[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 311622
HLSCHS
AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-
042>045-047>051-312100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1221 PM EDT THU AUG 31 2006

...TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO APPROACHING THE SOUTH CAROLINA ATLANTIC
WATERS...
...INCREASING WINDS AND RAINS ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND
THE ADJACENT ATLANTIC WATERS THIS AFTERNOON...

...NEW INFORMATION...
CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE FOLLOWING...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
STORM INFORMATION...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS...WINDS...INLAND
FLOODING AND NEXT UPDATE.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS
AND VISITORS OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA COAST FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO THE ALTAMAHA SOUND.
HOWEVER...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE
ATLANTIC WATERS FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO THE ALTAMAHA SOUND
OUT 60 NM.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER
TO THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER ENTRANCE. THIS INCLUDES
CHARLESTON...COLLETON...BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES...AS WELL AS
THE ADJACENT ATLANTIC WATERS OUT 20 NM AND FOR CHARLESTON HARBOR.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR DORCHESTER
AND BERKELEY COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM THIS
EVENING.

A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHARLESTON...BERKELEY AND
DORCHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM THIS
EVENING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 31.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.6 WEST...OR ABOUT 105 MILES
SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT 105 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF BEAUFORT AND ABOUT 130 MILES SOUTH OF MCCLELLANVILLE.

ERNESTO IS MOVING TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST NEAR 17 MPH...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. ON THE FORECAST
TRACK ERNESTO WILL REMAIN OVER THE ATLANTIC INTO THIS EVENING AND IS
EXPECTED TO APPROACH AREAS NORTH OF CHARLESTON COUNTY THIS EVENING.
AT ITS POINT OF CLOSEST APPROACH THE CENTER OF ERNESTO WILL PASS
ABOUT 40 TO 50 MILES EAST OF THE CHARLESTON METROPOLITAN AREA AROUND
5 PM...AND THE CENTER WILL PASS VERY CLOSE TO THE CAPE ROMAIN AND
MCCLELLANVILLE AREAS AROUND 6 OR 7 PM.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THERE
REMAINS A SMALL CHANCE THAT ERNESTO COULD STRENGTHEN TO A VERY
STRONG TROPICAL STORM OR MINIMAL HURRICANE BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL
THIS EVENING.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL PREPARATIONS FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETED.

THE CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OPERATIONS AND THE AIRPORT
TERMINAL WILL REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

THE COAST GUARD HAS SET PORT CONDITION YANKEE FOR THE CHARLESTON
HARBOR. PORT CONDITION YANKEE RESTRICTS VESSEL MOVEMENT INBOUND AND
OUTBOUND IN THE HARBOR. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO PLANS TO UPGRADE TO
CONDITION ZULU AT THIS TIME.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
A STORM SURGE OF 1 TO 2 FEET IS EXPECTED FROM EDISTO BEACH NORTHWARD
ALONG THE CHARLESTON COUNTY COAST...RESULTING IN STORM TIDES OF 7 TO
8 FEET. THESE LEVELS WILL PRODUCE MINOR TO MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING
OF THE BARRIER ISLANDS AND AREAS AROUND THE CHARLESTON HARBOR. AT
THIS TIME...THE HIGHEST SURGE POTENTIAL WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS
NORTHEAST CHARLESTON COUNTY NEAR THE BULLS BAY...CAPE ROMAIN AND
MCCLELLANVILLE AREAS. FROM EDISTO BEACH SOUTH TO THE ALTAMAHA
RIVER...INCLUDING THE BEAUFORT...HILTON HEAD AND SAVANNAH AREAS...
OFFSHORE WINDS WILL KEEP STORM SURGE VALUES AT 1 FOOT OR LESS.

...WINDS...
WINDS CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY INCREASE ALONG THE SOUTHEAST SOUTH
CAROLINA COASTAL AREAS...AS WELL AS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WATERS OFF
THE SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA COASTS.

RECENT REPORTS FROM FOLLY BEACH...EDISTO BEACH...THE EDISTO 40 MILE
BUOY...GRAYS REEF AND THE SABSOON TOWERS OFF THE SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
COAST INDICATE THAT WINDS ARE REACHING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH.

WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE ACROSS
CHARLESTON AND BERKELEY COUNTY...AS WELL AS THE CHANCE OF TROPICAL
STORM WIND GUSTS IN DORCHESTER...COLLETON...BEAUFORT AND JASPER
COUNTY DURING THIS AFTERNOON.

IN CHARLESTON COUNTY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 30 AND 40
MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 50 OR 60 MPH ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE NORTHERN
PART OF THE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR DURING THE MID OR
LATE AFTERNOON HOURS THROUGH THIS EVENING...WITH THE HIGHEST
SUSTAINED WINDS MAINLY FROM THE CHARLESTON METRO AREA TO NEAR
MCCLELLANVILLE.

IN BERKELEY COUNTY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 20 AND 30
MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH NEAR LAKE MOULTRIE AND OVER THE EASTERN
PART OF THE COUNTY. THE RESULTING LARGE WAVE ACTION ON LAKE MOULTRIE
MAY CAUSE SOME DOCK AND PIER DAMAGE...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF LAKE.

IN DORCHESTER COUNTY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 MPH...WITH
GUSTS TO 35 MPH.

IN BEAUFORT...COASTAL COLLETON AND JASPER COUNTY WINDS WILL BE
BETWEEN 20 AND 25 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH ESPECIALLY NEAR THE
COAST. WINDS ACROSS INLAND COLLETON COUNTY WILL BE MAINLY 20 MPH OR
LESS.

WINDS ACROSS THE GEORGIA COASTAL COUNTIES WILL BE MAINLY LESS THAN
20 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 30 OR 35 MPH.

MOTORISTS...ESPECIALLY THOSE DRIVING HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES...SHOULD
USE EXTREME CAUTION ON ELEVATED BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES IN THE
CHARLESTON AND BEAUFORT AREAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS
DRIVING CONDITIONS MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS AT TIMES. BE AWARE THAT
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS MAY CLOSE BRIDGE ACCESS POINTS AT
ANY TIME WHEN WINDS REACH TROPICAL STORM FORCE.

...INLAND FLOODING...
TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE EXPECTED TO
REACH 3 TO 5 INCHES IN CHARLESTON...BERKELEY AND DORCHESTER
COUNTIES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. AS A RESULT...A FLOOD WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CHARLESTON TRI-COUNTY AREA THROUGH THIS
EVENING.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ELSEWHERE WILL BE MOSTLY 1 INCH OR LESS.

...TORNADOES...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE STILL POSSIBLE OVER PARTS OF CHARLESTON AND
BERKELEY COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY EAST OF A CHARLESTON TO
MONCKS CORNER LINE. REMEMBER THAT TORNADOES CAN FORM WITH LITTLE TO
NO ADVANCED NOTICE DURING TROPICAL STORMS. REMAIN ALERT AND BE
PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

...RIP CURRENT IMPACTS...
THERE IS A HIGH OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY ALONG THE SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
AND SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK MEANS
THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING THE
SURF. YOU ARE STRONGLY URGED NOT TO GO INTO THE WATER. HEED THE
ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS
AND POSTED SIGNS.

...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION IMPACTS...
MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST
WITH AREAS OF SEVERE EROSION EXPECTED IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
LOCALIZED SEVERE BEACH EROSION IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN EROSION PRONE
AREAS SUCH AS HUNTING ISLAND AND EDISTO BEACH. ONLY MINOR TO
MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED ALONG THE NORTH GEORGIA
COAST...WITH MOSTLY OFFSHORE WINDS.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AROUND 3 PM...OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO CAN BE FOUND IN
ADVISORIES ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER...AS WELL AS
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS AND SHORT TERM FORECASTS ISSUED BY
THIS OFFICE.

$$

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