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#46191 (Received by flhurricane at: 4:40 PM 15.Sep.2005) TCPAT1 BULLETIN HURRICANE OPHELIA ADVISORY NUMBER 39 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 PM EDT THU SEP 15 2005 ...OPHELIA WEAKENING AS IT DRIFT SLOWLY EAST-NORTHEASTWARD OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS... ...NEW WATCHES AND WARNINGS ISSUED... AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE HURRICANE WARNING FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA FROM CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA NORTHWARD TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. AT 5 PM EDT...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS FROM WOODS HOLE NORTHWARD TO CAPE COD AND PLYMOUTH... INCLUDING MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET ISLANDS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 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 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 34.8 NORTH... LONGITUDE 75.6 WEST OR ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA AND ABOUT 60 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 TONIGHT. OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO MOVE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT A SLIGHTLY FASTER FORWARD SPEED ON FRIDAY. HOWEVER... SOME ERRATIC MOTION WILL BE POSSIBLE SINCE STEERING CURRENTS ARE WEAK. ALSO...WHILE THE CENTER OF OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO REMAIN JUST OFFSHORE THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS... PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN EYEWALL ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER OR NEAR THE OUTER BANKS FOR THE NEXT 12 TO POSSIBLY 24 HOURS. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES...MAINLY NORTHEAST THROUGH SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES. DURING THE PAST HOUR... A GUST TO 85 MPH WAS REPORTED BY A NOAA BUOY LOCATED AT DIAMOND SHOALS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 987 MB...29.15 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 MAY PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. REPEATING THE 5 PM EDT POSITION...34.8 N... 75.6 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 3 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 75 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 987 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 8 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 PM EDT. FORECASTER STEWART |