[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS81 KBOX 171218
HLSBOX
MAZ019>024-ANZ231>237-254-255-171630-

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

...MAIN IMPACT FROM TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WILL BE ALONG THE COASTAL
WATERS SOUTH AND EAST OF NANTUCKET...

...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 WOODS HOLE TO
PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING CAPE COD...MARTHAS
VINEYARD...NANTUCKET AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THE TROPICAL
STORM WARNING WILL BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY...PROBABLY BY AROUND
MIDDAY.

ALL FLASH FLOOD WATCHES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 8 AM...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 39.9 NORTH AND LONGITUDE 69.8 WEST.  THIS IS ABOUT 95 MILES
SOUTH OF NANTUCKET.  OPHELIA WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST NEAR 21
MPH.  A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS.

OPHELIA WILL PASS AROUND 70 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET ISLAND LATE
THIS MORNING.

...WIND IMPACTS...
IT IS LOOKING MORE LIKELY THAT THE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS
WILL BE CONFINED TO NANTUCKET AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...ALTHOUGH
ANY SLIGHT WOBBLE IN THE TRACK OF OPHELIA TO THE NORTHWEST COULD
SPREAD TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS TO MARTHAS VINEYARD AND THE
OUTER CAPE. ACROSS NANTUCKET...NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20
TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS POSSIBLY TO 50 MPH FOR A SHORT TIME LATER THIS
MORNING. THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THAT WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH COULD
OCCUR IN HEAVIER SHOWERS ACROSS MARTHAS VINEYARD AND OUTER CAPE COD.

THUS FAR...NANTUCKET SHOALS BUOY SOUTH OF NANTUCKET ISLAND HAS
GUSTED AS HIGH AS 54 MPH OR 47 KNOTS.

OPHELIA IS CONTINUING TO LOSE ITS TROPICAL CHARACTER...AND THE WIND
FIELD TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE STORM CENTER HAS WEAKENED. MOST OF THE
STRONGER TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITH OPHELIA ARE OVER THE OPEN
WATER TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS 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 2 FEET MAY OCCUR ON TOP OF THE EXPECTED
ASTRONOMICAL TIDE LATE THIS MORNING.  THIS COULD CAUSE SPOTTY MINOR
COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE MOST VULNERABLE EAST AND NORTHEAST FACING
SHORELINES ON NANTUCKET AND THE OUTER CAPE.

HIGH TIDE 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)        (2 FT SURGE NGVD)
NANTUCKET HARBOR   4.2 FT   1.7 FT/1205 PM        3.7 FT

...RIVER AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD IMPACTS...
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR CAPE COD...MARTHAS VINEYARD...NANTUCKET
AND PORTIONS OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IN MASSACHUSETTS HAS
BEEN CANCELLED. THE HEAVIEST RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH OPHELIA IS NOW
EXPECTED TO REMAIN JUST OFFSHORE. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE STILL
POSSIBLE THIS MORNING...BUT FLASH FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.

..PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL OPHELIA HAS PASSED AND SEAS
HAVE SUBSIDED. IN ADDITION...HIGH SURF FROM OPHELIA WILL CONTINUE TO
CAUSE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND BEACHES
FOR THE REST OF TODAY...AND SWIMMING IS NOT ADVISED.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED BY AROUND 1130 AM EDT.

$$

THOMPSON







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