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Hurricane OPHELIA (Text)

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HURRICANE OPHELIA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  35B
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
9 PM EDT WED SEP 14 2005
 
...SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS REACH CAPE LOOKOUT...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
COAST FROM LITTLE RIVER INLET NORTHWARD TO THE NORTH
CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE
SOUNDS.
 
A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAIN 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 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 9 PM EDT...0100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 34.2 NORTH... LONGITUDE 76.8 WEST OR ABOUT 35 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA.
 
OPHELIA IS MOVING ERRATICALLY TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 7
MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT
24 HOURS. THE CENTER OF OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO PASS OVER OR VERY
NEAR CAPE LOOKOUT WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND THE NORTHERN
EYEWALL WILL CONTINUE TO PASS OVER COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA AND THE
OUTER BANDS TONIGHT AND DURING MUCH OF TOMORROW.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...LIKELY LOCATED OFFSHORE IN THE EASTERN
PORTION OF THE EYEWALL...ARE NEAR 85 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
OPHELIA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. CAPE LOOKOUT
RECENTLY REPORTED A 10-MINUTE MEAN WIND OF 75 MPH...WITH A GUST TO
92 MPH.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  50 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140
MILES.
 
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE MEASURED BY RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT WAS 979 MB...28.91 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 9 TO 11
FEET IS POSSIBLE AT THE HEADS OF BAYS AND RIVERS.
 
OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF
4 TO 8 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH MAXIMUM STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES
POSSIBLE.
 
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
TONIGHT.
 
REPEATING THE 9 PM EDT POSITION...34.2 N... 76.8 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR  7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 85 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 979 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 PM EDT.
 
FORECASTER FRANKLIN
 
 
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