1230 Hours, Friday, Nov. 2, 2007: A late-season hurricane and strong high pressure are joining forces to whip up winds and chop the coastal waters along Sussex County this weekend, where 60 mph gusts could topple trees and 10-foot waves could chew away area beaches.
The National Weather Service in Mt. Holly, N.J., has issued a coastal flood watch and a high-wind warning for the immediate coastline through Saturday, and a wind advisory for interior sections of the county, also into Saturday. The weather service has posted the advisories in anticipation of Hurricane Noel, which has claimed more than 100 lives in the Caribbean and devoured southeastern Florida beaches since last weekend.
The storm is expected to steer well clear of Delaware. However, the storm’s counterclockwise wind flow, along with a clockwise spinning high-pressure area to the north, will send strong, gusty winds into the mid-Atlantic region beginning today and lasting through much of the day Saturday.
“This just goes to show you can never count out Mother Nature, and you can never let your guard down,” said Joseph Thomas, director of the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center. “The calendar might say fall, but we’re still within the traditional Atlantic hurricane season. With this storm and the forecast, residents and visitors here in Sussex County need to make preparations now and monitor conditions in the next 24 hours.”
Officials at Sussex County’s Emergency Operations Center are tracking the storm’s progress and projected path, as it moves northeastward from the Bahamas toward the Canadian Maritime.
While the storm’s center is expected to remain well out to sea, the storm’s wind field extends 200 to 300 miles from its center. That reach is expected to extend well into Sussex County, even as the storm races off to the north and east.
The storm is expected to be mostly a wind event, with sustained northeast winds ranging from 20 to 40 mph today and tonight, and gusts up to 60 mph overnight into Saturday, particularly along the immediate coastline. As the storm moves away and winds switch to the northwest, “blowout tides” are possible during the day Saturday in the Inland Bays. For interior locations, winds will be lighter, but gusts could still reach 40 to 55 mph through the night and into Saturday.
National Weather Service forecasters expect the storm to stay far enough offshore to keep heavy rains away, but showers are possible. Meantime, beach erosion and minor tidal flooding, with tides 2 to 3 feet above normal, are possible along the coastline and within the Inland Bays.
Sussex County reminds residents and property owners to secure loose objects, such as lawn chairs and trash cans, to prevent storm winds from turning those items into potential projectiles. Also, residents in low-lying tidal areas should make preparations now by sandbagging, if necessary, making sure submersible pumps are working, and checking storm drains to ensure they are clear of debris.
“As always, anytime we have storms with gusty winds, there is the possibility of flying debris, downed trees and fallen power lines throughout the county,” Mr. Thomas said. “Residents should be cautious, and they should never approach downed power lines. They should call the proper authorities.”
The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center continues to monitor the storm’s progress, and will remain in contact with the National Weather Service, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and local officials. Extra staff and dispatchers for the county 911 center will be placed on standby, and brought in if conditions warrant.
County residents and visitors are urged to call 911 only in emergencies. Those with storm-related calls – to report downed trees or power lines, flooding or power outages – can call the EOC’s non-emergency telephone line at (302) 856-6306.