Hurricane OPHELIA

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HURRICANE OPHELIA ADVISORY NUMBER  33
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 AM EDT WED SEP 14 2005

...OPHELIA CRAWLING TOWARD THE COAST...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
SOUTH CAROLINA TO OREGON INLET NORTH CAROLINA...INCLUDING PAMLICO
SOUND.
 
A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE IN EFFECT
NORTH OF OREGON INLET TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...
INCLUDING THE ALBEMARLE SOUND.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH OF THE SOUTH
SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA. AT 5 AM EDT...0900Z...
THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR SOUTH OF THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO
BEACH HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 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 HURRICANE WATCH MEANS
THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA WITHIN THE
NEXT 36 HR.  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 5 AM EDT...0900Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 33.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE  77.9 WEST OR ABOUT 125 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 70 MILES
SOUTH OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA.

OPHELIA APPEARS TO BE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 5 MPH AND THIS
SLOW MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
HOWEVER...STEERING CURRENTS ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN WEAK...AND AN
ERRATIC MOTION IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.
  
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SLIGHT
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24
HOURS.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  50 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 140 MILES. A NOAA BUOY JUST NORTH OF THE CENTER OF OPHELIA
REPORTED GUSTS TO 69 MPH.
 
LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE
RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 980 MB...28.94 INCHES.

MAXIMUM COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 5 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN
BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW.  A STORM SURGE OF 8 TO 10
FEET IS POSSIBLE AT THE HEADS OF BAYS AND RIVERS.
 
OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF
4 TO 8 INCHES OVER EXTREME NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND EASTERN
NORTH CAROLINA...WITH MAXIMUM STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES
POSSIBLE OVER COASTAL SECTIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA.
 
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COASTAL AREAS OF NORTH
CAROLINA TODAY.
 
REPEATING THE 5 AM EDT POSITION...33.2 N... 77.9 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NEAR  5 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 75 MPH. 
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 980 MB.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 8 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 AM
EDT.
 
FORECASTER AVILA
 
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