Marine Tropical Storm — Chesapeake Bay Smith Pt To Windmill Pt Va, Atlantic North

2023-09-22 to 2023-09-23 · Chesapeake Bay Smith Pt To Windmill Pt Va, Atlantic North

Event narrative

Tropical storm force winds of 34 to 48 knots were measured across the upper Chesapeake Bay at Tangier Sound Light from 1:30 PM EST on September 22 to 7:30 AM EST on September 23 from 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 1143196. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.