[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS81 KBOX 170707
HLSBOX
MAZ019>024-RIZ005>008-171030-

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
300 AM EDT SAT SEP 17 2005

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

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

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

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 2 AM...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 38.3 NORTH AND LONGITUDE 71.7 WEST.  THIS IS ABOUT 220 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET.  OPHELIA IS MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 16
MPH.  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...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 THROUGH ABOUT MIDDAY TODAY.

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
THROUGH LATE THIS 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 THIS 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 THIS 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.

THE STRONGEST NORTHEAST WINDS SHOULD COINCIDE WITH THIS MORNINGS 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...CAPE
COD AND THE ISLANDS...WHERE FLASH FLOOD WATCHES CONTINUE THROUGH THIS
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 THIS 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 6 AM EDT.

$$

VALLIER-TALBOT



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