TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Tropical Storm Ophelia will make a move toward the mid-Atlantic coastal states, well away from our region and the Florida peninsula.
As of late Friday night, Ophelia is less than 100 miles from Cape Fear, North Carolina, and will make landfall along the coastline early Saturday morning.
Ophelia is moving north-northwest at 12 mph, with peak sustained winds of 70 mph.
Ophelia will continue to move generally north beyond landfall, into eastern Virginia and Maryland through Saturday evening.
A Hurricane Watch is issued for parts of the Outer Banks of coastal North Carolina.
Tropical Storm Warnings are up for several areas along the eastern mid-Atlantic coast, including: Cape Fear, North Carolina to Fenwick Island, Delaware, Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point, Tidal Potomac south of Cobb Island, and Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. This is for the expectation of tropical storm force winds in these areas over the next 36 hours.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, Chesapeake Bay south of Colonial Beach, Virginia, Neuse and Pamlico Rivers, and portions of Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. This is for the likelihood of life threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations over the next 36 hours.
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for Surf City to Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina and Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. This is for the possibility of life threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations over the next 48 hours.
Tropical Storm Ophelia is no threat to the Big Bend and Southern Georgia.
