Show Selection: |
#46163 (Received by flhurricane at: 1:52 PM 15.Sep.2005) TCPAT1 BULLETIN HURRICANE OPHELIA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 38A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 2 PM EDT THU SEP 15 2005 ...OPHELIA STALLS JUST OFFSHORE THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SURF CITY TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS. A PORTION OF THE WARNING AREA MAY BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 34.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 75.7 WEST OR ABOUT 35 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 55 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA. OPHELIA HAS BEEN NEARLY STATIONARY. HOWEVER...A SLOW DRIFT TO THE EAST OR EAST-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT. STEERING CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK...SO SOME ERRATIC MOTION WILL BE POSSIBLE. WHILE THE CENTER OF OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO REMAIN JUST OFFSHORE THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS... PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN EYEWALL ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER OR NEAR THE OUTER BANKS DURING THE NEXT 12 TO POSSIBLY 24 HOURS. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 80 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES...MAINLY NORTHEAST THROUGH SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES. DURING THE PAST HOUR...A GUST TO 60 MPH WAS REPORTED AT CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA...AND A GUST TO 81 MPH WAS REPORTED BY A NOAA BUOY LOCATED AT DIAMOND SHOALS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 986 MB...29.12 INCHES. MAXIMUM COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW. A STORM SURGE OF 6 TO 8 FEET IS POSSIBLE AT THE HEADS OF BAYS AND RIVERS. OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF EXTREME EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA... INCLUDING THE OUTER BANKS DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...34.7 N... 75.7 W. MOVEMENT STATIONARY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 80 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 986 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 5 PM EDT. FORECASTER STEWART |