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Hurricane OPHELIA


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HURRICANE OPHELIA SPECIAL DISCUSSION NUMBER  31
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
530 PM EDT TUE SEP 13 2005
 
THIS SPECIAL ADVISORY IS MAINLY TO UPGRADE OPHELIA TO A HURRICANE
BASED ON RECENT REPORTS FROM BOTH NOAA AND AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT 
RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT DATA.  THE NOAA AIRCRAFT FOUND STEPPED-
FREQUENCY MICROWAVE RADIOMETER WINDS OF 63-66 KT NORTH-NORTHWEST OF
THE CENTER...BENEATH 4000 FT FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS OF 83 KT. THE AIR
FORCE RECON FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS OF 76 KT AT 700 MB IN THE SOUTHWEST
QUADRANT ALSO SUPPORTS HURRICANE INTENSITY.
 
GIVEN THAT OPHELIA IS ALREADY A 65-KT HURRICANE...IT IS QUITE
POSSIBLE THAT THE HURRICANE COULD REACH 70 KT BEFORE LANDFALL
OCCURS. 
 
FORECASTER STEWART
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
 
INITIAL      13/2130Z 32.6N  78.1W    65 KT
 12HR VT     14/0600Z 33.3N  77.8W    65 KT
 24HR VT     14/1800Z 34.3N  77.2W    65 KT
 36HR VT     15/0600Z 35.2N  76.1W    65 KT...INLAND/PAMLICO SOUND
 48HR VT     15/1800Z 35.7N  74.7W    65 KT...OVER WATER
 72HR VT     16/1800Z 37.8N  70.7W    60 KT
 96HR VT     17/1800Z 42.5N  62.5W    55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
120HR VT     18/1800Z 48.5N  49.5W    45 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
 
 
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