[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 252219
HLSCHS

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE IRENE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
619 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR PARTS OF THE SOUTH
CAROLINA COAST...

.NEW INFORMATION...
WIND IMPACTS UPDATED. COASTAL HAZARDS IMPACTS UPDATED. STORM
SURGE IMPACTS UPDATED.

.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT
LOCATIONS AND COASTAL WATER LEGS OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
INLAND BERKELEY...CHARLESTON AND TIDAL BERKELEY.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR
ALL OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...INCLUDING THE CHARLESTON HARBOR.

ALTHOUGH TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE NOT IN EFFECT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...COASTAL BRYAN...COASTAL CHATHAM...
COASTAL LIBERTY...COASTAL MCINTOSH...BEAUFORT...COASTAL COLLETON
AND COASTAL JASPER...POSSIBLE IMPACTS FROM RELATED HAZARDS ARE
STILL A CONCERN.

PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST PUBLIC AND MARINE FORECASTS FOR DETAILED
INFORMATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL HAZARDS.

.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.0N...LONGITUDE 77.3W. THIS WAS ABOUT 420 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SC...OR ABOUT 410 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH GA. THE HURRICANE WAS MOVING NORTH-
NORTHWEST AT 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE 115 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW...
WHEN MAKING DECISIONS...DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK.
HURRICANE IRENE IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TURN NORTH TONIGHT AND
PASS OFFSHORE OF THE LOWER SOUTH CAROLINA AND UPPER GEORGIA COASTS
FRIDAY NIGHT AS A MAJOR HURRICANE. BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST
TRACK...IRENE WILL MAKE ITS CLOSEST APPROACH TO CHARLESTON EARLY
SATURDAY MORNING.

.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR THOSE UNDER A WARNING...NOW IS THE TIME TO RUSH TO COMPLETION
PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EVACUATE IF
DIRECTED TO DO SO BY LOCAL OFFICIALS...OR IF YOUR HOME IS
VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS OR FLOODING.

FOR INTERESTS AT PORTS...DOCKS...AND MARINAS...URGENTLY COMPLETE
PRESCRIBED PREPARATIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
PLAN FOR TROPICAL CYCLONES. IF YOU LIVE ON A BOAT...MAKE FINAL
PREPARATIONS FOR SECURING YOUR CRAFT BEFORE LEAVING IT. BE SURE
TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF BRIDGES AND CAUSEWAYS.

REGARDING ANY COASTAL WATERS UNDER A WARNING...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD
REMAIN IN PORT AND WELL SECURED.

FOR ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION...
PLEASE REFER TO THE DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS RELATIVE TO YOUR
LOCATION AS FURTHER DESCRIBED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

&&

.NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AROUND 930 PM...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS
WARRANT.

SCZ045-050-052-262230-
/O.CON.KCHS.TR.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
INLAND BERKELEY-CHARLESTON-TIDAL BERKELEY-
619 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...

...PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
THE CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS UP TO 71
PERCENT. THIS REPRESENTS A GENERAL UPWARD TREND SINCE THE LAST
FORECAST.

...WINDS...
THE LATEST AREA FORECAST IS FOR MAXIMUM WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 45 MPH...EXCEPT 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH ALONG
THE UPPER COAST OF CHARLESTON COUNTY FROM THE ISLE OF PALMS TO
MCCLELLANVILLE. HOWEVER...AS HURRICANE IRENE APPROACHES...
STRONGER WINDS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE
FORECAST FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND BE READY TO ACT.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
THE IMPACT FROM COMBINED STORM SURGE AND TIDE WATERS IS EXPECTED
TO BE MINIMAL FOR MOST AREAS. HOWEVER...THE COMBINATION OF VERY
HIGH SURF AND HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL ENHANCE THE RISK FOR
SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING...ESPECIALLY AROUND TIMES OF HIGH TIDE
FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. HIGH TIDE WILL OCCUR IN
THE CHARLESTON HARBOR AROUND 637 PM FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND 651 AM
SATURDAY MORNING. THE RISK FOR FLOODING WILL BE ESPECIALLY HIGH IN
THE DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON AREA.

...COASTAL HAZARDS...
REPORTS FROM THE BEACHES AS WELL AS OFFSHORE BUOYS INDICATE SEAS
CONTINUE TO STEADILY BUILD ACROSS THE BEACHES OF SOUTH COASTAL
SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH COASTAL GEORGIA. THESE BUILDING SEAS
ALONG WITH INCREASING ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL PRODUCE A HIGH RISK
FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND AT LEAST MODERATE BEACH EROSION.
BREAKING WAVES IN SURF ZONES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 7 TO 10 FEET.
THESE WAVES WILL CREATE VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN THE SURF ZONE
AND PEOPLE ARE URGED TO REMAIN OUT OF THE WATER THROUGH AT LEAST
SATURDAY.

$$

AMZ330-350-374-262230-
/O.CON.KCHS.TR.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
CHARLESTON HARBOR-
WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SC OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO
60 NM-
619 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...

...PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
THE CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS UP TO 82
PERCENT. THIS REPRESENTS A GENERAL UPWARD TREND SINCE THE LAST
FORECAST.

...WINDS AND SEAS...
AS HURRICANE IRENE APPROACHES...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN FRIDAY MORNING. MAXIMUM WINDS ARE
FORECAST TO BE IN THE 30 TO 40 KNOTS RANGE WITH GUSTS TO
55 KNOTS. SEAS WILL PEAK 8 TO 12 FT ACROSS THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
CHARLESTON COUNTY TO AS HIGH AS 15 TO 20 FT ACROSS THE GEORGIA
OFFSHORE WATERS. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

$$

GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048-049-051-262230-
/O.CON.KCHS.HU.S.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
COASTAL BRYAN-COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH-
BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-COASTAL JASPER-
619 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND BUILDING SURF OCCURRING ALONG THE
BEACHES...

...COASTAL HAZARDS...
REPORTS FROM THE BEACHES AS WELL AS OFFSHORE BUOYS INDICATE SEAS
CONTINUE TO STEADILY BUILD ACROSS THE BEACHES OF SOUTH COASTAL
SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTH COASTAL GEORGIA. THESE BUILDING SEAS
ALONG WITH INCREASING ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL PRODUCE A HIGH RISK
FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND AT LEAST MODERATE BEACH EROSION.
BREAKING WAVES IN SURF ZONES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 6 TO 8 FEET
ALONG THE NORTH GEORGIA COAST WITH 7 TO 10 FT ALONG THE BEACHES OF
THE LOWER SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. THESE WAVES WILL CREATE VERY
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN THE SURF ZONE AND PEOPLE ARE URGED TO
REMAIN OUT OF THE WATER THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY. A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE REGION UNTIL SATURDAY MORNING.

$$

AMZ352-354-262200-
/O.CON.KCHS.TR.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
WATERS FROM EDISTO BEACH SC TO SAVANNAH GA OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT
20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY-
619 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...

...PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS...
THE CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS UP TO 59
PERCENT. THIS REPRESENTS A GENERAL UPWARD TREND SINCE THE LAST
FORECAST.

...WINDS AND SEAS...
THE LATEST AREA FORECAST IS FOR MAXIMUM WINDS OF 25 TO 35 KNOTS
WITH GUSTS TO 45 KNOTS. HOWEVER...AS HURRICANE IRENE APPROACHES...
STRONGER WINDS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR
THE FORECAST FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND BE READY TO ACT. SEAS
WILL PEAK 7 TO 12 FT ACROSS THE NEARSHORE WATERS BETWEEN EDISTO
BEACH AND THE ALTAMAHA SOUND. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

$$

ST



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