|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || SUMMARY OF WEATHER : Tuesday, August 15, 1995 || || || || Portsmouth Weather Records Service || || || || Portsmouth, Virginia (West Cradock Section/3 miles south) || |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 10:45 PM EDT, Tuesday, August 15, 1995 A day of great anticipation here as we're some 80 miles to the north of where latest landfall predictions are (anywhere from Cape Hatteras south to Morehead City NC). Being on that northern right quadrant tomorrow night could give us winds gusts from 80 to 100 mph, especially at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay just a few (10-15) miles north-northeast of here. Actually, the interaction between the persistent high over the VA coast and Felix cleared the haze, brought in a maritime flow gusting to 20 mph at 2:03 PM, and gave a eeriness to the weather. Beautiful, but so different than yesterday and what lies ahead for tomorrow and WED night. Just didn't seem right, especially with those deep blue skies. Latest talk at Wakefield and Sterling Forecast Centers is that the track of Felix may be a little farther north of the NHC computer forecast. This does not bode well as any track north of Cape Hatteras and south of the VA/NC border will present the greatest problems for Hampton Roads. Offshore, waves continue to build and may be as high as 20 feet by sunset WED. Navy has sent all ships to sea or other ports. Grocery stores were extremely busy this evening. Voluntary evacuations currently in Virginia Beach and Norfolk with mandatory at the Outer Banks of NC. 5-10" of rain is forecast for areas near the path of Felix. We can use it! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --TEMPERATURES-- MAX MIN WIND GUST DATE HI LO MEAN DEP CDD PREC RH% RH% (DIR/MPH) WEATHER ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/15 86 72 79.0 +1 14.0 90 41 ENE 20 PC BREEZY 8/14 96 75 85.5 +7 20.5 92 39 ESE 18 PC H HOT 8/13 94 75 84.5 +7 19.5 -- 52 NE 19 PC FROPA H 8/12 94 68 81.0 +3 16.0 98 41 NW 19 SU HOT 8/11 86 71 78.5 -2 13.5 99 53 E 22 PC BREEZY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MONTH-TO-DATE TEMPERATURES PRECIPITATION MONTH MEAN & HI/LO/MEAN DEP. TO DATE CHANGE/24 HRS: Month: 0.43" 90.7 (+2.9) -0.3 <-------High temperature Departure: -2.73" 72.5 (+1.6) 0.0 <-------Low temperature % or normal: 14% 81.6 (+2.3) -0.2 <-------Mean tempearture Year: 23.92" Departure: -6.84" % or normal: 78% 2........................ Days in month with measurable precipitation 1........................ Number of days with a thunderstorm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Record temperatures for: August 15 August 16 (P) denotes Portsmouth High 98 1980 (N) High 96 1900 96 1988 (P) (N) denotes Norfolk Low 55 1964 Low 58 1961 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weather at 0255Z, 10:55 PM EDT, Tuesday, August 15, 1995 0255 30 SCT 250 -SCT 12 130/75/70/0311/992/WND 35V07 Sky condition: Scattered at 3000 feet; thin scattered at 25000 feet Visibility: 12 miles Sea-level pressure: 1013.0 millibars Temperature: 75 Dew point temperature: 70 Relative humidity: 85% Wind: North-northeast 11 miles per hour Barometric pressure: 29.92" Barometric trend: -0.004" past hour Precipitation past hour: 0.00" Remarks: Wind is variable in direction from 340 degrees to 070 degrees azimuth ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || SPECIAL UPDATE ON HURRICANE FELIX'S IMPACT ON || || SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA || || Portsmouth Weather Records Service || || || || Portsmouth, Virginia (West Cradock Section/3 miles south) || |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 10:30 AM EDT, Wednesday, August 16, 1995 Clouds moved into SE VA just after midnight and winds have gradually increased. Peak wind gust is NNE 32 mph at 9:17 AM EDT. Except for some broken clouds around 9AM, skies have been overcast at 2000 feet. Scattered light showers have been reported by Ocean Naval Air Station, Virginia Beach. Since 0400Z: Highest temp: 82.1 at 10:17 AM Lowest temp: 75.7 at 12:00 AM Highest relative humidity: 87% Lowest relative humidity: 76% Precipitation: 0.00" OBSERVATION LOG: (all times GMT) 1335 20 OVC 10 114/80/73/0311G23/986/PKWND 0332 1425 20 OVC 10 113/82/74/0312G26/986/BINOVC VCNTY STN/PKWND 0332 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || SPECIAL UPDATE ON HURRICANE FELIX'S IMPACT ON || || SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA || || Portsmouth Weather Records Service || || || || Portsmouth, Virginia (West Cradock Section/3 miles south) || |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 12:38 PM EDT, Wednesday, August 16, 1995 Over the past two hours winds have picked up slightly and the overcast skies have become broken. Highest gust at 12:22 pm was NNE 33 mph. New NHC track has Felix slowing down by 7PM this evening and east-southeast of Virginia Beach at 7 PM THU. Storm force winds expected here sometime this evening with hurricane force gusts likely by THU afternoon. With this scenario of prolonged winds and rain, serious flooding is probability. Sandbridge section of Virginia Beach has been closed-off to the public. Since 0400Z: Highest temp: 84.8 at 12:38 AM Lowest temp: 75.7 at 12:00 AM Highest relative humidity: 87% Lowest relative humidity: 72% Precipitation: 0.00" OBSERVATION LOG: (all times GMT; all wind speeds mph) 1335 20 OVC 10 114/80/73/0311G23/986/PKWND 0332 1425 20 OVC 10 113/82/74/0312G26/986/BINOVC VCNTY STN/PKWND 0332 1630 20 BKN 120 BKN 100/84/75/0309G28/983/PKWND 0333/22 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || SPECIAL UPDATE ON HURRICANE FELIX'S IMPACT ON || || SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA || || Portsmouth Weather Records Service || || || || Portsmouth, Virginia (West Cradock Section/3 miles south) || |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 5:55 PM EDT, Wednesday, August 16, 1995 Well, the anticipation is still great here, but with the slower movement of Felix am afraid some locals are becoming complacent about what the future brings. As you know, Felix has slowed east of Cape Hatteras and is drifting to the west-northwest. Looking at satellite photos this af- ternoon, we vaguely see an eye; more importantly, the storm is definitely "wound-up." With the storm yet to interact with the Gulf Stream- a current of ocean water with temps running some 6 degrees higher than surrounding ocean waters- people may become too complacent about a storm which could easily intensify rapidly overnight. It is not uncommon for storms to be generated/regenerated quickly when encountering this Gulf Stream. Today's weather has deteriorated very slowly with peak wind at this station still NNE 33 mph at 12:22pm. Other area gusts include 32 mph at Norfolk Naval Air Station and 32 knots at NWS Norfolk (International Airport). A few showers locally have left 0.05" of rain through posttime. Evacuations in Virginia Beach and Norfolk coastal areas is now recommended. Cynthia Lima of WVEC TV reports winds have picked up in the last half-hour as have the seas. Offshore seas are expected to rise to 18 feet overnight into Thursday with tides currently about 2 feet above normal. Waves along the ocean beaches and lower Chesapeake Bay will continue to increase. As ex- pected, all seagoing craft have been warned to stay in port. At this time, not only are winds a concern as they build, but the major concern is becoming the expected increase in tides in SE VA where the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, and Elizabeth River converge. Since computer models have the storm just off the NC/VA border THU night through FRI night with a drift inland to near Norfolk then WNW inland come SAT, there is a strong likelihood that major flooding will occur as SE VA will be in the northern right quadrant of the system allowing for strong northeast winds to pile ocean water inland. Such a storm did massive damage here in the famous 1933 hurricane. As I type now at 5:45 PM EDT, our first heavy band of rain is passing with visibilities now down to 1 variable 2 miles. Within one minute, the shower has tapered and winds are steady at 13 mph from the north. In Northeastern NC, gale force winds have begun to overspread the Outer Banks with Alligator Bridge reporting a gust of 45 knots at 3 PM. Along the VA and NC coasts, large swells and combined seas have been reported at 15-20 feet in both offshore and nearshore waters. This has resulted in continued rough surf and riptide conditions. At 2:00 PM EDT, the water level at the South Island of the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel was 4.8 feet above mean low low water which is about 2 feet above normal. In NC at 3:00 PM, Duck Coe pier reported 14 foot seas. Major forecast centers for this weather situation are located at AKQ - Wakefield - and WBC - Sterling, both in Virginia. Local ob stations affected by Felix include (manned and AWOS): ORF - Norfolk NGU - Navy Norfolk NTU - Navy Virginia Beach ECG - Elizabeth City MQI - Manteo HAT - Cape Hatteras PHF - Newport News LFI - Hampton MFV - Melfa (Eastern Shore) FKN - Franklin (inland) FAA - Fort Eustis (near Williamsburg) Since 0400Z: Highest temp: 84.8 at 12:38 PM Lowest temp: 75.7 at 12:00 AM Precipitation: 0.05" Highest relative humidity: 98% Lowest relative humidity: 71% OBSERVATION LOG: (all times GMT; all wind speeds mph) 1335 20 OVC 10 114/80/73/0311G23/986/PKWND 0332 1425 20 OVC 10 113/82/74/0312G26/986/BINOVC VCNTY STN/PKWND 0332 1630 20 BKN 120 BKN 10 100/84/75/0309G28/983/PKWND 0333/22 1920 20 SCT 50 BKN 120 OVC 4RW 092/77/76/0514G27/980/RW INTMT 2200 20 BKN 40 OVC 6 083/79/78/0111G26/978/RWE46/RW INTMT |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || SPECIAL UPDATE ON HURRICANE FELIX'S IMPACT ON || || SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA || || Portsmouth Weather Records Service || || || || Portsmouth, Virginia (West Cradock Section/3 miles south) || |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| 7:50 AM EDT, 1150Z, Thursday, August 17, 1995 Everything's on hold around here. Locals are being warned not to become complacent and to keep the guard. Felix is basically stationary with 75 mph sustained winds and gusts to near 90 mph some some 160 miles ENE of Hatteras. NHC has center stationary through SAT with some drift to the west on the 20th. With Felix stationary, the serious effects on SE VA begin to build predo- minantly in the form of flooding which will result in tides 4 feet above normal over the next 4 days. Last high tide cycle brought flooding up to 3 feet in the usual flood prone areas of Norfolk including Ghent and Ocean View. This situation can only worsen as long as Felix continuously perpetuates an onshore fetch. Hurricane warning still in effect here but the hurricane watch from Patuxent River, MD northward- in the Chesapeake bay region- has been dropped. Tropical watches and warnings along the VA, MD, DE coast continue. The time between significant gusts at this station has lengthened since morning midnight; a gust of NNE 31 mph was recorded at this station at 12:05 AM with a gust of NNE 27 mph at posttime. Some sun breaking through along the coasts of VA and NC. Radar shows heavy bands still circulating just offshore. Latest satellite indicates heavier thunderstorms developing in the NW quadrant of Felix off- shore, something not seen last evening. Since 0400Z: Highest temp: 79.9 at 6:00 AM Lowest temp: 78.9 at 4:11 AM Precipitation: TRACE Highest relative humidity: 96% at 12:00 AM Lowest relative humidity: 85% at 4:49 AM OBSERVATION LOG: (all times GMT; all wind speeds mph) Wednesday, August 16, 1995: 1335 20 OVC 10 114/80/73/0311G23/986/PKWND 0332 1425 20 OVC 10 113/82/74/0312G26/986/BINOVC VCNTY STN/PKWND 0332 1630 20 BKN 120 BKN 10 100/84/75/0309G28/983/PKWND 0333/22 1920 20 SCT 50 BKN 120 OVC 4RW 092/77/76/0514G27/980/RW INTMT 2200 20 BKN 40 OVC 6 083/79/78/0111G26/978/RWE46/RW INTMT 2225 20 BKN 40 OVC 5 082/79/78/0212G27/977/INTMT RW Thursday, August 17, 1995 0125 20 SCT 40 OVC 7 084/79/79/0211G26/978 1145 200 OVC 6RW- 074/79/75/0113G24/975/RWB44/PCPN VRY LGT |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| and that was it! As we remember, Felix hovered, and hovered, and hovered and evenutally headed to northeast to sea!