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Event
Description
OPHELIA WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED AS A TROPICAL STORM ON SEPTEMBER
6, 2005 WHILE CENTERED OVER GRAND BAHAMA
ISLAND...ABOUT 90 MILES EAST OF
THE
FLORIDA COAST.
FOR THE NEXT WEEK OPHELIA MEANDERED SLOWLY NORTH,
REACHING HURRICANE STRENGTH (74 MPH) ON SEPTEMBER 8 WHILE ABOUT 65 MILES
EAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL, DROPPING BELOW AND THEN RETURNING TO HURRICANE
STRENGTH ON THE 9TH AND AGAIN ON THE 10TH.
ON SATURDAY SEP 10 AT 11
AM...WHILE OPHELIA WAS CENTERED ABOUT 275 MILES EAST OF SAVANNAH, GA A
HURRICANE WATCH WAS RAISED FROM SAVANNAH TO CAPE LOOKOUT, NC. ON SUNDAY
SEP 11 AT 5 PM WHILE OPHELIA WAS CENTERED 250 MILES ESE OF CHARLESTON,
SC A TROPICAL STORM WARNING WAS RAISED FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER, SC TO
CAPE LOOKOUT, NC...AND ON SEP 12 OPHELIA AGAIN DROPPED BELOW HURRICANE
STRENGTH.
AT 11 PM ON MONDAY SEP 12 A
HURRICANE WARNING WAS RAISED FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER, SC TO CAPE
LOOKOUT, NC WHILE OPHELIA WAS CENTERED ABOUT 140 MILES SSE OF MYRTLE
BEACH, SC.
NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED 30 TO
40 MPH ACROSS THE CAROLINAS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY THE 12TH AND 13TH FROM
HIGH SURFACE PRESSURE OVER THE APPALACHIANS TO THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER
OF OPHELIA. ON THE 13TH AT 5 PM OPHELIA AGAIN REACHED HURRICANE STRENGTH
WITH 74 MPH WINDS. WHILE CENTERED ABOUT 100 MILES SE OF MYRTLE BEACH AND
IT MOVED ERRATICALLY TOWARD THE NORTH UNTIL BY SUNRISE ON THE 14TH IT
WAS ABOUT 70 MILES ESE OF MYRTLE BEACH OR 40 MILES SOUTH OF CAPE FEAR,
NC WITH SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 80 MPH.
DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY
SEP 14 OPHELIA MOVED TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 7 MPH...SKIRTING THE
CAPE FEAR COAST. AT 11 AM THE CENTER OF OPHELIA WAS ABOUT 25 MILES SE OF
CAPE FEAR WITH AN EYE DIAMETER OF ABOUT 50 MILES AND THE EYE WALL OVER
PENDER, NEW HANOVER, AND BRUNSWICK COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST NC. AT 11 AM
THE HURRICANE WARNING OVER SOUTH CAROLINA WAS LOWERED TO A TROPICAL
STORM WARNING. AT 5 PM THE CENTER WAS 35 MILES EAST OF
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH AND THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING OVER SC WAS CANCELED.
BY SUNDOWN THE CENTER OF OPHELIA WAS 45 MILES ESE OF SURF CITY NC.
AT 5 AM ON THURSDAY SEP 15...WHEN OPHELIA WAS CENTERED NEAR CAPE LOOKOUT
NC...THE HURRICANE WARNING WAS CANCELED SOUTH OF SURF CITY.
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Satellite Image of Hurricane Ophelia
taken on
September 14, 2005 (click to enlarge) |
Highest Winds
LOCATION
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MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND
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PEAK WIND GUST
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WILMINGTON NC AIRPORT KILM ASOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 42 KT/ 48 MPH AT 1658Z
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PEAK WIND 59 KT/68 MPH AT 1950Z
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WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH JOHNNY MERCER PIER NOAA/NOS
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SUSTAINED 59 KT / 68 MPH AT 1700Z
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PEAK WIND 69 KT/79 MPH AT 1648Z
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SOUTHPORT NC BRUNSWICK COUNTY AIRPORT KSUT AWOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 36 KT / 41 MPH AT 1824Z
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PEAK WIND 56 KT/64 MPH AT 1324Z
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KURE BEACH NC LA QUE CENTER
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PEAK WIND 68 KT/78 MPH
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BALD HEAD ISLAND NC MARINA
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PEAK WIND 73 KT/84 MPH
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SUNSET BEACH NC NOAA/NOS PIER
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MAX SUSTAINED 33 KT/38 MPH AT 1300Z
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PEAK WIND 46 KT/53 MPH AT 1200Z
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NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KCRE ASOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 20 KT/23 MPH AT 1253Z
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PEAK WIND 33 KT/38 MPH AT 1249Z
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MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KMYR AWOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 25 KT/29 MPH AT 0455Z
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PEAK WIND 38 KT/44 MPH AT 1050Z
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SPRINGMAID PIER SC NOAA/NOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 24 KT/28 MPH AT 1800Z
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PEAK WIND 37 KT/47 MPH AT 1200Z
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COLUMBUS COUNTY WHITEVILLE NC AIRPORT KCPC AWOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 13 KT/15 MPH AT 1620Z
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PEAK WIND 28KT/32 MPH AT 1300Z
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FLORENCE SC AIRPORT KFLO ASOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 20 KT/23 MPH AT 1628Z
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PEAK WIND 26 KT/30 MPH AT 1556Z
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DARLINGTON SC AIRPORT KUDG AWOS
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MAX SUSTAINED 16 KT/18 MPH AT 1415Z
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PEAK WIND 24 KT/28 MPH AT 1435Z
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NDBC FRYING PAN SHOALS BUOY 41013
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MAX 10 MIN SUSTAINED 54 KT/62 MPH AT 1750Z
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MAX 5 SEC GUST 68 KT/78 MPH AT 1700Z
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NDBC EDISTO BUOY 41004
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MAX 10 MIN SUSTAINED 45 KT/52 MPH AT 0030Z
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MAX 5 SEC GUST 60 KT/69 MPH AT 0025Z
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CORMP ONSLOW BAY BUOY 41035
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MAX SUSTAINED 47 KT/54 MPH AT 2020Z
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MAX GUST 60 KT/69 MPH AT 2350Z
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| Plot of
highest winds |
Maximum
1-minute sustained surface winds (kt) |
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Preliminary and Experimental Maximum
Sustained Wind Swath, courtesy of HRD
(click to enlarge) |
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Rainfall
Storm total rainfall occurred between
9/12/05 and 9/15/05. About 70 percent of the rain occurred on the
14th.
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17.5" Oak Island Brunswick
County NC Water Treatment Plant
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10.74" Sunny Point
Brunswick County NC RAWS Site
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10.36" Supply Brunswick
County NC RAWS Site
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8.23" WFO Wilmington NC
Airport ASOS
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7.63" Surf City Pender
County NC
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7.38" Southport NC
Brunswick County Airport AWOS
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6.81" Back Island Pender
County RAWS Site
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6.20" Kure Beach NC La Que
Center
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6.30" North Myrtle Beach
SC Airport ASOS
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3.09" Whiteville Columbus
County NC RAWS Site
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1.87" Elizabethtown Bladen
County NC Airport AWOS
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1.52" Whiteville Columbus
County NC Airport AWOS
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0.06" Darlington County SC
Airport AWOS
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Trace Florence County SC
Airport ASOS
Flooding:
PENDER AND NEW HANOVER COUNTIES NC...
PONDING...MAINLY ON ROADWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH 5-9 INCHES OF RAIN
OVER 2-3 DAYS. CAROLINA BEACH LAKE, A RAINWATER CATCHMENT LAKE,
HAD BEEN PUMPED OUT BEFORE THE EVENT, BUT FLOODED SURROUNDING
HOMES WITH 1.5 FEET OF RAINWATER.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC...
HEAVIER RAINS ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 12 INCHES IN PARTS OF THE
EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTY WITH AROUND 100,000,000,000
(100 BILLION) GALLONS OF WATER ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT CAUSED
ROAD CLOSURES ESPECIALLY FROM THE SHALLOTTE RIVER TO SUPPLY
AND EASTWARD. HIGH WATER UP TO 4 FT DEEP CLOSED BRIDGES AND
ROADS.
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2-Day Radar-Derived Precipitation Estimates |
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Observed Rainfall from 9/12/05 to 9/15/05 |
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| Radar
Estimated Rainfall from 9/14/05 to 9/16/05 |
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Lowest Pressure:
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NDBC FRYING PAN SHOALS BUOY 41013... 980.8 MB AT 0950Z
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WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH JOHNNY MERCER PIER NOAA/NOS 984.8 MB AT 1854Z
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SOUTHPORT NC BRUNSWICK COUNTY AIRPORT KSUT 988.1 MB AT 1504Z
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WFO WILMINGTON NC KILM ASOS... 989.5 MB AT 1850Z
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SUNSET BEACH PIER NC NOAA/NOS... 996.0 MB AT 1400Z
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NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KCRE... 999.7 MB AT 1336Z
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SPRINGMAID PIER SC NOAA/NOS... 1000.5 MB AT 0942Z
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MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KMYR... 1000.7 MB AT 1050Z
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COLUMBUS COUNTY AIRPORT KCPC WHITEVILLE NC... 1001.4 MB AT 1819Z
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ELIZABETHTOWN NC AWOS KEYF... 1002.7 MB AT 1820Z
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FLORENCE SC AIRPORT KFLO ASOS... 1006.8 MB AT 1034Z
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DARLINGTON COUNTY SC AIRPORT KUDG AWOS... 1008.5 MB AT 0835Z
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NDBC EDISTO BUOY 41004... 996.4 MB AT 2150Z 9/13
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CORMP ONSLOW BAY BUOY 41035... 982.0 MB AT 2120Z
Storm Tides:
AS OPHELIA PASSED THE AREA JUST OFF THE COAST...NORTHEAST WIND
GUSTING 30 TO 40 MPH DOWN THE COAST ON THE 12TH AND 13TH FORCED
TIDES AROUND 2 FT ABOVE NORMAL. WHEN OPHELIA PASSED ON THE
14TH...THE TIME OF MAXIMUM SURGE NEARLY COINCIDED WITH LOW TIDE.
MOST SALT WATER FLOODING WAS ON THE SOUND SIDE OF BARRIER
ISLANDS...AROUND 14 INCHES COVERING ROADWAYS AT TOPSAIL BEACH AND
CAROLINA BEACH NC. FLOODING WAS MINOR MAINLY THE DAY BEFORE ON THE
13TH IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY SC AT GARDEN CITY...LITCHFIELD BEACH AND
PAWLEYS ISLAND.
MLLW = MEAN LOWER LOW WATER (FEET ABOVE AVERAGE LOWER LOW TIDE)
OYSTER LANDING SC (GEORGETOWN COUNTY) NOAA/NOS...
MAXIMUM TIDE LEVEL 7.01 FT MLLW AT 2130Z 9/13
MAXIMUM SURGE 2.75 FT AT 0236Z 9/14
SPRINGMAID PIER SC (MYRTLE BEACH) NOAA/NOS...
MAXIMUM TIDE LEVEL 7.40 FT MLLW AT 2100Z 9/13
MAXIMUM SURGE 2.81 FT AT 2342Z 9/13
SUNSET BEACH PIER NC (NC/SC STATE LINE) NOAA/NOS...
MAXIMUM TIDE LEVEL 7.19 FT MLLW AT 2048Z 9/13
MAXIMUM SURGE 2.85 FT AT 2330Z 9/13
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NC (JOHNNY MERCER PIER) NOAA/NOS...
MAXIMUM TIDE LEVEL 6.60 FT MLLW AT 1954Z
MAXIMUM SURGE 4.19 FT AT 1518Z
Beach Erosion:
SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WIND FOR NEARLY 3 DAYS MAINTAINED WATER LEVELS
AT LEAST 2 FEET HIGHER THAN NORMAL...AND OCEAN SWELLS CAUSING 6 TO 8
FOOT SURF AND LITTORAL (LONG SHORE) CURRENTS GOUGED SAND FROM THE
COAST MOSTLY FROM CAPE FEAR NC NORTH ACROSS NEW HANOVER AND PENDER
COUNTIES. EROSION WAS SEVERE LEAVING 5 FOOT ESCARPMENTS ALONG
SECTIONS OF BEACH FRONT.
PENDER COUNTY NC...
SEVERE EROSION AT SURF CITY AND TOPSAIL BEACH WITH 5 DUNE BREACHES
AND EXTENSIVE PRIMARY DUNE LOSS INTO THE VEGETATION AND 90 PERCENT
OF OVER DUNE BEACH STAIR ACCESSES WASHED AWAY.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY NC...
FIGURE 8 ISLAND...WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH...CAROLINA BEACH AND KURE BEACH
LOST 25 TO 80 PERCENT OF THE BEACH WITH EROSION INTO THE PRIMARY
DUNE IN SEVERAL AREAS. SEPTIC TANKS EXPOSED ON FIGURE 8 ISLAND.
CAROLINA BEACH HAD OVERWASH AT THE NORTH END PIER.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC...
THE EAST FACING BEACH OF BALD HEAD ISLAND LOST SAND INTO THE PRIMARY
DUNE...WITH EROSION ALSO ON THE SOUTH BEACH. ALONG THE REST OF THE
COUNTY COAST...THE SOUTH FACING BEACHES SUSTAINED MOSTLY MINOR
EROSION. THE EAST END OF CASWELL BEACH HAD SOME OVERWASH THAT
ERODED A ROADWAY. ON THE EAST END OF OCEAN ISLE BEACH LOCALIZED
EROSION TOOK PART OF EAST SECOND STREET AND AN ALREADY CONDEMNED
HOME COLLAPSED.
SOUTH CAROLINA BEACHES ALONG HORRY AND GEORGETOWN COUNTIES HAD
MINOR EROSION.
Tornadoes: NONE.
Storm Effects:
WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES IN SE NC...PROGRESS ENERGY REPORTED MORE
THAN 50,000 CUSTOMERS LOST POWER...MOSTLY RESTORED ACROSS THE AREA
BY FRIDAY 9/16.
PENDER COUNTY NC...
MAINLY TOPSAIL ISLAND AROUND $1.5 MILLION IN MOSTLY MINOR WIND
DAMAGE TO ABOUT 500 HOMES AT SURF CITY AND TOPSAIL BEACH. SALT WATER
FLOODING MAINLY ON BACK SIDE OF ISLAND DUE TO SOUND SIDE FLOODING.
SCATTERED TREES DOWNED AND MOSTLY MINOR FLOODING ON MAINLAND.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY NC...
MAINLY BARRIER ISLANDS...AROUND $4.5 MILLION DAMAGE...MAINLY MINOR
AND WIND RELATED. SALT WATER FLOODING ON THE SOUND SIDE OF CAROLINA
BEACH AND FRESH WATER FLOODING FROM CAROLINA BEACH LAKE. ON THE
MAINLAND MOSTLY MINOR FLOODING AND SCATTERED TREES DOWNED.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC...
EXTENSIVE FRESH WATER FLOODING CLOSED MANY SECONDARY AND A FEW MAJOR
ROADS EAST OF SHALLOTTE...WITH MOST FLOODING SUBSIDED BY FRIDAY 9/16
BUT SOME FLOODING EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND. BALD HEAD
ISLAND HAD 200 STRUCTURES DAMAGED...MOSTLY MINOR...AND RAINWATER
FLOODING ISOLATED 15 HOMES. EROSION TO THE EAST AND SOUTH BEACHES.
MINIMAL WIND DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES AND TREES ON MAINLAND...MOSTLY
EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
HORRY COUNTY SC...
MINOR BEACH EROSION AND A FEW SHINGLES AND SIGNS DAMAGED. A FEW
TREES DOWNED.
GEORGETOWN COUNTY SC...
MINOR FLOODING MAINLY ON THE SOUND SIDE OF BARRIER ISLANDS.
Deaths or Injuries:
NONE REPORTED.
Damage:
REPORTS UNAVAILABLE AS OF 9/16/05
Radar (base reflectivity)
Data from Wilmington, NC (click to enlarge):
9/13 1100 PM EDT Radar Image |
9/14 200 AM EDT Radar Image |
9/14 800 AM EDT Radar Image |
9/14 1100 AM EDT Radar Image |
9/14 200 PM EDT Radar Image |
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Misc. Information:
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weather.gov 
