Ophelia's near-record storm surge

Storm surge levels observed last night in Bogue Sound, which is the bay between Morehead City and its barrier island, reached seven feet--near the record levels set there from Category 3 Hurricane Hazel in 1954. The storm surge values ranged as high as 10 - 12 feet in some of the smaller creeks in the Neuse River near New Bern, a remarkably high storm surge for what was a tropical storm for that area.


Figure 1. Storm Surge heights measured in Ophelia.

For those of you who can handle a 1.6Mb animation, the radar loop from Morehead City, NC during the time Ophelia's northern eyewall passed over the city is fascinating. The turbulence created by having part of the eyewall over land and part over water created some smaller vorticies along the inside edge of the eyewall.


Figure 2. Estimated rainfall from the Morehead City radar for Ophelia's passage.

I'll post a more detailed update on Ophelia and the developing tropical wave approaching the Leeward Islands by noon today.

Jeff Masters