Tropical Storm Warning

HURRICANE IRENE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
224 PM EDT SAT AUG 27 2011

...HURRICANE IRENE WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS THROUGH SUNDAY...

.NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED STORM LOCATION.

.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...NEW JERSEY...DELAWARE AND NORTHEASTERN MARYLAND...AS WELL AS ON THE COASTAL WATERS OF NEW JERSEY AND
DELAWARE AND ON DELAWARE BAY.

.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...NEW CASTLE...KENT...INLAND SUSSEX...DELAWARE BEACHES...TALBOT...CAROLINE...MIDDLESEX...WESTERN MONMOUTH...EASTERN MONMOUTH...SALEM...GLOUCESTER...CAMDEN...NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON...OCEAN...CUMBERLAND...ATLANTIC...CAPE MAY...ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY...COASTAL ATLANTIC...COASTAL OCEAN...SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON...DELAWARE AND PHILADELPHIA.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A HURRICANE WARNING CONTINUES FOR ALL OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...CECIL...KENT MD...QUEEN ANNES...SUSSEX...WARREN...MORRIS...HUNTERDON...SOMERSET...MERCER...CARBON...MONROE...BERKS...LEHIGH...NORTHAMPTON...CHESTER...MONTGOMERY AND BUCKS.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...NEW JERSEY...DELAWARE AND NORTHEASTERN MARYLAND. PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY FOR ANY FLOOD WARNINGS THAT MIGHT BE IN EFFECT FOR YOUR AREA.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...DELAWARE AND PORTIONS OF THE MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND ADJACENT WATERS. PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY FOR ANY TORNADO WARNINGS THAT MIGHT BE IN EFFECT FOR YOUR AREA.

.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 2 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 35.5N...LONGITUDE 76.3W. THIS WAS ABOUT 280 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF ATLANTIC CITY NJ...OR ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTH OF DOVER DE. STORM MOTION WAS NNE OR 15 DEGREES AT 13 MPH. STORM INTENSITY WAS 85 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW...
HURRICANE IRENE IS FORECAST TO TRACK NORTHWARD PARALLEL TO THE EAST COAST...WITH THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE PASSING VERY CLOSE TO THE COASTS OF DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. THE STORM WILL BRING DAMAGING WINDS...TORRENTIALRAIN WITH DANGEROUS FLOODING...AND COASTAL FLOODING.

OVERALL...6 TO 10 INCHES OF RAINFALL IS EXPECTED WITH A FEW LOCATIONS RECEIVING OVER 12 INCHES. HEAVY AND POSSIBLY RECORD SETTING RAINFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH SUNDAY WILL LIKELY RESULT IN MAJOR FLOODING ACROSS PORTIONS OF NEW JERSEY...EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...DELAWARE AND NORTHEASTERN MARYLAND. SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING. THE RARITAN AND SCHUYLKILL RIVERS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REACT RATHER QUICKLY AND ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. THE DELAWARE...SUSQUEHANNA AND PASSAIC RIVERS REACT MORE SLOWLY. HOWEVER...THEY ALSO ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING FROM THIS RAINFALL EVENT.ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE OUTER RAIN BANDS OR
HURRICANE IRENE THROUGH TONIGHT.

WHEN MAKING DECISIONS...DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK OF THE HURRICANE...AS IRENE IS A LARGE STORM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. EVERYONE IS URGED TO COMPLETE THEIR STORM PREPARATIONS.
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR CAPE MAY COUNTY...NEW JERSEY.

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF ATLANTIC COUNTY...NEW JERSEY.

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR LONG BEACH ISLAND IN OCEAN COUNTY...NEW JERSEY.

VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR BERKELEY TOWNSHIP IN OCEAN COUNTY...NEW JERSEY.

SOME MAJOR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA HAVE...OR WILL SUSPEND OPERATIONS. AT LEAST ONE BRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED BEGINNING AT 600 PM TODAY. PLEASE MONITOR MEDIA BROADCASTS REGARDING THE STATUS OF EVACUATIONS...TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND SHELTERS.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS WHEN EVACUATIONS ARE ORDERED.

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

NOW IS THE TIME TO COMPLETE PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EVACUATE IF DIRECTED TO DO SO BY LOCAL OFFICIALS OR IF YOUR HOME IS VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS OR FLOODING. PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES THAT COULD LAST FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VEHICLE HAS A FULL TANK OF GAS.

FOR INTERESTS AT PORTS, DOCKS AND MARINAS, URGENTLY COMPLETE PRESCRIBED PREPARATIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN FOR TROPICAL CYCLONES. IF YOU LIVE ON A BOAT, MAKE FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR SECURING YOUR CRAFT BEFORE LEAVING IT. BE SURE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF BRIDGES AND CAUSEWAYS. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT AND WELL SECURED.

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

FOR ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS RELATIVE TO YOUR LOCATION AS FURTHER DESCRIBED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

&&

.NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY AROUND 6 PM EDT...OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

MDZ008-012-015-NJZ001-007>010-015-PAZ054-055-060>062-067>069-280300-/O.CON.KPHI.TR.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/CECIL-KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-USSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MERCER-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-224 PM EDT SAT AUG 27 2011

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...

...NEW INFORMATION...
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

...PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS...THE CHANCE FOR HURRICANE CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS VERY SMALL. ALSO...THE CHANCE FOR ROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS UP TO 75 PERCENT.

...WINDS...
AS HURRICANE IRENE APPROACHES...SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATE THIS EVENING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BE IN THE 40 TO 50 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH.

MINOR TO MODERATE DAMAGE IS LIKELY TO MANY MOBILE HOMES... ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE CANOPIES...AWNINGS OR CARPORTS. POORLY CONSTRUCTED HOMES MAY SUSTAIN MINOR WALL DAMAGE AND PARTIAL ROOF REMOVAL. OTHER HOMES MAY HAVE MINOR ROOF AND SIDING DAMAGE. SOME LOOSE OUTDOOR ITEMS WILL BE TOSSED AROUND AND MAY CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE. POWER LINES WILL BE KNOCKED DOWN RESULTING IN POWER OUTAGES. SOME LARGE BRANCHES OF HEALTHY TREES WILL BE SNAPPED. MOST NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SHRUBS WILL BE DAMAGED OR UPROOTED.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
FOR THE MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE...A STORM SURGE OF 1 TO 2 FEET IS POSSIBLE.

...INLAND FLOODING...
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS FOR YOUR LOCATION AND BE READY TO ACT IF FLOODING RAINS OCCUR.

...TORNADOES...
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE TORNADO WARNINGS FOR YOUR LOCATION... AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY IF A TORNADO APPROACHES.

$$