Hurricane Arthur, July 3-4, 2014

Hurricane Arthur - July 3-4, 2014

Hurricane Arthur is the earliest hurricane to hit North Carolina in a season since records began in 1851. The previous record was July 11, 1901. It is also the first hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. mainland since Isaac on Aug. 28-29, 2012 and the first Category 2 hurricane in US since Ike 2008. Arthur developed from a non-tropical area of low pressure over the southeastern United States that emerged into the western Atlantic Ocean on June 28. After sufficiently organizing, developing a well-defined circulation amid a favorable environment, it was classified a tropical depression on July 1. The system continued to strengthen, and was declared a tropical storm later that afternoon. Drifting northward, the storm reached hurricane status early on July 3 and recurved toward the north-northeast in response to a cold front to the north. The storm intensified further, and by late on the evening of July 3, the system attained its peak winds of 100 mph as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Arthur made landfall at 11:15 pm July 3, over Shackleford Banks, between Cape Lookout and Beaufort, and intensified slightly further, with a minimum pressure of 973 mB or 28.73 inches/mercury. The storm then accelerated northward, weakening as it passed by Cape Cod and Nantucket before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on July 5. Widespread power outages were reported throughout coastal eastern North Carolina. Surge flooding up to 4 to 5 feet above normal was observed over the central and northern Outer Banks with portions of NC Highway 12 and U.S. Highway 64 closed in Dare County. The peak wind gust during the storm was 101 mph at Cape Lookout. See images below for maximum wind and rainfall totals during Hurricane Arthur.

Peak Wind Gusts during Hurricane Arthur Rainfall Amounts during Hurricane Arthur

Hurricane Arthur developing an eye east of South Carolina Hurricane Arthur making landfall near Beaufort, NC

Plot of Wind Speed at Fort Macon. (Courtesy Weatherflow) Hatteras Island Flooding (Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

Flooding in Downtown Manteo Highway 12 Overwash near Mirlo, NC

Post Tropical Cyclone Report for Hurricane Arthur

POST TROPICAL CYCLONE...HURRICANE ARTHUR
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY - NEWPORT NC
1032 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2014


NOTE: THE DATA SHOWN HERE ARE PRELIMINARY....AND SUBJECT TO UPDATES
AND CORRECTIONS AS APPROPRIATE.

THIS REPORT INCLUDES EVENTS OCCURRING WHEN WATCHES AND/OR WARNINGS
WERE IN EFFECT FOR ARTHUR.

COUNTIES INCLUDED...CARTERET...ONSLOW...DARE...CRAVEN...DUPLIN...
MARTIN...GREENE...JONES...PAMLICO...LENOIR...HYDE...PITT...
BEAUFORT...WASHINGTON...TYRRELL

A. LOWEST SEA LEVEL PRESSURE/MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS AND PEAK GUSTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
METAR OBSERVATIONS...
NOTE: ANEMOMETER HEIGHT IS 10 METERS AND WIND AVERAGING IS 2 MINUTES
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION  ID    MIN    DATE/     MAX      DATE/     PEAK    DATE/
LAT  LON        PRES   TIME      SUST     TIME      GUST    TIME
DEG DECIMAL     (MB)   (UTC)     (KT)     (UTC)     (KT)    (UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KEWN-NEW BERN NC                                                    
35.09 -77.05    999.3 04/0354   310/023  04/0454   330/040 04/0454  

KMRH-BEAUFORT AIRPORT NC                                            
34.72 -76.65    980.7 04/0258 I 110/031  04/0158 I 120/052 04/0144 I

KHSE-FRISCO AIRPORT NC                                              
35.22 -75.62    990.5 04/0651 I 240/042  04/0725 I 160/064 04/0525 I

KNJM-BOGUE AIR FIELD                                                
34.69 -77.03    992.2 04/0257   080/034  04/0131   080/051 04/0144  

KNCA-NEW RIVER AIR STATION                                          
34.70 -77.44    999.7 04/0156   320/031  04/0331   340/041 04/0132  

KOAJ-JACKSONVILLE AIRPORT NC                                        
34.83 -77.62   1003.0 04/0155   350/016  04/0115   110/030 03/2055  

KNBT-PINEY ISLAND BOMBING RANGE                                     
35.02 -76.46    979.7 04/0356   270/045  04/0512   090/065 04/0356  

KMQI-MANTEO/DARE COUNTY AIRPORT                                     
35.91 -75.70    980.4 04/0755   120/030  04/0635   120/045 04/0635  

KFFA-FIRST FLIGHT AIRPORT                                           
36.01 -75.67    983.1 04/0815   080/027  04/0735   300/045 04/0955  

KNKT-CHERRY POINT MCAS                                              
34.89 -76.88    993.6 04/0330   320/039  04/0351   040/054 04/0302  

REMARKS: 

NON-METAR OBSERVATIONS... 
NOTE: ANEMOMETER HEIGHT IN METERS AND WIND AVERAGING PERIOD IN
MINUTES INDICATED UNDER MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND IF KNOWN
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION  ID    MIN    DATE/     MAX      DATE/     PEAK    DATE/
LAT  LON        PRES   TIME      SUST     TIME      GUST    TIME
DEG DECIMAL     (MB)   (UTC)     (KT)     (UTC)     (KT)    (UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FORT MACON                                                         
34.70 -76.71    974.1 04/0244   285/056  07/0409   107/076 04/0224  
                                 10   
CEDAR POINT                                                        
34.68 -77.09    992.0 04/0351   071/031  04/0241   104/038 04/0210  
                                 10   
NEW RIVER                                                          
34.71 -77.44   1000.0 04/0200   360/031  04/0331   040/039 04/043   
                                 10   
FRISCO WOODS                                                       
35.24 -76.70    984.7 04/0648   203/062  04/0643   203/079 04/0643  
                                 6    
BUXTON                                                             
35.26 -75.59    989.6 04/0650   169/055  04/0545   169/072 04/0545  
                                 10   
HATTERAS HIGH                                                      
35.26 -75.55    987.3 04/0645   180/038  04/0625   180/064 04/0625  
                                 20   
AVON SOUND                                                         
35.34 -75.50    987.7 04/0710   212/056  04/0715   195/067 04/0640  
                                 7    
KITTY HAWKS KITES RESORT - SALVO, NC                               
35.58 -75.47    980.6 04/0803 I 190/072  04/0753 I 190/083 04/0753 I
                                 18   
WAVES                                                              
35.57 -75.49    980.6 04/0804 I 192/064  04/0804 I 192/075 04/0820 I
                                 10   
OREGON INLET CG                                                    
35.80 -75.54    974.4 04/0832   148/057  04/0731   288/070 04/0912  
                                 10   
JOCKEYS RIDGE                                                      
35.95 -75.63    979.1 04/0827   314/038  04/0937   314/052 04/0937  
                                 6    
REAL SLICK                                                         
35.57 -75.49    982.0 04/0519 I 159/063  04/0519 I 159/076 04/0825 I
                                 6    
OREGON INLET                                                       
35.80 -75.54    973.5 04/0817   133/054  04/0517   133/070 04/0517  
                                 10   
NEUSE RIVER                                                        
35.04 -76.99    999.0 04/0400   360/039  04/0310   135/058 03/2230  
                                 10   
CITN7 - CEDAR ISLAND                                               
35.10 -76.30    978.0 04/0440   090/062  04/0350   090/076 04/0350  
                                 10   
SWQN7 - SWANQUARTER                                                
35.39 -76.33    983.1 04/0550   340/038  04/0600   320/053 04/0640  
                                 10   
REMARKS: CITN7 AND SWQN7 ARE COURTESY OF WFO MHX LOCAL MARINE
 NETWORK. AVON SOUND, FRISCO WOODS, JOCKEYS RIDGE, KITTY HAWK KITES
 RESORT, FORT MACON, BUXTON, REAL SLICK, AND HATTERAS HIGH
 OBSERVATIONS ARE COURTESY OF WEATHER FLOW.


B. MARINE OBSERVATIONS...
NOTE: ANEMOMETER HEIGHT IN METERS AND WIND AVERAGING PERIOD IN
MINUTES INDICATED UNDER MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND IF KNOWN
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION  ID    MIN    DATE/     MAX      DATE/     PEAK    DATE/
LAT  LON        PRES   TIME      SUST     TIME      GUST    TIME
DEG DECIMAL     (MB)   (UTC)     (KT)     (UTC)     (KT)    (UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
41036-BUOY 30 SE OF ONSLOW BAY                                      
34.21  -76.94   977.3 04/0120   137/058  04/0030   137/076 04/0034  
                                   5
 
CLKN7-CAPE LOOKOUT C-MAN STATION                                    
34.60  -76.52   978.2 04/0300   122/067  04/0230   123/088 04/0214  
                                   9.8
 
BFTN7-BEAUFORT TIDE GAUGE                                           
34.72  -76.67   979.0 04/0318   110/047  04/0224   110/060 04/0224  
                                   7
 
HCGN7-HATTERAS TIDE GAUGE                                           
35.21  -75.70   988.1 04/0600   160/056  04/0536   170/078 04/0548  
                                   9.1
 
41025-DIAMOND SHOALS BUOY                                           
35.01  -75.40   996.7 04/0550   178/048  04/0600   180/064 04/0614  
                                   5
 
ORIN7-OREGON INLET TIDE GAUGE                                       
35.77  -75.53   974.9 04/0812   280/047  07/0924   280/060 04/0924  
                                   6.6
 
DUKN7-DUCK TIDE GAUGE                                               
36.18  -75.75   989.5 04/0854   340/047  04/0912   340/056 04/0912  
                                   15.2
 
US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS - FIELD RESEARCH FACILITY - DUCK, NC     
36.20  -75.80                 I 227/047  04/0930   339/057 04/0930  
                                   19.4
 
PAMLICO SOUND                                                       
35.42  -75.83   975.7 04/0159   112/068  04/0554   112/086 04/0554  
                                   14
 
OCRACOKE                                                            
35.13  -76.00   972.3 04/0505   151/063  04/0455   151/086 04/0455  
                                   7
 
JENNETTES PIER - WHALEBONE, NC                                      
35.91  -75.59   975.6 04/0815   110/055  04/0725   115/069 04/0735  
                                   18
 
AVON OCEAN                                                          
35.35  -75.50   990.0 04/0730 I 199/063  04/0626 I 199/073 04/0626 I
                                   16
 
ALLIGATOR RIVER BRIDGE                                              
35.90  -76.01   986.4 04/0735   009/050  04/0730   043/060 04/0655  
                                   13
 
REMARKS: ORIN7, HCGN7, AND BFTN7 ARE COURTESY OF NOAA/NOS TIDE GAUGE
 PLATFORMS. PAMLICO SOUND, OCRACOKE, JENNETTES PIER, AVON PIER,
 ALLIGATOR BRIDGE, AND OREGON INLET JETTY DATA ARE COURTESY OF
 WEATHER FLOW.


C. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL FROM 1500 UTC JUL 03 UNTIL 1500 UTC JUL 04
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY/TOWN                    COUNTY               ID         RAINFALL
LAT LON                                                       (IN)   
DEG DECIMAL
---------------------------------------------------------------------
7 SE KINSTON                 JONES               COOP          4.20  
35.20  -77.50

5 ESE KINSTON                LENOIR              COCORAHS      4.18  
35.24  -77.51

ROBERSONVILLE                MARTIN              COCORAHS      3.84  
35.82  -77.25

0.7 N BATH                   BEAUFORT            COCORAHS      3.70  
35.48  -76.81

4.6 NNE KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.57  
35.33  -77.56

6.1 WSW SNOW HILL            GREENE              COCORAHS      3.48  
35.41  -77.77

0.5 SW DAVIS                 CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.35  
34.78  -76.47

3.7 WNW KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.32  
35.32  -77.75

4.8 ENE HOLLY RIDGE          ONSLOW              COCORAHS      3.27  
34.51  -77.48

4.3 NNW ORIENTAL             PAMLICO             COCORAHS      3.25  
35.09  -76.72

OCEAN                        CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.23  
34.71  -77.03

5.1 WNW KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.15  
35.30  -77.67

0.9 SSW WILLIAMSTON          MARTIN              COCORAHS      3.12  
35.83  -77.06

3 SW BAYBORO                 PAMLICO             COOP          3.12  
35.11  -76.80

6.1 SW JAMESVILLE            MARTIN              COCORAHS      3.07  
35.74  -76.97

4.4 WNW KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.05  
35.29  -77.66

1.5 SSE JAMESVILLE           MARTIN              COCORAHS      2.98  
35.79  -76.89

OCRACOKE                     OUTER BANKS HYDE    COOP          2.91  
35.10  -75.98

2.40 ENE LA GRANGE           LENOIR              COCORAHS      2.90  
35.31  -77.75

0.6 NE GRIFTON               PITT                COCORAHS      2.90  
35.37  -77.42

10.5 ESE WASHINGTON          BEAUFORT            COCORAHS      2.84  
35.49  -76.88

3.2 NE HARKERS ISLAND        CARTERET            COCORAHS      2.82  
34.73  -76.52

0.4 SW MARSHALLBERG          CARTERET            COCORAHS      2.80  
34.71  -76.52

9.8 E HAVELOCK               CRAVEN              COCORAHS      2.80  
34.88  -76.76

2.1 WSW ORIENTAL             PAMLICO             COCORAHS      2.79  
35.02  -76.72

1.6 ENE GREENVILLE           PITT                COCORAHS      2.66  
35.60  -77.35

7.6 SE WASHINGTON            BEAUFORT            COCORAHS      2.48  
35.47  -76.96

0.3 ESE SMYRNA               CARTERET            COCORAHS      2.41  
34.74  -76.53

SNOW HILL WWTP               GREENE              COOP          2.37  
35.45  -77.67

REELSBORO                    PAMLICO             COOP          2.30  
35.13  -76.92

2 WNW MOREHEAD CITY          CARTERET            COOP          2.30  
34.73  -76.76

GURGANUS                     ONSLOW              COCORAHS      2.29  
34.75  -77.65

5.3 SSW RICHLANDS            ONSLOW              COCORAHS      2.26  
34.82  -77.58

4.9 SE HUBERT                ONSLOW              COCORAHS      2.24  
34.67  -77.18

0.4 N BETHEL                 PITT                COCORAHS      2.24  
35.81  -77.38

0.5 E EMERALD ISLE           CARTERET            COCORAHS      2.20  
34.66  -77.02

2.8 NW RICHLANDS             ONSLOW              COCORAHS      2.15  
34.92  -77.58

3.7 S AYDEN                  PITT                COCORAHS      2.09  
35.41  -77.42

4.0 N BLOUNTS CREEK          BEAUFORT            COCORAHS      2.08  
35.41  -76.98

2.8 ESE GREENVILLE           PITT                COCORAHS      2.05  
35.58  -77.33

NEWPORT                      CARTERET            WFO MHX       1.30  
34.78  -76.86

REMARKS: 


D. INLAND FLOODING...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------

E. MAXIMUM STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
OFFICIAL TIDE GAUGES NOTED WITH LEADING G
---------------------------------------------------------------------

COUNTY           CITY/TOWN        SURGE   TIDE   DATE/   BEACH       
                 OR LOCATION      (FT)    (FT)   TIME    EROSION     
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CARTERET       G BEAUFORT - BFTN   2.40   4.90  04/0300    MINOR   

DARE           G HATTERAS          2.50   2.40  04/1200    MINOR   

DARE           G OREGON INLET -    4.50   4.60  04/1024    MINOR   

OUTER BANKS DA G DUCK - DUKN7      1.37   4.43  04/1730    MINOR   


REMARKS: STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE REFERENCED TO MLLW.



F. TORNADOES...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(DIST)CITY/TOWN              COUNTY           DATE/         EF SCALE 
LAT LON (DEG DECIMAL                          TIME(UTC)    (IF KNOWN)
DESCRIPTION                                                          
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2 NW HAMILTON                MARTIN           04/0050          EF1   
35.96  -77.23

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
INCOORDINATION WITH MARTIN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HASCONFIRMED
A TORNADO NORTHWEST OF HAMILTON IN MARTIN COUNTY NORTHCAROLINA ON
JULY 3, 2014. THIS TORNADO DEVELOPED ALONG A RAIN BAND ASSOCIATED
WITH HURRICANE ARTHUR.THE TORNADO DEVELOPED JUST WEST OF THE ROANOKE
RIVER AND TRACKEDWEST-NORTHWEST FOR ABOUT ONE MILE BEFORE
DISSIPATING. THE TORNADOWAS SEEN ON THE GROUND BY A FIRE FIGHTER.
SEVERAL LARGE TREESWERE SNAPPED OFF OR BLOWN DOWN. A TREE FELL ON
ONE HOUSE ANDRESULTED IN APPROXIMATELY TWENTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS
OF DAMAGE.AN OUTBUILDING WAS ALSO DAMAGED BY THE TORNADO. THE
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 90 MPH. THE MAXIMUM PATH
WIDTH WAS ESTIMATED AT 100 YARDS WITH A PATH LENGTH OF 1 MILE. NO
FATALITIES OR INJURIES WERE REPORTED. 

1 S ROSE HILL                DUPLIN           03/2035          EF1   
34.80  -78.03

A BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR ROSE HILL IN DUPLIN COUNTY NORTH
CAROLINA ON JULY 3, 2014. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY
FOUND EF1 DAMAGE TO TREES AND TWO STRUCTURES SOUTH OF ROSE HILL
YESTERDAY EVENING DUE TO A TORNADO SPAWNED BY THE RAIN BANDS OF
HURRICANE ARTHUR OFF THE CAPE FEAR COAST. THE DAMAGE PATH BEGAN
SOUTH OF ROSEMARY ROAD AND EAST OF HWY 117 WHERE DAMAGE TO TREES WAS
OBSERVED. THE TORNADO TRACKED WEST-NORTHWEST ACROSS POOL ROAD AND
HWY 117 THEN NEAR ROSEMARY ROAD WEST OF HWY 117. DAMAGE WIDTH IS
ESTIMATE AT 200 YARDS AND PATH LENGTH IS ESTIMATED AT ONE QUARTER
MILE. NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES OCCURRED WITH THIS TORNADO. 



G. STORM IMPACTS BY COUNTY...
---------------------------------------------------------------------

COUNTY            DEATHS           INJURIES             EVACUATIONS  
DESCRIPTION
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CARTERET             0                 0                     N    

WINDS GUSTED ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE ACROSS THE EASTER HALF OF
CARTERET COUNTY WITH THE HIGHEST READING AT CAPE LOOKOUT C-MAN
STATION AT 101 MPH. HIGH WINDS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWER-LINES DOWN ACROSS DOWNEAST SECTIONS. DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ARE
ONGOING. 

DARE                 0                 0                     Y    

MAXIMUM WIND GUSTS FROM 69 TO 96 MPH WERE RECORDED ACROSS OUTER
BANKS DARE COUNTY RESULTING IN NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER-LINES DOWN.
HIGHEST SURGE WAS 4 TO 5 FEET ON THE SOUND-SIDE FROM RODANTHE NORTH
TO NEAR OREGON INLET AND THE SOUTHERN ROANOKE SOUND. SURGE RESULTED
IN EXTENSIVE FLOODING OF STRUCTURES ALONG THE COAST AROUND RODANTHE
ALONG WITH DAMAGE TO HIGHWAY 12. PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ESTIMATES FROM
DARE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WERE REPORTED AT 2 MILLION DOLLARS.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ARE STILL ONGOING. 

CRAVEN               0                 0                     N    

A SHARP GRADIENT IN WINDS EXISTED ACROSS CRAVEN COUNTY WITH HIGHEST
WINDS REPORTED EAST OF HWY 17. WINDS GUSTED TO 62 MPH AT CHERRY
POINT MCAS RESULTING IN MINOR TREE DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES ACROSS
THE COUNTY. MAXIMUM STORM SURGE RANGED FROM 3 TO 5 FEET ACROSS THE
LOWER REACHES OF THE NEUSE RIVER NEAR CLUBFOOT CREEK. DAMAGE
ASSESSMENTS ARE ONGOING. 

HYDE                 0                 0                     Y    

WINDS GUSTED ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE ACROSS OUTER BANKS HYDE COUNTY
WITH HIGHEST WINDS REPORTED BY A WEATHER FLOW SENSOR NEAR THE FERRY
TERMINAL AT 99 MPH. DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ARE ONGOING. 

$$

Legend:
I-Incomplete Data
E-Estimated

WFO MHX