Marine Tropical Storm — Currituck Sound, Atlantic North

2023-09-22 to 2023-09-23 · Currituck Sound, Atlantic North

Event narrative

A Tempest mesonet site at South Waterlily Road along the shore of the Currituck Sound measured tropical storm force winds of 40 to 55 knots between 2:20 PM EST on the September 22 and 11 AM EST on September 23 due to Tropical Storm Ophelia.

Wider weather episode

Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall in Emerald Island, NC (in the southeast part of the state) at 6:20 AM on Saturday, 9/23 as a tropical storm with 70 mph winds. Ophelia gradually weakened (and lost tropical characteristics) as it tracked northward toward the Wakefield CWA during the day on Saturday. Ophelia tracked northward roughly along the I-95 corridor during the afternoon and evening hours on Saturday, reaching the Richmond Metro Area while weakening to a depression. Ophelia became an post-tropical cyclone shortly thereafter and exited to the north/northeast on Sunday. Northeast winds gusted as high as 50-65 mph near the VA/NC coast well in advance of Ophelia Friday evening into early Saturday morning (due to a tight gradient between high pressure over New England and the tropical storm to the south), with 25-45 mph gusts farther inland. Winds turned to the SE near the coast on Saturday and a few gusts to 40-45 mph were observed (while winds remained northeast inland west of the low track).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1143174. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.