Synopsis For Eastern North Carolina Coastal Waters
Tropical Storm Hanna will move rapidly to the NE today. Please refer to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. A weak cold front will move through from the NW overnight and will be off the coast Sun morning...where it will become stnry and then dissipate Mon. Another cold front will approach from the NW Tue and will move through the waters Tue night. High pres will build to the N on Wed.
Forecast as of 3:02 am EDT on September 6, 2008
S Of Cape Hatteras To Ocracoke Inlet Nc Out 20 Nm
Including The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary-
S Of Ocracoke Inlet To Cape Lookout Nc Out 20 Nm-
Hurricane Watch in effect
Today
Tropical storm conditions expected with hurricane conditions possible. S winds 35 to 40 kt with gusts to around 55 kt. Seas 25 to 28 ft...dominant period 12 seconds...subsiding to 20 to 25 ft dominant period 12 seconds in the afternoon. Showers with isolated tstms in the morning...then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
Tonight
Tropical storm conditions possible. SW winds 25 to 30 kt with gusts to around 40 kt...becoming W 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 12 to 16 ft...dominant period 10 seconds...subsiding to 7 to 10 ft... dominant period 10 seconds after midnight. A chance of showers early in the evening.
Sun
S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 6 to 8 ft.
Sun Night
S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 5 ft.
Mon
E winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 5 ft.
Mon Night
Se winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 5 ft.
Tue
Se winds 5 kt. Seas around 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
Tue Night
S winds 5 kt...becoming NE after midnight. Seas around 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
Wed
NE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms.
... Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect... ... Hurricane Watch remains in effect...
... New information...
At 200 am EDT... the center of Tropical Storm Hanna was located just offshore near latitude 33.3 north... longitude 78.8 west or about 30 miles south of Myrtle Beach South Carolina.
... Areas affected...
This statement recommends actions to be taken by mariners in and along the coastal waters of North Carolina from Ocracoke Inlet to Surf City out 20 nm.
... Storm information...
Hanna is moving toward the north-northeast near 21 mph. This motion is expected to continue during the next several hours with a gradual turn to the northeast and an increase in forward speed today and tomorrow. On the forecast track... the center of Hanna will make landfall near the border between South Carolina and North Carolina within the next couple of hours... then move across eastern North Carolina later this morning... along the mid-Atlantic coast later today and tonight.
Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph... with higher gusts. Although no significant change in strength is forecast before landfall of the center in south or North Carolina... it would only take a small increase in wind speed for Hanna to become a hurricane. Weakening is expected after landfall and Hanna should become an extratropical storm by early Sunday.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 260 miles... mainly to the north and east of the center.
The latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft was 983 mb... 29.03 inches.
... Watches/warnings...
Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.Gov on the internet for more information about these additional hazards.
A Tornado Watch is in effect until 5 am.
... Winds...
Sustained tropical storm force winds are expected to spread north through the region the remainder of the night and Saturday morning. These winds are expected to end from south to north during Saturday afternoon and evening. The strongest winds will occur late tonight continuing through Saturday morning in the 30 to 45 kt range with higher gusts.
... Marine impacts...
Seas are expected to build to 15 to 20 feet overnight and continuing on Saturday. Locally higher waves are expected offshore.
... Tornadoes...
The potential for tornadoes will continue as Hanna approaches and crosses the region tonight into early Saturday.
The area is currently under a Tornado Watch until 5 am.
... Next update...
This statement will be updated around 6 am Saturday morning.
Tornado Watch
Tropical Storm Warning, Hurricane Watch