[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KILM 311258
HLSILM
AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ097-100-101-SCZ034-046-311715-

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


...TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WILL IMPACT THE CAROLINAS INTO THROUGH
TONIGHT...

...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 IS 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.
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR HEAVY RAIN ACROSS
THE AREA.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 8 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 30.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 190 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GEORGETOWN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 260 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF SOUTHPORT NORTH CAROLINA. AREAS OF RAIN
ASSOCIATED WITH ERNESTO ARE CIRCULATING ON THE COAST AND MOVING
INLAND ACROSS THE AREA. 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 EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

ERNESTO HAS BECOME MORE ORGANIZED...AND MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS
ARE NEAR 55 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS
996 MB...29.41 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...
HIGH TIDE WILL BETWEEN 1 AND 2 PM...AND MAXIMUM WINDS STORM SURGE
WILL BE NEAR THE TIME OF LOW TIDE...BETWEEN 7 AND 8 PM. THE SURGE IS
FORECAST TO EXCEED THE TIDE BY THREE TO FIVE FEET.  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.

...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 12 NOON.


$$






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