Hurricane Floyd
Virginia Emergency Operations Center
Situation Report
As of 1200 hrs
09/14/99

Situation:

The VEOC is at Hurricane Readiness Condition TWO and will transition to Readiness Condition ONE tomorrow at noon. The VEOC will continue to monitor and track Hurricane Floyd (CAT 4).

The latest National Hurricane Center forecasts bring Hurricane Floyd landfall over South Carolina on Wednesday morning. The storm track is very similar to Hurricane Fran. The storm is expected to continue northward and increase speed by Wednesday evening and move into south central Virginia. If present forecast tracks continue most if not all of central and southern Virginia will begin to experience tropical storm force winds between midnight Wednesday and sunrise Thursday. The current forecast has the storm center tracking between the I-95 and I-81 corridor through Virginia.

The possibility exists for higher sustained winds (hurricane force 75 mile + over a 50 mile wide path) to begin after 0800 Thursday until 1200. Maximum duration of high winds should last approximately 6 hours. High winds Watches and Warnings may be required as well as Flash Flood and River Flood Watches and Warnings during the next 24 hours.

Rainfall is forecasted between 5 - 8 inches beginning Wednesday for interior and coastal Virginia. With the heavy rains that has fallen across the region during the past 2 weeks this additional rainfall could result in rapids rises of small streams and rivers and pose a threat to low lying areas. With the soil still saturated over Virginia large trees and power lines will be even more vulnerable to high winds. Power outages and loss of communications are probable storm impacts statewide. Local governments are strongly urged to use RACES due to the high winds associated with this storm. Races will be activated statewide for this storm.

There still remains some uncertainty with regard to the storms final track across Virginia. Local governments are reminded to submit a situation report to VEOC prior to 1800 Wednesday reference preparation and activation of your emergency operations centers.

VEOC RACES station 3.947 MHZ USB and the RACES central/southeast Virginia tactical net on 146.76 MHZ will be activated at 1800 hours Wednesday.

Ongoing Actions:

VDES is in contact with National Weather Service and will conduct a conference call this afternoon with State Agencies. All pertinent weather products will be sent via VCIN as required.

Authority of Michael Cline, State Coordinator
A.F. Vincent, Deputy Operations Director - VDES, 804-674-2400