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Hurricane OPHELIA


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HURRICANE OPHELIA ADVISORY NUMBER  37
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 AM EDT THU SEP 15 2005
 
...OPHELIA MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST...LASHING THE OUTER
BANKS... 

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SURF CITY TO THE NORTH
CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE
SOUNDS.
 
AT 5 AM...0900Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FROM SOUTH OF SURF CITY
TO CAPE FEAR HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.
 
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. AT 5 AM EDT...
0900Z...THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR THIS AREA HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.
 
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 5 AM EDT...0900Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 34.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE  76.1 WEST OR ABOUT 30 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 50 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.
 
OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 6 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. WHILE THE CENTER OF OPHELIA IS EXPECTED
TO PARALLEL AND PASS A VERY SHORT DISTANCE OFFSHORE THE NORTH
CAROLINA OUTER BANKS OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS...THE NORTHWEST EYEWALL
IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE OUTER BANKS DURING THIS PERIOD.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR  85 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
OPHELIA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
A GRADUAL WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN LATER TODAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  40 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 140 MILES.
 
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 982 MB...29.00 INCHES.

MAXIMUM COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 6 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
3 TO 5 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF EXTREME EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
INCLUDING THE OUTER BANKS DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH MAXIMUM
STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE.

REPEATING THE 5 AM EDT POSITION...34.7 N... 76.1 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR  6 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 85 MPH. 
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 982 MB.
 
INTERMEDIATE ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 7 AM EDT AND 9 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE
ADVISORY AT 11 AM EDT.
 
FORECASTER AVILA

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