[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 311002
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ097-100-101-SCZ034-046-311415-

TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
602 AM EDT THU AUG 31 2006


...TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WILL IMPACT THE CAROLINAS LATER TODAY...

...NEW INFORMATION...
STORM INFORMATION UPDATED.

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

GEORGETOWN AND HORRY...

AND IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...

BRUNSWICK...NEW HANOVER AND PENDER

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE COAST FROM
THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO SURF CITY NORTH
CAROLINA. TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TODAY INTO
TONIGHT.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 30.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.2 WEST...OR ABOUT 240
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GEORGETOWN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 300 MILES
SOUTH- SOUTHWEST OF SOUTHPORT NORTH CAROLINA. AREAS OF RAIN
DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ERNESTO EXTENDED ABOUT 150 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
ERNESTO WAS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 15 MPH AND A GRADUAL TURN
TO THE NORTH- NORTHEAST AND A FASTER FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF
ERNESTO IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR GEORGETOWN THIS EVENING AND MOVE
INLAND NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE LINE BEFORE MIDNIGHT. ERNESTO
IS THEN FORECAST TO MOVE INTO COASTAL PLAINS OF EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA TONIGHT.

ERNESTO HAS BECOME MORE ORGANIZED...AND MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS
ARE NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS
998 MB...29.47 INCHES.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... RESIDENTS SHOULD CLOSELY
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF ERNESTO...AND STAY UP TO DATE ON THE
LATEST FORECASTS. LOOSE OBJECTS SHOULD BE SECURED OR MOVED INDOORS
BEFORE THE STORM. RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DAYLIGHT
HOURS TO RUSH PREPARATIONS TO COMPLETION BEFORE THE WEATHER
DETERIORATES LATER TODAY.

MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR THE LATEST FORECAST
INFORMATION...AND IN CASE FLOOD OR TORNADO WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
STORM SURGE IS FORECAST TO EXCEED THE TIDE BY THREE TO FIVE FEET.
TIDES ARE FORECAST TO BE AT A MINIMUM...BUT WILL BE RISING LATE
TODAY. HIGH TIDES ARE BETWEEN 1 AM AND 2 AM. COASTAL FLOODING
EFFECTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MINOR ALONG THE GEORGETOWN...NEW
HANOVER AND PENDER COUNTY COASTS...MINOR TO MODERATE ALONG THE
HORRY COUNTY COAST AND MODERATE ACROSS THE BRUNSWICK COAST. IT IS
EXPECTED THAT THE BEACHES ALONG THE SOUTHERN BRUNSWICK COAST WILL
EXPERIENCE THE MAXIMUM SURGE OF 3 TO 5 FEET.

...WINDS...
ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE
EXPECTED IN GEORGETOWN AND HORRY LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE
LATE EVENING...SPREADING INTO NORTH CAROLINA THIS EVENING WITH
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 60 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE COASTAL AREAS OF
BRUNSWICK COUNTY AND ACROSS BALD HEAD ISLAND. WINDS WILL DIMINISH
FROM THE SOUTH LATER TONIGHT.

...INLAND FLOODING...
HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH ERNESTO WILL OVER SPREAD THE REGION
FROM THE SOUTH THIS MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THREE TO SIX
INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA WITH FOUR TO
EIGHT INCHES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS.
PONDING ON ROADWAYS CAN BE EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY DURING THE LATE
AFTERNOON INTO THE NIGHT. RIVER LEVELS ARE WELL BELOW FLOOD
STAGE...BUT COULD RAPIDLY RISE IF HEAVY RAINFALL DEVELOPS OVER THE
HEADWATERS.

...TORNADOES...
TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...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 CURRENTS...
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ON ALL AREA BEACHES TODAY.
RIP CURRENTS THAT DEVELOP TODAY COULD BE LIFE THREATENING TO
ANYONE WHO ENTERS THE SURF.

...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION...
SURF WILL LIKELY BUILD TO 3 TO 5 FEET BY MORNING...AND TO AS HIGH
AS 9 FT BY 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 9 AM.


$$



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