 AM EDT.

$$

DRV



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