Hurricane OPHELIA

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BULLETIN
HURRICANE OPHELIA ADVISORY NUMBER  38
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
11 AM EDT THU SEP 15 2005

...OPHELIA DRIFTING EAST-NORTHEASTWARD 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 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 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 34.8 NORTH... LONGITUDE 75.7 WEST OR ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 55 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA.
 
OPHELIA IS DRIFTING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR  3 MPH...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
STEERING CURRENTS HAVE BECOME WEAK ONCE AGAIN...SO SOME ERRATIC
MOTION IS POSSIBLE. WHILE THE CENTER OF OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO
REMAIN JUST OFFSHORE AND MOVE PARALLEL TO THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER
BANKS... THE NORTHERN EYEWALL IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE OUTER
BANKS DURING THE NEXT 12 TO POSSIBLY 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR  80 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE
CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  40 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140
MILES.  RECENTLY...AN UNOFFICIAL REPORT OF A SUSTAINED WIND OF 65
MPH WITH A GUST TO 95 MPH WAS RECEIVED FROM HATTERAS VILLAGE NORTH
CAROLINA...AND A SUSTAINED WIND OF 66 MPH WITH A GUST TO 83 MPH WAS
REPORTED AT CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.
 
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE
RESERVE UNIT 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 11 AM EDT POSITION...34.8 N... 75.7 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR  3 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 80 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 986 MB.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 2 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT
COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 PM EDT.
 
FORECASTER STEWART
 
 
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