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Article published: Sep 10, 2005
Weather-watchers keep eye on Ophelia

Weather forecasters with the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather Service and AccuWeather agree that Hurricane Ophelia is likely to strike the East Coast somewhere between Georgia and the South Carolina-North Carolina border on Tuesday or Wednesday.

AccuWeather meteorologist Alan Reppert said people should not be fooled by Ophelia’s gradual northeast movement away from Florida.

“It appears now fairly clear that a strong high-pressure ridge is going to develop over the eastern United States, and this is going to force a westward and then northwestward track for Ophelia,” Reppert said. “And it looks like South Carolina is the most likely track. The center of the track right now is just north of Charleston.”
The National Hurricane Center’s official track at 5 p.m. had the eye making landfall south of Charleston on Tuesday evening as a Category 1 hurricane.

Reppert said Ophelia could possibly be a Category 2 hurricane with winds from 96 to 110 mph when it makes landfall.

“Right now, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a major hurricane,” he said. “It is still not going to be a picnic. We don’t think it’s going to be anything like Katrina.”

Reppert said he doesn’t expect hurricane-force winds to extend far inland.

“If it does make landfall near Charleston, I don’t expect there will be hurricane-force winds when it gets close to Sumter,” he said. “However, there could be gusts of hurricane force.”

Forecasters believe Ophelia will slow down once it makes landfall, which is likely to increase the risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms.

At 5 p.m. Friday, Ophelia was located 220 miles south-southeast of Charleston and was moving northeast at about 7 mph. Ophelia was upgraded to a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center with the 5 p.m. advisory.

The National Hurricane Center discontinued tropical-storm watches and warnings for Florida on Friday afternoon because Ophelia had moved far enough away from the coast. However, forecasters say new watches might be required by Sunday or Monday, when the storm is expected to begin a westward turn.

Sumter County Emergency Management Director Robbie Baker said the advisories he has received from the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service suggest Ophelia could possibly impact our weather by Tuesday.

Baker said he began making contacts with school district officials, emergency shelter personnel and public safety personnel Friday afternoon.

“We also have scheduled a meeting of emergency personnel for this afternoon,” Baker said Friday.

Baker said he will monitor the situation from his home Saturday, but he and Marcia Boettcher, assistant director, will be in the office Sunday.

Baker said tri-county residents should make sure they have important supplies on hand in case of high winds and power outages.

“You’ve got a couple of days to get ready,” he said. “There’s no need to panic, but you need to make sure you have the basic supplies.”

Baker recommends that residents have a three-day supply of bottled water, nonperishable food items, batteries, cash on hand, and a vehicle filled with gasoline.

Tres Atkinson, emergency management officer in Lee County, said residents should be aware that the current track has the tri-county area in the northeast quadrant of the storm, the area at greatest risk of tornadoes.

“This is something we have to take serious,” Atkinson said. “I will be in the office some Saturday and Sunday. And I’ve made contact with the emergency management team. We will be ready.”

Anthony Mack, emergency management coordinator in Clarendon County, said preparations are also under way there.