PRELIMINARY POST STORM REPORT...HURRICANE FLOYD
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
415 PM EDT MON SEP 20 1999

...GENERAL INFORMATION...

HURRICANE FLOYD WAS A CATEGORY 1 (MINIMAL) HURRICANE AS IT CROSSED
THE WAKEFIELD WFO COUNTY WARNING AREA. SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS WITH GUSTS TO NEAR HURRICANE FORCE OCCURRED OVER THE NORTHWEST
QUADRANT OF THE STORM OVER INTERIOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA AND ALONG THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE WAKEFIELD MARINE AREA.

FLOYD TRACKED ACROSS THE AREA IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO HURRICANES DONNA
IN SEPTEMBER 1960 AND MORE RECENTLY HURRICANE CHARLEY IN AUGUST 1986.
THE CENTER OF THE STORM CROSSED THE COUNTY WARNING AREA ALONG AN
ELIZABETH CITY...CURRITUCK COUNTY TO SANDBRIDGE VIRGINIA BEACH AXIS.

THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE IN NORFOLK WAS THE FOURTH LOWEST FOR A
HURRICANE THIS CENTURY. HERES HOW FLOYD COMPARES WITH OTHER 
HURRICANES THIS CENTURY.
  
HURRICANE DONNA 1960     28.65 INCHES
HURRICANE 1933           28.68 INCHES
HURRICANE CONNIE 1955    28.77 INCHES
HURRICANE FLOYD  1999    28.85 INCHES
 
THE RELATIVELY SLOW FORWARD MOTION OF FLOYD COMPARED TO DONNA ALLOWED
FOR SIGNIFICANT WEAKENING OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER NORTH CAROLINA
AND AS SUCH WIND EFFECTS FROM FLOYD WERE GREATLY REDUCED.

FLOYD WILL BE REMEMBERED AS AN EXTREMELY WET HURRICANE FOR EAST-CENTRAL
VIRGINIA AND INTERIOR NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA. THE PRESENCE OF A
STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY PROVIDED THE FOCUS FOR EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS AVERAGED 10 TO 20 INCHES IN A 50-75 MILE SWATH
CENTERED OVER THE HEADWATERS OF THE CHOWAN RIVER BASIN IN INTERIOR
SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA EXTENDING INTO THE MIDDLE PENINSULA.

A. HIGHEST WINDS...ALL TIMES IN EDT ON SEPTEMBER 16TH

                               SUSTAINED           GUST

NORFOLK AIRPORT (ORF)    27 KT/31 MPH  903 PM* 40 KT/46 MPH  958 AM
ELIZABETH CITY CGS (ECG) 34 KT/39 MPH  946 AM  56 KT/64 MPH  938 AM
OCEANA NAS (NTU)         35 KT/41 MPH 1256 PM
NORFOLK NAS (NGU)        38 KT/44 MPH 1209 PM  48 KT/55 MPH 1209 PM
PORTSMOUTH               30 KT/35 MPH 1214 PM  52 KT/60 MPH 1220 PM
LANGLEY AFB (LFI)        40 KT/46 MPH  955 PM* 55 KT/63 MPH  955 PM *
NEWPORT NEWS (PHF)       33 KT/38 MPH 1223 PM  44 KT/51 MPH 1223 PM
FORT EUSTIS (FAF)        25 KT/29 MPH 1240 PM  37 KT/43 MPH 1153 AM
RICHMOND (RIC)           29 KT/34 MPH 1005 AM  44 KT/51 MPH 1011 AM
JAMES RIVER BRIDGE                                 /100 MPH 1220 PM #
SALISBURY (SBY)          28 KT/32 MPH  550 PM  42 KT/48 MPH  550 PM
OCEAN CITY               31 KT/36 MPH 1253 PM  45 KT/52 MPH  112 PM
DUCK COE PIER (DUCN7)    69 KT/79 MPH 1000 AM  85 KT/98 MPH  950 AM
CHESAPEAKE LIGHT (CHLV2) 60 KT/69 MPH 1130 AM  73 KT/84 MPH 1200 PM
BUOY 44014               50 KT/58 MPH 1215 PM  66 KT/77 MPH 1215 PM
BUOY 44009               40 KT/46 MPH  230 PM  54 KT/62 MPH  230 PM

* - SEPTEMBER 15TH
# - ANEMOMETER HEIGHT 100 FT

B. LOWEST PRESSURE...ALL TIMES IN EDT ON SEPTEMBER 16TH

NORFOLK AIRPORT (ORF)        ALTM 28.85   SLP  977.1 MB/1151 AM
PORTSMOUTH                   ALTM 28.89                /1200 PM
ELIZABETH CITY CGS (ECG)     ALTM 28.60   SLP  968.5 MB/1018 AM
OCEANA NAS (NTU)             ALTM 28.81   SLP  975.7 MB/1156 AM
NORFOLK NAS (NGU)            ALTM 28.91   SLP  979.1 MB/1155 AM
NEWPORT NEWS (PHF)           ALTM 29.04   SLP  983.4 MB/1158 AM
FORT EUSTIS (FAF)            ALTM 29.09   SLP  985.2 MB/1055 AM
RICHMOND (RIC)               ALTM 29.29   SLP  991.9 MB/1240 PM
OCEAN CITY (OXB)             ALTM 28.85   SLP  976.8 MB/ 253 PM
SALISBURY (SBY)              ALTM 28.95   SLP  980.4 MB/ 251 PM
DUCK COE PIER (DUCN7)        ALTM 28.84   SLP  977.0 MB/1000 AM
CHESAPEAKE LIGHT (CHLV2)     ALTM 28.64   SLP  970.0 MB/1200 PM
BOUY 44014                   ALTM 28.98   SLP  981.4 MB/1200 PM
BUOY 44009                   ALTM 28.81   SLP  975.8 MB/ 400 PM

C. RAINFALL...(STORM TOTAL FOR 9/14/99 - 9/16/99)

YORKTOWN                           18.13 INCHES #
GLOUCESTER                         11.25 INCHES
LOWER JAMES CITY COUNTY            12.83 INCHES
JAMES CITY COUNTY                  14.30 INCHES
SMITHFIELD                         12.50 INCHES
NORFOLK AIRPORT (ORF)               6.81 INCHES
HAMPTON (LFI)                       7.50 INCHES
NEWPORT NEWS (PHF)                 16.57 INCHES
PORTSMOUTH                         10.10 INCHES
RICHMOND                            6.54 INCHES
WFO WAKEFIELD                      12.73 INCHES
WEEMS VA                           10.83 INCHES
ELIZABETH CITY NC                   2.65 INCHES
SALISBURY MD (SBY)                  5.08 INCHES
OCEAN CITY MD (OXB)                 1.71 INCHES
 
# 24 HOUR TOTAL 500 PM SEPT 15TH TO 500 PM SEPT 16TH

RADAR ESTIMATES OF STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION CORRELATED WELL WITH
OBSERVED TOTALS. THE WAKEFIELD WSR-88D UTILIZED THE TROPICAL Z-R FOR
PRECIPITATION ESTIMATION DURING HURRICANE FLOYD.

D. STORM TIDES...

TIDAL DEPARTURE AT SEWELLS POINT IN NORFOLK WAS 3.9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL
OR 6.4 FEET ABOVE MLLW. THIS RESULTED IN MODERATE TO LOCALLY SEVERE
COASTAL FLOODING APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS BEFORE HIGH TIDE AT 12:42
PM SEPTEMBER 16TH. THE TIDE GAGE IN DOWNTOWN NORFOLK RECORDED A TIDE OF
7.1 FEET ABOVE MLLW. BOTH VALUES ARE WITHIN A HALF FOOT OR LESS
OF THE PEAK TIDE OBSERVED DURING THE NOR'EASTER OF FEBRUARY 4, 1998.
FLOODING WAS MORE WIDESPREAD DURING HURRICANE FLOYD
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL BEFORE AND DURING THE PEAK STORM TIDE.
 
COASTAL PASQUOTANK AND CAMDEN COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA EXPERIENCED
APPROXIMATELY A 5 TO 6 FOOT SURGE IN THE ALBEMARLE SOUND FLOODING
COASTAL SECTIONS OF THOSE COUNTIES INCLUDING THE BUSINESS DISTRICT OF
DOWNTOWN ELIZABETH CITY. CHOWAN COUNTY EXPERIENCED A 5 TO 6 FOOT SURGE
FROM THE ALBEMARLE SOUND CAUSING SOME FLOODING IN EDENTON.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 5 TO 7 FEET OCCURRED OVER THE CENTRAL PORTIONS
OF THE CHESPEAKE BAY INUNDATING SECTIONS OF DORCHESTER AND SOMERSET
COUNTIES IN MARYLAND AND ACCOMAC COUNTY IN VIRGINIA. 5 FEET OF WATER
FLOODED CRISFIELD MARYLAND WHILE HOMES IN ACCOMAC COUNTY REPORTED 3 TO 6
FEET OF WATER. THESE WATER LEVELS WERE HIGHER THAN THOSE IN
ASSOCIATION WITH HURRICANE HAZEL IN 1954.   

E. BEACH EROSION...

A RELATIVELY BRIEF PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE ONSHORE WINDS DURING
THE OVERNIGHT HOURS OF SEPTEMBER 15TH AND 16TH RESULTED ONLY IN MINOR
BEACH EROSION.

F. FLOODING...RIVER FLOODING

RIVER FLOODING WAS EXTENSIVE IN THE CHOWAN RIVER BASIN.
THE BLACKWATER...MEHERRIN AND NOTTOWAY RIVERS EXCEEDED FLOOD STAGE.
WATER LEVELS IN THE CITY OF FRANKLIN ARE ESTIMATED TO BE SEVERAL FEET
ABOVE THE FLOOD OF RECORD WHICH OCCURRED IN AUGUST 1940. THE FLOODING IS
CONSIDERED TO BE A 500 YEAR FLOOD OF RECORD.

RIVER FORECAST POINT     HIGHEST STAGE
LAWRENCEVILLE               29.62 FT
EMPORIA                     26.2  FT
FRANKLIN                    26.5  FT *  3 TO 4 FT ABOVE FLOOD OF RECORD
                                        AUGUST 1940
SEBRELL                     27.5  FT *
STONY CREEK                 21.5  FT *

* - ESTIMATED SINCE GAGES ARE OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO COMMS
    PROBLEMS/INUNDATION
 
G. TORNADOES...

2 CONFIRMED TORNADOES OCCURRED IN ASSOCIATION WITH HURRICANE FLOYD.
DURING THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 15TH.

THE FIRST TORNADO NEAR THE TOWN OF WINDSOR IN BERTIE COUNTY AT
740 PM EDT. A TREE WAS BLOWN ONTO A ROAD AND THE TORNADO WAS WITNESSED
BY A CITIZEN.

THE SECOND TORNADO OCCURRED IN THE TOWN OF DURANTS NECK IN PERQUIMANS
COUNTY AT 1130 PM EDT. THIS TORNADO DESTROYED 2 HOUSES A HALF MILE
APART NEAR THE ALBEMARLE SOUND. IN ADDITION 3 TO 4 OTHER HOMES
SUSTAINED DAMAGES.

H. STORM EFFECTS...

THERE ARE 2 KNOWN FATALITIES. THE FIRST OCCURRED IN BERTIE COUNTY NORTH
CAROLINA AND THE OTHER OCCURRED IN HENRICO COUNTY VIRGINIA.

THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY SEVERAL THOUSAND PERSONS EVACUATED AND HOUSED
IN SEVERAL SHELTERS FROM COASTAL JURISDICTIONS IN THE WAKEFIELD COUNTY
WARNING AREA.

HUNDREDS OF TREES AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN ACROSS NORTHEAST
NORTH CAROLINA...INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND THE IMMEDIATE HAMPTON
ROADS AREA...RESULTING IN WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES OVER THE AREA WITH
AS MANY AS 225,000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER.

NUMEROUS ROADS HAVE BEEN WASHED DUE TO FLOODING. PRIMARY ROUTES OUT OF
SERVICE INCLUDED US 460 NEAR WAKEFIELD...US 58 NEAR EMPORIA AND
FRANKLIN...INTERSTATE 95 SOUTH OF PETERSBURG TO EMPORIA.

HEAVY RAINFALL RESULTED IN A CONTAMINATION OF THE PORTSMOUTH CITY WATER
SUPPLY LOCATED IN THE CITY OF SUFFOLK. 100,000 PERSONS REMAIN WITHOUT
POTABLE WATER IN THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH. IN ADDITION THE WATER SUPPLY
IN THE TOWN OF WAKEFIELD IS CONTAMINATED.

NO ESTIMATES OF DAMAGE HAVE BEEN RECEIVED THUS FAR.
 
HUGH COBB/STAFF
WFO WAKEFIELD