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CURRENT CONDITIONS
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
LOCAL
WEATHER
Elizabeth City, NC Weather Forecast
Updated 10:28 AM WED JUL 23 2008
This Afternoon
Partly sunny. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms - Then a chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening - Then showers and thunderstorms likely after midnight. Humid with lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms likely until late afternoon - Then a chance of showers and thunderstorms late. Humid with highs in the lower 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Friday
Partly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s.
Saturday
Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 30%.
Sunday
Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 30%.
Monday
Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 30%.
Tuesday
Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s.
TROPICAL
WEATHER
8:00 AM WED JUL 23 2008
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Hurricane Dolly - centered about 55 miles east of Brownsville Texas - and has issued the last advisory on Tropical Storm Cristobal – located about 380 miles east of Halifax Nova Scotia.
A large tropical wave is located over the far eastern Atlantic – a couple hundred miles west of the Cape Verde islands - and is moving westward at 15 to 20 mph. Development of this system is not expected during the next couple of days.
Elsewhere - tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
HURRICANE
DOLLY ADVISORY NUMBER 13
11:00 AM WED JUL 23 2008
DOLLY VERY NEAR THE TEXAS COAST WITH 100 MPH WINDS - EYE SHOULD CROSS THE COAST IN A FEW HOURS
A hurricane warning remains in effect for the coast of Texas from Brownsville to Corpus Christi - and for the northeastern coast of Mexico from Rio San Fernando northward to the border between Mexico and the United States. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
At 11 am the tropical storm warning north of Port O'Connor has been discontinued. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from north of Corpus Christi to Port O'Connor.
A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are in effect from La Pesca to south of Rio San Fernando.
At 11:00 am the center of Hurricane Dolly was located by radar and a reconnaissance plane near latitude 26.0 north -
Longitude 97.0 west or about 30 miles east-northeast of Brownsville Texas.
Dolly is moving toward the northwest near 7 mph. A west-northwestward motion with a slight decrease in forward speed is expected later today. On the forecast track - the eye of Hurricane Dolly will be crossing the coast near the Texas/Mexico border in a few hours. Persons are advised not to venture outdoors during the relative calm of the eye because winds will soon increase quite rapidly.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 100 mph with higher gusts. Dolly is a category two hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Stronger winds - especially in gusts - are likely on high rise buildings. Some additional strengthening is possible before landfall.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center - and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles. Port Isabel airport just measured 54 mph sustained winds with gusts to 70 mph. An unofficial observer just east of Matamoros Mexico reported sustained winds of 65 mph with gusts to 119 mph.
Minimum central pressure reported by an air force reconnaissance plane was is 964 mb - 28.47 inches.
Dolly is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches - with isolated amounts of 15 inches - over portions of south Texas and northeastern Mexico over the next few days. These rains will likely cause widespread flooding across portions of south Texas and northeast Mexico.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 6 to 8 feet above normal tide levels - along with large and dangerous battering waves - can be expected near and to the north of where the center makes landfall.
Isolated tornadoes are possible over portions of south Texas today and tonight.
Intermediate advisories will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm followed by the next complete advisory at 5:00 pm.
BEACHES
11:00 AM WED JUL 23 2008
OUTER BANKS DARE - INCLUDING THE BEACHES OF - DUCK - KITTY HAWK - KILL DEVIL HILLS - NAGS HEAD - RODANTHE - AVON - CAPE HATTERAS
MODERATE
THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING FROM RODANTHE TO
CAPE HATTERAS
HIGH
THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING SOUTH OF CAPE
HATTERAS
TODAY
RIP CURRENT RISK: Duck to Rodanthe - low risk. Rodanthe to Cape Hatteras - moderate risk. Cape Hatteras to Hatteras Inlet - high risk.
A high risk means wind - wave and tide conditions support the development of powerful or numerous rip currents along the beaches. It is recommended that you stay out of the water.
A moderate risk means wind - wave and tide conditions support the development of stronger or more frequent rip currents along the beaches. Only experienced surf swimmers who know how to escape a rip current should enter the water.
LIGHTNING RISK - low. Isolated cloud to ground lightning expected.
UV INDEX - very high - from 10 am to 4 pm.
WEATHER - partly sunny. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 15 to 20 mph.
SURF - waves in the surf zone will be 2 to 3 ft.
AREA WATER TEMPERATURES: Duck Pier has 73 degrees, Avalon Pier reported 74, Oregon Inlet Marina has 87 degrees, Avon Pier reported 81, and Hatteras Island Fishing Pier reported 79 degrees
All beach goers should remain aware of inherent dangers when entering the surf including strong rip currents – swift longshore currents - pounding shore break and shallow sand bars. It is safest if you swim at a guarded beach and always heed the advice of lifeguards and beach patrol.
ALBEMARLE
SOUND
11:10 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
This Afternoon
S winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves 1 to 2 ft. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Tonight
S winds 20 to 25 kt. Waves 2 to 3 ft. Showers and thunderstorms likely.
Thursday
S winds 15 to 20 kt early - subsiding to 5 to 10 kt. Waves 2 ft early - then 1 ft. Showers and thunderstorms likely in the morning - then scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
S winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves 1 ft. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Friday
Variable winds 10 kt or less. Waves 1 ft. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning - then a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Friday Night
SE winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves 1 ft. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening.
Saturday
S winds 5 to 10 kt - increasing to 10 to 15 kt. Waves 1 to 2 ft. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Sunday
SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves 1 to 2 ft. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Winds and waves higher in and near thunderstorms.
COASTAL
MARINE FORECAST
S Of Currituck Beach Light To Oregon Inlet NC Out 20 Nm
Forecast as of 11:10 am EDT on July 23, 2008
Synopsis For Eastern North Carolina Coastal Waters
A cold front to our north will slowly sink S today - and drift towards the east Thursday before diminishing inland. The winds ahead of the front will increase today and tonight - before weakening Thursday and Friday. The trough inland and the high offshore will lead to return to SW flow over the area through the weekend.
SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING
This Afternoon
S winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft building to 4 to 6 ft late. Dominant period 11 seconds. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Tonight
S winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft dominant period 11 seconds. Showers and thunderstorms likely.
Thursday
S winds 15 to 20 kt - diminishing to 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft early - then subsiding to 3 to 5 ft. Showers and thunderstorms likely in the morning - then scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Friday
Variable winds 10 kt or less. Seas 3 ft. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning - then a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Friday Night
SE winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Saturday
S winds 5 to 10 kt - increasing to 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 ft. A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Sunday
S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Winds and seas higher in and near thunderstorms.