000 ACUS72 KILM 161729 PSHILM POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORT...HURRICANE OPHELIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 130 PM EDT FRI SEP 16 2005 OPHEILA WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED AS 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 THE 8TH 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 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 75 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 S 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 SC 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. THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED ON 9/14/05 UNLESS NOTED ALL TIMES UTC. TO CONVERT TO EDT SUBTRACT 4 HOURS TO CONVERT WIND KT TO MPH, MULTIPLY BY 1.15 A. WIND DATA... WILMINGTON NC AIRPORT KILM ASOS MAX 2 MINUTE 010 DEGREES /42 KT/ 48 MPH AT 1658Z PEAK WIND 310 DEGREES /59 KT/ 68 MPH AT 1950Z WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH JOHNNY MERCER PIER NOAA/NOS SUSTAINED 032/59 KT / 68 MPH AT 1700Z PEAK WIND 69 KT /79 MPH AT 1648Z SOUTHPORT NC BRUNSWICK COUNTY AIRPORT KSUT AWOS MAX 2 MINUTE 310 DEGREES 310/36 KT / 41 MPH AT 1824Z PEAK WIND 010 DEGREES 56 KT / 64 MPH AT 1324Z KURE BEACH NC LA QUE CENTER PEAK WIND 050/68 KT / 78 MPH BALD HEAD ISLAND NC MARINA PEAK WIND 73 KT/ 84 MPH SUNSET BEACH NC NOAA/NOS PIER MAX SUSTAINED 354/33 KT / 38 MPH AT 1300Z PEAK WIND 001/46 KT / 53 MPH AT 1200Z NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KCRE ASOS MAX 2 MINUTE 340/20 KT / 23 MPH AT 1253Z PEAK WIND 010/33 KT /38 MPH AT 1249Z MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KMYR AWOS MAX SUSTAINED 360/25 KT / 29 MPH AT 0455Z PEAK WIND 340/38 KT / 44 MPH AT 1050Z SPRINGMAID PIER SC NOAA/NOS MAX SUSTAINED 281/24 KT / 28 MPH AT 1800Z PEAK WIND 37 KT / 47 MPH AT 1200Z COLUMBUS COUNTY WHITEVILLE NC AIRPORT KCPC AWOS MAX SUSTAINED 320/13 KT / 15 MPH AT 1620Z PEAK WIND 360/28KT / 32 MPH AT 1300Z FLORENCE SC AIRPORT KFLO ASOS MAX SUSTAINED 340/20 KT / 23 MPH AT 1628Z PEAK WIND 320/26 KT / 30 MPH AT 1556Z DARLINGTON SC AIRPORT KUDG AWOS MAX SUSTAINED 330/16 KT / 18 MPH AT 1415Z PEAK WIND 350/24 KT / 28 MPH AT 1435Z NDBC FRYING PAN SHOALS BUOY 41013 MAX 10 MINUTE SUSTAINED 267/ 54 KT AT 1750Z PEAK 5 MAX MAX 5 SECOND GUST 270/ 68 KT AT 1700Z NDBC EDISTO BUOY 41004 MAX 10 MINUTE SUSTAINED 328/ 45 KT AT 0030Z PEAK 5 SECOND GUST 330/ 60 KT AT 0025Z CORMP ONSLOW BAY BUOY 41035 MAX SUSTAINED 060/ 47 KT AT 2020Z PEAK GUST 010/ 60 KT AT 2350Z B. PRESSURE DATA... NDBC FRYING PAN SHOALS BUOY 41013... 980.8 MB AT 0950Z WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH JOHNNY MERCER PIER NOAA/NOS 984.8 MB AT 1854Z SOUTHPORT NC BRUNSWICK COUNTY AIRPORT KSUT 988.1 MB AT 1504Z WFO WILMINGTON NC KILM ASOS... 989.5 MB AT 1850Z SUNSET BEACH PIER NC NOAA/NOS... 996.0 MB AT 1400Z NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KCRE... 999.7 MB AT 1336Z SPRINGMAID PIER SC NOAA/NOS... 1000.5 MB AT 0942Z MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KMYR... 1000.7 MB AT 1050Z COLUMBUS COUNTY AIRPORT KCPC WHITEVILLE NC... 1001.4 MB AT 1819Z ELIZABETHTOWN NC AWOS KEYF... 1002.7 MB AT 1820Z FLORENCE SC AIRPORT KFLO ASOS... 1006.8 MB AT 1034Z DARLINGTON COUNTY SC AIRPORT KUDG AWOS... 1008.5 MB AT 0835Z NDBC EDISTO BUOY 41004... 996.4 MB AT 2150Z 9/13 CORMP ONSLOW BAY BUOY 41035... 982.0 MB AT 2120Z C. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL... STORM TOTAL RAINFALL ALL OCCURRED BETWEEN 9/12 AND 1100Z 9/15/05. ABOUT 70 PERCENT OCCURRED ON THE 14TH. OAK ISLAND BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC WATER TREATMENT PLANT... 17.5 INCHES ABOUT 12 INCHES THE ON THE 14TH...5 INCHES ON THE 13TH. SUNNY POINT BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC RAWS... 10.74 INCHES ABOUT 8 INCHES ON THE 14TH...2 INCHES ON THE 13TH SUPPLY BRUNSWICK COUNTY NC RAWS... 10.36 INCHES WFO WILMINGTON NC AIRPORT KILM ASOS... 8.23 INCHES SURF CITY PENDER COUNTY NC... 7.63 INCHES KURE BEACH NC LA QUE CENTER... 6.2 INCHES SOUTHPORT NC BRUNSWICK COUNTY AIRPORT KSUT AWOS... 7.38 INCHES BACK ISLAND PENDER COUNTY RAWS... 6.81 INCHES NORTH MYRTLE BEACH SC AIRPORT KCRE ASOS... 6.30 INCHES WHITEVILLE COLUMBUS COUNTY NC RAWS... 3.09 INCHES ELIZABETHTOWN BLADEN COUNTY NC AIRPORT KEYF AWOS.... 1.87 INCHES WHITEVILLE COLUMBUS COUNTY NC AIRPORT KCPC AWOS... 1.52 INCHES DARLINGTON COUNTY SC AIRPORT KUDG AWOS... 0.06 INCH FLORENCE SC AIRPORT KFLO ASOS... TRACE D. MAXIMUM STORM TIDE HEIGHTS... 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 LOW 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 E. EXTENT OF 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. F. 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 ROADWAYS. G. TORNADOES... NONE H. 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 END/TM $$