Thursday, August 25, 2011

National Weather Service Hurricane Irene Update

HURRICANE IRENE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1237 PM EDT THU AUG 25 2011

...DANGEROUS HURRICANE IRENE TURNS NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD...CORE
APPROACHING ABACO ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS...

.NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED THE STORM POSITION AND INTENSITY.

.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT
LOCATIONS AND COASTAL WATER LEGS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN
VIRGINIA...NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...AND THE LOWER EASTERN
SHORE...INCLUDING THE VIRGINIA PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY...
CURRITUCK SOUND...AND ADJACENT ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
PASQUOTANK...CAMDEN...INLAND CURRITUCK...BERTIE...CHOWAN...
PERQUIMANS AND OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A HURRICANE WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS
OF CURRITUCK SOUND...AND ADJACENT ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

ALTHOUGH TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE NOT IN EFFECT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...DORCHESTER...WICOMICO...SOMERSET...
INLAND WORCESTER...MARYLAND BEACHES...GATES...NORTHUMBERLAND...
LANCASTER...GLOUCESTER...MIDDLESEX...MATHEWS...YORK...ISLE OF
WIGHT...NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON...NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH...SUFFOLK...
CHESAPEAKE...VIRGINIA BEACH...ACCOMACK AND NORTHAMPTON VA...THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL WATERS ADJACENT TO THE DELMARVA
PENINSULA...POSSIBLE IMPACTS FROM RELATED HAZARDS ARE STILL A
CONCERN. A HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE ISSUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON

PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST PUBLIC AND MARINE FORECASTS FOR DETAILED
INFORMATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL HAZARDS.

.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.9N...LONGITUDE 76.8W. THIS WAS ABOUT 860 MILES SOUTH
OF OCEAN CITY MD...OR ABOUT 740 MILES SOUTH OF NC/VA BORDER.
STORM MOTION WAS NNW OR 335 DEGREES AT 13 MPH. STORM INTENSITY
WAS 115 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW...
WHEN MAKING DECISIONS...DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK.
IT IS TOO EARLY TO PROVIDE EXACT WIND AND SURGE FORECAST VALUES
FOR SPECIFIC LOCATIONS...BUT A GENERAL CONCERN SHOULD BE FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF EXTENSIVE DAMAGE SOMEWHERE WITHIN EASTERN
VIRGINIA...NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...AND LOWER PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN
SHORE OF MARYLAND.

.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR THOSE UNDER A WATCH...NOW IS THE TIME TO BEGIN PREPARING YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS ACCORDING TO YOUR HURRICANE DISASTER PLAN. LISTEN
FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE READY TO EVACUATE IF NECESSARY. HEED
THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND COMPLY WITH ANY ORDERS THAT ARE
ISSUED. ALL PREPARATIONS FOR THE STORM SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY
FRIDAY EVENING.

FOR INTERESTS AT PORTS...DOCKS...AND MARINAS...IT IS RECOMMENDED
THAT YOU PERFORM THE PRESCRIBED PREPARATIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN FOR TROPICAL CYCLONES. IF YOU LIVE ON A
BOAT...BEGIN TO SAFELY SECURE YOUR CRAFT AND MAKE PLANS TO LEAVE
IT FOR ADEQUATE LAND BASED SHELTER. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
AGAIN...IT IS ENCOURAGED THAT ALL PREPARATIONS FOR THE STORM
SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY EVENING.

REGARDING THE COASTAL WATERS UNDER A WATCH...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD
RETURN TO PORT OR SEEK SAFE HARBOR.

CLOSELY MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS
FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO
THE FORECAST.

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