Tag Archives: Tropical Storm Ophelia

Tropical Storm Ophelia Brings Wind and Rain to Eastern North Carolina, Virginia

Tropical Storm Ophelia brought wind and rain to eastern North Carolina and Virginia on Saturday morning. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Ophelia was located at latitude 35.1°N and longitude 77.0°W which put it about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Ophelia was moving toward the north at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 983 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Fenwick Island, Delaware. The Tropical Storm Warning included Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound. A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for Chesapeake Bay south of North Beach. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the Tidal Potomac south of Cobb Island.

Tropical Storm Ophelia brought wind and rain as it moved inland over eastern North Carolina on Saturday morning. The circulation around Ophelia was large. Tropical Storm Opehila was interacting with a high pressure system over eastern Canada to produce strong winds northeast of the center of circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 310 miles (500 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Ophelia’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) in the other parts of Tropical Storm Ophelia.

A weather station in Cape Lookout, North Carolina reported a sustained wind speed of 47 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and a wind gust of 71 m.p.h. (115 km/h). A weather station in Morehead City, North Carolina reported a sustained wind speed of 43 m.p.h. (68 km/h) and a wind gust of 53 m.p.h. (85 km/h). NOAA buoy 41037 near Wrightsville Beach reported a sustained wind speed of 54 m.p.h. (87 km/h) and a wind gust of 83 m.p.h. (134 km/h).

Tropical Storm Ophelia will move around the western side of a high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Ophelia toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Ophelia will move inland over eastern North Carolina and Virginia. Ophelia will bring strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to eastern North Carolina, eastern Virginia, southeastern Maryland and southern Delaware.

The heaviest rain was falling in bands in the northern and western parts of Tropical Storm Ophelia. Bands in the eastern and southern parts of Ophelia’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Flood Watches were in effect for eastern North Carolina, eastern Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

Easterly winds in the northern side of Tropical Storm Ophelia will blow water toward the coast. A storm surge of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) could occur in some locations. A Storm Surge Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Bogue Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia. The Storm Surge Warning included Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound, the Pamlico River and the Neuse River. A Storm Surge Warning was in effect for Chesapeake Bay south of Colonial Beach, Virginia. Large waves will also cause significant beach erosion.

Tropical Storm Ophelia Develops South of Cape Hatteras

Tropical Storm Ophelia developed south of Cape Hatteras on Friday afternoon. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Ophelia was located at latitude 32.7°N and longitude 76.0°W which put it about 185 miles (295 km) south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Ophelia was moving toward the north-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Fenwick Island, Delaware. The Tropical Storm Warning included Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound. A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for Chesapeake Bay south of North Beach. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the Tidal Potomac south of Cobb Island.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center designated a low pressure system south of Cape Hatteras as Tropical Storm Ophelia on Friday afternoon. Drier air was wrapping around the southern and eastern sides of Ophelia’s circulation. The drier air was making the distribution of thunderstorms asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and western parts of Tropical Storm Ophelia. Bands in the southern and eastern parts of Ophelia consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms north and west of the center of Ophelia’s circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The circulation around Tropical Storm Ophelia was large, Winds to tropical storm force extended out 275 miles (445 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Ophelia will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Ophelia will move over the Gulf Stream where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move under the eastern side of an upper level trough over the eastern U.S. The upper level trough will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ophelia’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. However, the flow of air in the upper levels will also provide divergence aloft that will pump mass away from the tropical storm. The removal of mass will cause the surface pressure to decrease. The drier air in the southern and eastern parts of Tropical Storm Ophelia will inhibit the formation of thunderstorms in those regions. Tropical Storm Ophelia could intensify during the next 12 hours, while it is over the Gulf Stream.

Tropical Storm Ophelia will move around the western side of a high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Ophelia toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Ophelia will approach the coast of North Carolina on Friday night. Ophelia will bring strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to eastern North Carolina, eastern Virginia, southeastern Maryland and southern Delaware. NOAA buoy 41025 at Diamond Shoals, North Carolina reported a sustained wind speed of 47 m.p.h. (76 km/h) and a wind gust of 60 m.p.h. (97 km/h). A NOAA C-MAN station at Cape Lookout, North Carolina reported a sustained wind speed of 45 m.p.h. (72 km/h) and a wind gust of 53 m.p.h. (83 km/h)

Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Flood Watches were in effect for eastern North Carolina, eastern Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

Easterly winds in the northern side of Tropical Storm Ophelia will blow water toward the coast. A storm surge of up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) could occur in some locations. A Storm Surge Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia. The Storm Surge Warning included Albemarle Sound, Pamlico Sound, the Pamlico River and the Neuse River. A Storm Surge Warning was in effect for Chesapeake Bay south of Colonial Beach, Virginia. Large waves will also cause significant beach erosion.

Tropical Storm Ophelia Forms Over Eastern Atlantic

The busy 2017 Atlantic hurricane season continued when Tropical Storm Ophelia formed over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Monday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Ophelia was located at latitude 31.5°N and longitude 39.6°W which put it about 845 miles (1355 km) west-southwest of the Azores.  Ophelia was moving toward the northeast at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

Thunderstorms formed on Monday near the center of a low pressure system which had been lingering over the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Ophelia.  The thunderstorms formed near the eastern side of the center and several bands of showers and thunderstorms formed in the rest of the eastern half of the circulation.  There were fewer thunderstorms in the western half of Ophelia.  The thunderstorms near the center of circulation were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the east of the tropical storm.

Tropical Storm Ophelia is an environment that is somewhat favorable to intensification.  Ophelia is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is near 27°C.  It is near the axis of an upper level trough which is oriented east to west over the Atlantic Ocean.  The trough is producing westerly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation and those winds are causing some vertical wind shear.  However, since Ophelia is over water where the SST is 27°C, the clouds are not rising as far into the atmosphere as they would if the water was warmer and some of the upper level winds are blowing completely over the top of the circulation of the tropical storm.  So, the vertical wind shear is not as significant as it could be if the top of Ophelia was higher in the atmosphere.  Tropical Storm Ophelia is likely to strengthen during the next several days and it could eventually become a hurricane.

Since Tropical Storm Ophelia is near the axis of the upper level trough, the steering winds are weaker.  The westerly flow is pushing Ophelia slowly toward the northeast.  The orientation of the trough is forecast to change during the next day or two and Ophelia is expected to move more toward the east-southeast.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Ophelia is expected to meander over the eastern Atlantic Ocean for several more days.