HLSMHX
AMZ135-154-156-158-NCZ080-081-093>095-098-103-104-020100-

TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC NC
534 PM EDT SUN AUG 1 2004

...TROPICAL STORM ALEX CONTINUES OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF THE
UNITED STATES...

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
DARE...CARTERET...HYDE...PAMLICO...CRAVEN...BEAUFORT...
ONSLOW...

...WARNING AND WATCH INFORMATION...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
SOUTH CAROLINA TO CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA....INCLUDING
THE PAMLICO SOUND.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTH OF CAPE HATTERAS TO
OREGON INLET NORTH CAROLINA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH CONTINUES FROM
EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.


...STORM INFORMATION...
THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALEX IS LOCATED ABOUT 90 MILES
SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. ALEX HAS BEEN
STATIONARY FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. A SLOW NORTH TO NORTHEAST
MOTION IS EXPECTED OVER NIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40
MPH. SOME SLOW STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

...WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE ALONG THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA
TONIGHT...REACHING TROPICAL STORM FORCE MIDDAY MONDAY...THEN
SPREADING TO THE OUTER BANKS MONDAY EVENING. THE STRONGEST WINDS
WILL BE ALONG THE COAST.


...COASTAL FLOODING AND STORM SURGE IMPACTS...
THE THREAT FOR BEACH EROSION AND POSSIBLE COASTAL FLOODING WILL
INCREASE MONDAY AS THE WINDS INCREASE ALONG THE COAST.
WATER LEVELS OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG THE
WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE PAMLICO SOUND MONDAY...AND 1 TO
2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE COAST. ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ARE HIGH AT
THIS TIME. ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES WILL OCCUR ALONG AREA BEACHES
AROUND 9 PM THIS EVENING...AROUND 9 AM MONDAY MORNING...AND AROUND
930 PM MONDAY EVENING.


...MARINE INFORMATION...
SEAS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING 5 TO 7 FEET OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. AS
WINDS INCREASE TONIGHT AND INTO MONDAY...SEAS WILL LIKELY INCREASE
TO 8 TO 12 FEET. THESE LARGE WAVES WILL PRODUCE VERY ROUGH SURF.
MARINERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT LATE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY.


...RIP CURRENT INFORMATION...
THE COMBINATION OF SOUTHEAST SWELLS...ONSHORE WINDS AND HIGH
ASTRONOMICAL TIDES WILL PRODUCE A HIGH THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS
ALONG THE COAST THROUGH MONDAY. THESE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL
BE LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE WHO ENTERS THE WATER.


...RAINFALL IMPACTS...
SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING. HEAVIER AND
MORE WIDESPREAD RAIN COULD DEVELOP MONDAY AS THE TROPICAL STORM MOVES
ALONG THE COAST. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 2 INCHES WILL BE
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND HEAVY
PONDING ON ROADWAYS.


...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 9 PM.