[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 301556
HLSILM
AMZ252-254-256-NCZ100-SCZ034-046-302000-

TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1156 AM EDT WED AUG 30 2006

...TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WILL AFFECT THE CAROLINAS ON THURSDAY...

...NEW INFORMATION...
THIS STATEMENT UPDATES THE CURRENT STATUS AND POSITION OF ERNESTO...
AND CHANGES THE WATCH AND WARNING STATUS FOR THE CAROLINAS.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...

GEORGETOWN AND HORRY

AND IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...

BRUNSWICK

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
IN SOUTH CAROLINA NORTH TO CAPE FEAR NORTH CAROLINA. TROPICAL
STORM CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST ON THURSDAY.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...ERNESTO HAD WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION...
WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 35 MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS. ERNESTO
WAS LOCATED OVER THE SOUTH FLORIDA EVERGLADES...NEAR LATITUDE 26.4
NORTH AND LONGITUDE 80.9 WEST. ERNESTO WAS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH
NEAR 10 MPH. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF ERNESTO IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE FLORIDA COAST THIS EVENING....AND
STRENGTHEN TO A TROPICAL STORM BEFORE MOVING ASHORE ON THE
CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA COAST ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. ERNESTO IS
THEN FORECAST TO CROSS THE PEE DEE REGION OF SOUTH CAROLINA INTO
THE SAND HILLS OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY NIGHT.


...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION WHEN A HURRICANE OR
TROPICAL STORM THREATENS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE...NOW IS THE TIME
TO FORMULATE ONE. WHEN MAKING YOUR PLAN...GIVE FULL CONSIDERATION
TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD LEAVE OR STAY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. FOR
THE LATEST STORM INFORMATION VISIT WEATHER.GOV/ILM.

BOAT OWNERS SHOULD BEGIN MAKING PREPARATIONS NOW TO SECURE THEIR
BOATS.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
STORM SURGE IS FORECAST TO EXCEED THE TIDE BY UP TO THREE FEET.
TIDES ARE FORECAST TO BE AT A MINIMUM...AND COASTAL FLOODING
EFFECTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MINOR.

...WIND IMPACTS...
ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST AND CAPE FEAR REGION...TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN GEORGETOWN...HORRY...AND THE PEE COUNTIES
THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SPREADING INTO NORTH CAROLINA
NEAR MIDNIGHT WITH WINDS GUSTING AROUND 40 MPH. WINDS WILL
DIMINISH FROM THE SOUTH THURSDAY NIGHT.

...FLOODING IMPACTS...
HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WILL DEVELOP
THURSDAY AND GRADUALLY END FROM THE SOUTH THURSDAY NIGHT. THREE TO
SIX INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS.
RIVER LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY WELL BELOW FLOOD STAGE BUT COULD
RAPIDLY RISE IF HEAVY RAINFALL DEVELOPS.

...TORNADO IMPACTS...
TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...MAINLY
NEAR THE CENTER...AND TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER OF
ERNESTO MOVES. TORNADOES IN LAND FALLING TROPICAL SYSTEMS ARE
GENERALLY SMALL AND DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO HEAVY RAINFALL. KEEP A
BATTERY POWERED NOAA WEATHER RADIO NEARBY TO WARN YOU OF
APPROACHING HAZARDS.

...RIP CURRENT IMPACTS...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE BEACHES OF
SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA TODAY. THE RIP CURRENT RISK WILL
LIKELY BECOME HIGH ALONG ALL THE AREA BEACHES ON THURSDAY. RIP
CURRENTS CAN PULL EVEN EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS OUT TO SEA.

...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION IMPACTS...
SURF OF 2 TO 4 FEET WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY BUILD TO 4 TO 6 FEET
THURSDAY...AND TO AS HIGH AS 8 FT THURSDAY NIGHT. MINOR TO
MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS LIKELY TO OCCUR IN MANY AREAS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
WILMINGTON AROUND 3 PM.

$$




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