Posted on 09/10/2005 2:31:49 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Hurricane Ophelia continues to churn off the off the coast of the Carolinas with a track that has confounded computer models and meteorologists for days. Hurricane watches are issued for much of the SC and NC coastline. Northern GA and southern VA coastal areas are currently within the three day cone of uncertainty. Check local NWS service for updates.
The following links are self-updating:
Public Advisory Currently published every 3 hours 5A, 8A, 11A, 2P, etc. ET
NHC Discussion Published every six hours 6A, 11A, 6P, 11P
Three Day Forecast Track
Five Day Forecast Track
Navy Storm Track Graphics, Satellite
Ophelia Track Forecast Archive
Forecast Models
Buoy Data SE U.S.
Myrtle Beach NWS Local Hurricane Statements
Wilmington NC NWS Local Hurricane Statements
Images:
Storm Floater IR Loop
Storm Floater WV Still Image
Morehead City Long Range Radar Loop
Wilmington NC Long Range Radar Loop
Charleston SC Long Range Radar Loop
Wakefield VA Radar
Morehead City Experimental Radar may experience delays or outages
Storm Floater Still & Loop Options
Color Enhanced IR Loop
Ophelia Wind Field Graphic
Additional Resources:
Myrtle Beach Online
WECT-6 Wilmington News
WVEC-13 Hampton Roads/Norfolk
Hurricane City
Myrtle Beach Web Reports Surf & traffic cams
| Category | Wind Speed | Barometric Pressure | Storm Surge | Damage Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression |
< 39 mph < 34 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Tropical Storm |
39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Hurricane 1 (Weak) |
74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts |
28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more |
4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m |
Minimal damage to vegetation |
| Hurricane 2 (Moderate) |
96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts |
28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb |
6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m |
Moderate damage to houses |
| Hurricane 3 (Strong) |
111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts |
27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb |
9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m |
Extensive damage to small buildings |
| Hurricane 4 (Very strong) |
131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts |
27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb |
13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m |
Extreme structural damage |
| Hurricane 5 (Devastating) |
Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts |
Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb |
Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m |
Catastrophic building failures possible |
a little inaccurate in my opinion....been around 980mb for many many hours now and official forecast doesnt really call for "expected to intensifiy to cat 2".
we shall see.
CD, you're not too far from me! I'm on the south side of Greenville.
Just thought you'd be interested. Per my mom, it's been raining quite a bit in Wilmington. On and off yesterday, all day today. 12" in 5 hours 7 am to noon. Power has been blinking on and off, and now it's out.
At a meeting last night with the principal of our hs, we were told school would be in session all day (Pitt Co.) but our hs would be opened at noon as a shelter. About 10, they decided to close school a little early. The bottom dropped out here re: wind and rain, about the time school was dismissed. Power and phones are out at a little crossroads not far from here. My distributor cap got wet- I guess- the van just quit running on the middle of the highway, luckily right by a stockyard. After making a few calls to get backup picking up the girls, it started and I made it to the high school without further incident. When I got there, one of the buses reported either getting hit, or a near miss, by a tree. It's quiet again, for now- just pretty darn beezy and wet on and off.
CD, you're not too far from me! Happy Birthday! I'm on the south side of Greenville.
Just thought you'd be interested. Per my mom, it's been raining quite a bit in Wilmington. On and off yesterday, all day today. 12" in 5 hours 7 am to noon. Power has been blinking on and off, and now it's out.
At a meeting last night with the principal of our hs, we were told school would be in session all day (Pitt Co.) but our hs would be opened at noon as a shelter. About 10, they decided to close school a little early. The bottom dropped out here re: wind and rain, about the time school was dismissed. Power and phones are out at a little crossroads not far from here. My distributor cap got wet- I guess- the van just quit running on the middle of the highway, luckily right by a stockyard. After making a few calls to get backup picking up the girls, it started and I made it to the high school without further incident. When I got there, one of the buses reported either getting hit, or a near miss, by a tree. It's quiet again, for now- just pretty darn beezy and wet on and off.
i guess its all in how you interpret the 2pm advisory which says:
=====
Ophelia is a category one hurricane on the
Saffir-Simpson scale. Some slight strengthening is still possible
during the next 24 hours before landfall occurs.
======
right now she is at 85mph (very liberal mind you as recon is closer to 80 but i digress).....an 11 mph increase to cat 2 imo is more than "some slight strengthening"
You never know what they will do. WRAL is also saying that Weasley said the storm could intensify to a Cat 2 by landfall.
its definitely possible.....just not expected.
Very cool!
Greenville is really growing. I have some friends down there.
That's a LOT of rain in Wilmington. They must be having some isolated flooding?
My daughter's elementary school was supposed to be open all day too, but I got a call from the teacher at around noon that they'd be leaving at 1:30.
Personally I think it's a bit of an overreaction, but I suppose everyone is being cautious.
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Hopefully I won't have to celebrate *another* one without power.
Other webcams:
Avalon Fishing Pier — Kill Devil Hills, NC
http://www.avalonpier.com/piercam.html
Crab's Claw restaurant — Atlantic Beach, NC
http://www.eastcoastsurf.com/livecam.cfm
Surf City Pier, Topsail Island
http://www.rentabeach.com/webcam
I might have thought it an over-reaction, butttttttttttttttt, when I got stuck at the side of the road there, in that weather, passing buses and then when I got there and heard about that bus....
Spoke with a niece in Ohio because I couldn't reach the niece in Oak Island...but finally managed to get thru via another relative... they're ok. About evacuations, though, they were allowed to leave the island up until maybe 8 last night, then the roads were closed my law enforcement. my niece chose to stay.
it sure seems to have developed into quite a hefty piece of radar. most of the mass was over land earlier, now the east side seems to have grown, and it's just sitting on the gulf stream : (
you must have had at least as much fun in Floyd as I did...
Back to work, huh? Are you well rested?
Do we know how many freepers might be affected by Ophelia, yet?
I just found out last night on another thread, that a freeper STILL is waiting to hear from a friend and an uncle, from Katrina....
Hi - that article appears to have been written as of noon Tuesday. I have been unable to find a current list. I did see mention of six coastal counties but not by name. Anyone have a later list?
Mark for later
That's all I could find, but I'll keep looking.
So much for the local weather guy here who said just yesterday that Ophelia is going to blow out to sea and would not be a threat to the U.S. Yeah...right....
UPDATED: 4:30 pm EDT September 14, 2005
Hurricane Ophelia is picking up strength as it closes in on the North Carolina coast, dumping torrential rains on the southeastern part of the state, washing away a beach street and causing power outages for thousands.
The storm had sustained winds of 80 miles per hour Wednesday morning, up from 75 miles per hour a few hours earlier.
Hurricane warnings are shifted northward, covering the entire North Carolina coast from the South Carolina line to Virginia, where a tropical storm warning covered the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.
One side of Ophelia's eyewall is expected to move along North Carolina's southeast coast late Wednesday. The eyewall is the circle of strongest wind surrounding the eye.
At 3 p.m. EDT, Ophelia was centered about 40 miles southeast of Wilmington and about 70 miles southwest of Cape Lookout and was slowly moving north-northeast. The storm has already knocked out power to about 50,000 coastal residents and has dumped at least 12 inches of rain in the area where it has already hit.
During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Easley said Ophelia had strengethened into a strong Category 1 storm and could intensify to a Category 2 storm by the time it makes landfall at about 8 p.m. near Cape Lookout.
Any report on Raleigh? Have Son,DIL and grandkids there.
You NC FRiends doing ok? Thinking of you and sending prayers your way...be safe.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
