Hurricane Ophelia - September 12-14, 2005

Summary

Tropical Depression #16 formed during the morning hours on September 6th about 180 miles southeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. During the early morning hours on the 7th, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ophelia. At that time, Ophelia was located about 115 miles east-southeast of Cape Canaveral. Ophelia became a hurricane about 70 miles east-southeast of Cape Canaveral during the late afternoon hours on the 8th. Ophelia then moved northeast to a position about 250 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina and basically stalled out and weakened slightly on the 10th and 11th. During the late morning hours on the 10th, a Hurricane Watch was issued from the Savannah River north to Cape Lookout, North Carolina. For the area south of Edisto Beach, South Carolina, the Hurricane Watch was dropped during the early morning hours on the 11th. During the late afternoon hours on the 11th, a Tropical Storm Warning was issued from Edisto Beach, South Carolina north to Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Ophelia made its closest approach and had the greatest impact to Southern South Carolina during the evening hours on the 13th. At that time, Ophelia was located about 105 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina and was moving slowly north. The Hurricane Watch was dropped from Edisto Beach, South Carolina to the South Santee River during the early morning hours on the 14th and the Tropical Storm Warning was dropped during the late morning hours on the 14th.

Visible Satellite/Storm Track
 

Damage Reports

Winds/Rainfall

Post-storm Report

POST TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORT...HURRICANE OPHELIA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
925 AM EDT FRI SEP 16 2005

TROPICAL DEPRESSION 16 FORMED DURING THE MORNING HOURS ON SEPTEMBER 
6TH ABOUT 180 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA. DURING THE 
EARLY MORNING HOURS ON THE 7TH THE DEPRESSION WAS UPGRADED TO 
TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA. AT THAT TIME OPHELIA WAS LOCATED ABOUT 115 
MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL. OPHELIA BECAME A HURRICANE 
ABOUT 70 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL DURING THE LATE 
AFTERNOON HOURS ON THE 8TH. OPHELIA THEN MOVED NORTHEAST TO A 
POSITION ABOUT 250 SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA AND 
BASICALLY STALLED OUT AND WEAKENED SLIGHTLY ON THE 10TH AND 11TH. 
DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON THE 10TH A HURRICANE WATCH WAS 
ISSUED FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER NORTH TO CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA. 
FOR THE AREA SOUTH OF EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA...THE HURRICANE 
WATCH WAS DROPPED DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON THE 11TH. DURING 
THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS ON THE 11TH...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING WAS 
ISSUED FROM EDISTO BEACH NORTH TO CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA. 
OPHELIA MADE ITS CLOSEST APPROACH AND HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT TO THE 
CHARLESTON WARNING AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS ON THE 13TH. AT 
THAT TIME OPHELIA WAS LOCATED ABOUT 105 MILES EAST OF CHARLESTON 
SOUTH CAROLINA AND WAS MOVING SLOWLY NORTH. THE HURRICANE WATCH WAS 
DROPPED FROM EDISTO BEACH TO THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER DURING THE EARLY 
MORNING HOURS ON THE 14TH AND THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING WAS DROPPED 
DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON THE 14TH.

THIS REPORT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA...
BERKELEY...CHARLESTON...DORCHESTER...COLLETON...BEAUFORT...
ALLENDALE...HAMPTON AND JASPER AND IN GEORGIA...CHATHAM... 
EFFINGHAM...SCREVEN...JENKINS...BULLOCH...BRYAN...LIBERTY...
MCINTOSH...LONG...TATTNALL...EVANS AND CANDLER.

A. HIGHEST WINDS...

OFFICIAL SITES...NWS OR FAA:

CHARLESTON SC AIRPORT (CHS)...
MAX 2 MINUTE 23 KT FROM 330 DEGREES AT 2334 UTC ON 9/13/05          
   PEAK WIND 33 KT FROM 330 DEGREES AT 0311 UTC ON 9/14/05

SAVANNAH GA AIRPORT (SAV)...
MAX 2 MINUTE 18 KT FROM 310 DEGREES AT 1959 UTC ON 9/13/05    
   PEAK WIND 23 KT FROM 340 DEGREES AT 1909 UTC ON 9/13/05

COASTAL WATERS:
NDBC 41004 EDISTO BUOY...
8 MINUTE AVG 45 KT FROM 330 DEGREES AT 0030 UTC ON 9/14/05
   PEAK WIND 60 KT FROM 330 DEGREES AT 2034 UTC ON 9/13/05
             60 KT FROM 330 DEGREES AT 0025 UTC ON 9/14/05

NDBC 41008 GRAYS REEF BUOY...
8 MINUTE AVG 21 KT FROM 320 DEGREES AT 0450 UTC ON 9/13/05    
   PEAK WIND 27 KT FROM 320 DEGREES AT 0450 UTC ON 9/13/05

SABSOON TOWER R8/TYBG1(34 METERS)...
8 MINUTE AVG 38 KT FROM 300 DEGREES AT 0630 UTC ON 9/13/05
   PEAK WIND 44 KT FROM 300 DEGREES AT 0030 UTC ON 9/13/05

SABSOON TOWER R2/SPAG1(50 METERS)...
8 MINUTE AVG 31 KT FROM 290 DEGREES AT 0331...0431 AND 0531 UTC ON   
             9/13/05
             31 KT FROM 300 DEGREES AT 0731 UTC ON 9/13/05
   PEAK WIND 35 KT FROM 290 DEGREES AT 0531 UTC ON 9/13/05
             35 KT FROM 300 DEGREES AT 0731 UTC ON 9/13/05

SABSOON TOWER M2R6/SKMG1(50 METERS)...
8 MINUTE AVG 35 KT FROM 290 DEGREES AT 0234 UTC ON 9/13/05
   PEAK WIND 41 KT FROM 290 DEGREES AT 0234 UTC ON 9/13/05

CMAN STATION:
FBIS1 FOLLY BEACH:
10 MIN AVG WIND 22 KT FROM 360 DEGREES AT 0200 UTC ON 9/13/05
                22 KT FROM 350 DEGREES AT 1840 UTC ON 9/13/05
   PEAK WIND 33 KT FROM 360 DEGREES AT 1828 UTC ON 9/13/05
             33 KT FROM 350 DEGREES AT 2327 UTC ON 9/13/05

UNOFFICIAL SITES:

DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA (CHL)...
SUSTAINED 10 MIN AVG 23 KT FROM 280 DEGREES AT 1938 UTC ON 9/13/05 
   PEAK WIND 34 KT FROM 320 DEGREES AT 0028 UTC ON 9/14/05  

CARO COOPS-CAP1(34 METERS)...
SUSTAINED 15 MIN AVG 21 KT FROM 350 DEGREES AT 1800 UTC ON 9/13/05
   PEAK WIND 26 KT FROM 350 DEGREES AT 1800 UTC ON 9/13/05

CARO COOPS-CAP3(34 METERS)...
SUSTAINED 15 MIN AVG 38 KT FROM 340 DEGREES AT 2330 UTC ON 9/13/05
   PEAK WIND 45 KT FROM 340 DEGREES AT 2330 UTC ON 9/13/05

PINEVILLE SC...
10 MINUTE AVG 19 KT FROM 320 DEGREES AT 0102 UTC ON 9/14/05      
PEAK WIND 32 KT AT 360 DEGREES AT 1510 UTC ON 9/13/05

ISLE OF PALMS...
SUSTAINED AVG 22 KT FROM 320 DEGREES AT 0230 UTC ON 9/14/05
   PEAK WIND 37 KT FROM 320 DEGREES AT 0040 UTC ON 9/14/05

B. LOWEST PRESSURE...

OFFICIAL SITES:
CHARLESTON SC AIRPORT (CHS)...1006.8 MB (9/13 AT 2251 UTC) 
SAVANNAH GA AIRPORT (SAV)...1009.8 MB (9/13 AT 1901 UTC) 
BEAUFORT SC (NBC)...1007.5 MB (9/13 AT 2251 UTC)
NDBC 41004...996.4 MB (9/14 AT 2250 AND 2350 UTC)
NDBC 41008...1009.1 MB (9/13 AT 1950 UTC)
CMAN FBIS1...1006.4 MB (9/13 AT 2345 UTC)
SABSOON TOWER TYBG1 (R8)...1005.4 MB (50 METER OB) 9/13 AT 2136 UTC 
SABSOON TOWER (M2/R6)...1007.2 MB (50 METER OB) 9/13 AT 1934...2034 
AND 2334 UTC

UNOFFICIAL SITES:
ISLE OF PALMS SC...1004.5 MB AT 2330 UTC ON 9/13
CARO COOPS(CAP1)...1004.4 MB AT 0030 UTC ON 9/14
CARO COOPS(FRP2)...1007.8 MB AT 2300 UTC ON 9/13
CARO COOPS(FRP1)...1011.7 MB AT 2130 UTC ON 9/13

C. RAINFALL...

SOUTH CAROLINA
WITHERBEE.......................0.18 INCHES
ISLE OF PALMS...................0.18 INCHES
FORT MOULTRIE...................0.17 INCHES
JAMES ISLAND....................0.15 INCHES
CHARLESTON CITY.................0.07 INCHES
CHARLESTON SC AIRPORT (CHS).....0.06 INCHES 
EDISTO BEACH PARK...............0.04 INCHES

D. STORM TIDES...

SOUTH CAPERS ISLAND HIGHEST TIDE 6.75 FT MLLW AT 2154 UTC ON 9/13/05 
HIGHEST DEPARTURE...1.74 FT MLLW AT 1148 UTC ON 9/13/05

CHARLESTON HARBOR HIGHEST TIDE 6.92 FT MLLW AT 2154 UTC ON 9/13/05 
HIGHEST DEPARTURE...1.64 FT MLLW AT 1212 UTC ON 9/13/05
 
FRIPP ISLAND SC HIGHEST TIDE 7.87 FT MLLW AT 2154 UTC ON 9/13/05 
HIGHEST DEPARTURE...1.78 FT MLLW AT 1112 UTC ON 9/12/05

FORT PULASKI (SAVANNAH GA) HIGHEST TIDE 8.63 FT MLLW AT 2212 UTC ON 
9/13/05
HIGHEST DEPARTURE...1.87 FT MLLW AT 1112 UTC ON 9/12/05

E. BEACH EROSION...

MINOR BEACH EROSION OCCURRED ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF GEORGIA AND 
THE SOUTH COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA. HOWEVER WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE 
STORM...MODERATE TO SEVERE BEACH EROSION OCCURRED WITH ONE REPORT OF 
5 FEET OF THE BEACH BEING LOST AT HUNTING ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA.

F. FLOODING...

RAINFALL AMOUNTS WERE LIGHT AND NO FLOODING OCCURRED.

G. TORNADOES...

NO TORNADOES OCCURRED.

H. STORM EFFECTS...

NO MANDATORY OR VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS WERE ISSUED. SOME TREE 
DAMAGE OCCURRED IN MCCLELLANVILLE AND IN MOUNT PLEASANT. BRIEF POWER 
OUTAGES OCCURRED IN MOUNT PLEASANT. SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THE 
CLOSEST APPROACH OF OPHELIA...SEVERAL RIP CURRENTS WERE OBSERVED 
WITH ONE RESCUE REPORTED. 

$$