National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Tropical Storm Ophelia

Sep 22-23, 2023

 

Overview

 

On Thursday, September 21st, an area of low pressure begin to develop and get more organized off the Southeast US coastline. That low continued to deepen and become more organized, eventually taking on tropical characteristics, becoming the 15th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season on Friday, September 22nd. Ophelia developed into a strong tropical storm and moved north over the next couple of days, making landfall during the early morning hours near Emerald Isle, NC. Ophelia continued to march north through the heart of Eastern North Carolina on Saturday, September 23rd. Ophelia eventually weakened to a Tropical Depression Saturday evening over southern Virginia.

Ophelia brought widespread heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and significant river and storm surge flooding to portions of Eastern North Carolina, and is a reminder that it's never "just a tropical storm". One of the more notable impacts with Ophelia was flooding, both from storm surge and from heavy rain / flash flooding. Significant storm surge flooding occurred along the Neuse, Pamlico, and Pungo Rivers. Inland, significant flooding occurred in the Greenville area due to flash flooding and a rapidly rising Green Mill Run. 

**We will continue to update this page as new information, pictures, and reports come in. Please check back for later updates to this summary.**

Flooding

 

 

River Flooding

 

Intense rainfall occurred in Greenville, leading to flash flooding and rapid water rises along Green Mill Run.

 

Storm Surge Flooding

 

Significant water level rises occurred due to storm surge along the Pamlico River, flooding parts of Washington

 

Significant water level rises occurred due to storm surge along the Pungo River, flooding areas in and around Belhaven. Pictured above is along East Main Street in Belhaven where a preliminary estimate of 4-5 ft of storm surge, above normally dry ground, occurred. 

 

 

Water level rises along the Pamlico Sound caused storm surge flooding impacts along the western end of the sound, and adjacent tidal rivers and creeks. 

 

Water level rises along the Neuse and Trent Rivers due to storm surge caused flooding in and around the New Bern area. Pictured above is Arapaho, where a preliminary estimate of 4.7 ft of surge, above normally dry ground, occurred.

 

Water level rises along the Pamlico Sound caused flooding along Highway 12 through Downeast Carteret County

 

 

 

Rain Reports

 

 

Rainfall Totals

 

 

Precipitation Reports from Tropical Storm Ophelia

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION REPORTS...

Location                     Amount    Time/Date       Provider

...North Carolina...

...Beaufort County...
Bunyan RAWS                  4.90 in   0813 AM 09/24   RAWS
Pantego 0.4 WSW              4.77 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Washington 10.5 ESE          4.54 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
NC Fire RAWS No. 4           4.47 in   0846 AM 09/24   RAWS
Chocowinity 0.2 W            4.14 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS

...Carteret County...
Cape Carteret 1.5 NE         8.11 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Cape Carteret 1.0 NNW        6.99 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Cape Carteret 0.8 NE         6.80 in   0721 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Cape Carteret 4.2 NW         6.31 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Cape Carteret 0.6 E          6.20 in   0901 AM 09/24   CWOP
Emerald Isle 3 WSW           6.16 in   0854 AM 09/24   CWOP
Cedar Point 0.9 WSW          5.67 in   0544 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Beaufort 3.8 N               5.29 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Beaufort 0.5 W               5.23 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Swansboro 3.7 NNE            5.13 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Morehead City 4.7 W          5.12 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Morehead City 5.1 WNW        5.11 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Newport (WFO MHX)            5.08 in   1200 AM 09/24   COOP
Cedar Point                  4.91 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Newport 2.5 W                4.89 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Croatan RAWS                 4.76 in   0848 AM 09/24   RAWS
Morehead City 6.0 WNW        4.69 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Morehead City 0.1 E          4.58 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Emerald Isle 0.2 ENE         4.53 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Newport 0.2 SW               4.53 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Morehead City 2.9 WNW        4.44 in   0853 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Stella 2.5 SE                4.37 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Atlantic Beach 0.6 W         4.37 in   0730 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Pine Knoll Shores 1.4 E      4.32 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Newport 6.3 SW               3.93 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Indian Beach 0.0 W           3.86 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Newport 7.5 E                3.58 in   0907 AM 09/24   CWOP
Beaufort (MRH ASOS)          3.49 in   0858 AM 09/24   ASOS
Cedar Island RAWS            3.29 in   0825 AM 09/24   RAWS
Emerald Isle 2.1 E           2.64 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Atlantic Beach 0.4 E         2.54 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Beaufort                     1.52 in   0905 AM 09/24   CWOP
Beaufort 0.3 SE              1.52 in   0910 AM 09/24   AWS

...Craven County...
New Bern 2.6 SW              6.85 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
New Bern 8.8 W               6.65 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Trent Woods 1.3 SSE          6.37 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Perrytown (COOP)             6.37 in   0730 AM 09/24   COOP
Trent Woods 1.0 NNE          6.20 in   0705 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
New Bern 5.3 SW              6.14 in   0703 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Trent Woods 1.2 ENE          6.10 in   0600 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
New Bern 3.8 S               6.00 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
James City 2.5 S             5.86 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
New Bern 1.3 NNE             5.59 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
New Bern RAWS                5.06 in   0817 AM 09/24   RAWS
James City 3 S               5.00 in   0910 AM 09/24   AWS
1 WNW Coastal Carolina Regio 4.35 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
New Bern (EWN ASOS)          3.64 in   0854 AM 09/24   ASOS
Cherry Point (NKT ASOS)      3.61 in   0856 AM 09/24   AWOS
Havelock 3 S                 3.45 in   0910 AM 09/24   AWS
Havelock 1.9 SSE             3.36 in   0715 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
JAMES CITY                   3.32 in   0905 AM 09/24   CWOP
Havelock 0.7 NW              3.01 in   0905 AM 09/24   CWOP

...Dare County...
Buxton RAWS                  3.66 in   0830 AM 09/24   RAWS
Southern Shores 1.7 NNW      3.34 in   0907 AM 09/24   CWOP
Dare Bombing Range           3.33 in   0854 AM 09/24   RAWS
Frisco (HSE ASOS)            3.29 in   0851 AM 09/24   ASOS
Dare Bomb Range RAWS         3.16 in   0848 AM 09/24   RAWS
Buxton 0.7 SE                2.94 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Manteo 2.8 NW                2.90 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Southern Shores 0.5 NNE      2.65 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Nags Head                    2.07 in   0905 AM 09/24   CWOP
Nags Head 1.3 NW             1.91 in   0910 AM 09/24   AWS
Rodanthe 0.6 N               1.49 in   0845 AM 09/24   CWOP
Rodanthe 1.0 SSE             1.17 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS

...Duplin County...
Mount Olive 2.4 SW           3.83 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Kenansville                  2.99 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Nc Fire Raws No. 3           2.71 in   0812 AM 09/24   RAWS
Jacksonville 8.8 NNW         2.64 in   0908 AM 09/24   CWOP

...Greene County...
Ayden 6.5 WNW                3.90 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Snow Hill                    2.73 in   0700 AM 09/24   COOP
Snow Hill 3.1 NNE            2.73 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Hookerton 0.5 ESE            1.59 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS

...Hyde County...
Engelhard 0.8 NW             3.77 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Fairfield RAWS               3.09 in   0817 AM 09/24   RAWS

...Jones County...

...Lenoir County...
Pink Hill 2.5 NE             4.52 in   0808 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Kinston 4.4 WNW              4.41 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Kinston 5.1 WNW              3.90 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS

...Martin County...
Williamston 8.9 SSE          4.47 in   0641 AM 09/24   COCORAHS

...Onslow County...
Jacksonville (COOP)          8.82 in   0640 AM 09/24   COOP
Jacksonville 7.0 W           8.64 in   0901 AM 09/24   CWOP
Hubert 4.9 SE                5.22 in   0734 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Swansboro 3.3 NW             5.02 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Holly Ridge 9.0 ENE          4.84 in   0618 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Hoffman RAWS                 4.78 in   0910 AM 09/24   RAWS
Swansboro 2.8 WSW            4.63 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Holly Ridge 4.8 E            4.51 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Sneads Ferry 1.2 SSW         4.47 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
2 WNW New River Station      4.26 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Jacksonville 4.5 NW          4.06 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Sandy Run RAWS               3.93 in   0819 AM 09/24   RAWS
Jacksonville (NCA ASOS)      3.71 in   0856 AM 09/24   AWOS
Sneads Ferry 1.7 SE          3.57 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
MAPLE HILL                   3.37 in   0910 AM 09/24   CWOP
Jacksonville 4.5 NW          3.27 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Jacksonville 1.7 NNW         2.53 in   0909 AM 09/24   CWOP

...Pamlico County...
Bayboro 0.4 W                4.95 in   0910 AM 09/24   AWS
Bayboro 3 SW                 4.91 in   0700 AM 09/24   COOP
Oriental 4.3 NNW             4.69 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Burlington                   3.80 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Lowland 0.2 SE               3.63 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Oriental 1.7 NE              3.26 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP

...Pitt County...
WINTERVILLE                  7.60 in   0907 AM 09/24   CWOP
Greenville 4.4 SSE           6.78 in   0800 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Greenville 7.1 SSE           6.28 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Winterville 2.5 NNW          6.13 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Greenville 5.0 SE            6.05 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Winterville 3.5 W            5.75 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Greenville 4.7 WNW           5.65 in   0750 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Greenville 1.4 SE            4.45 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Greenville (COOP)            3.64 in   1200 AM 09/24   COOP
Winterville 3 WNW            3.36 in   0506 AM 09/24   CWOP
FARMVILLE                    3.22 in   0910 AM 09/24   CWOP
Fountain 0.1 NE              3.08 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Greenville 3.8 S             2.88 in   0906 AM 09/24   CWOP

...Tyrrell County...
Gum Neck (COOP)              3.61 in   0600 AM 09/24   COOP

...Washington County...
Plymouth 12.2 SSE            4.89 in   0909 AM 09/24   CWOP
Roper 2.4 NE                 4.87 in   0700 AM 09/24   COCORAHS
Pocosin Lakes RAWS           3.78 in   0817 AM 09/24   RAWS
Creswell 2.6 SSW             3.34 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP
Roper 9.8 ENE                3.04 in   0900 AM 09/24   CWOP

 

Wind Reports

 

Wind Gusts

 

       Wind Reports from Tropical Storm Ophelia

...TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA 24 HR HIGHEST WIND REPORTS...

Location                     Speed     Time/Date       Provider

...North Carolina...

...Beaufort County...
Washington (OCW AWOS)        38 MPH    1025 PM 09/22   AWOS
Bunyan RAWS                  38 MPH    1213 AM 09/23   RAWS
Chocowinity 9.7 SE           31 MPH    0715 AM 09/23   DAVIS
Aurora 5.6 NE (Pamlico Aqua  28 MPH    0655 AM 09/23   NC-ECONET

...Carteret County...
Cape Lookout CMAN            72 MPH    0500 AM 09/23   NDBC
Beaufort (MRH ASOS)          67 MPH    0607 AM 09/23   ASOS
Fort Macon (WxFlow)          65 MPH    0530 AM 09/23   WXFLOW
Beaufort                     65 MPH    0621 AM 09/23   CWOP
Piney Island (NBT AWOS)      61 MPH    0700 PM 09/22   AWOS
Beaufort (Duke Marine Lab)   60 MPH    0548 AM 09/23   NOS-NWLON
Bogue Field (NJM ASOS)       58 MPH    0502 AM 09/23   AWOS
North River (WxFlow)         55 MPH    0619 AM 09/23   WXFLOW
Davis                        52 MPH    0705 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Davis                        52 MPH    0705 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Atlantic Beach 0.4 E         48 MPH    0630 PM 09/22   CWOP
Cedar Island RAWS            48 MPH    0425 AM 09/23   RAWS
Croatan RAWS                 46 MPH    0548 AM 09/23   RAWS
Atlantic Beach               43 MPH    0445 AM 09/23   DAVIS
Newport 7.5 E                41 MPH    0457 AM 09/23   CWOP
Morehead City 4.7 W          41 MPH    0530 AM 09/23   CWOP
Morehead City                38 MPH    0445 AM 09/23   DAVIS
Emerald Isle 3 WSW           34 MPH    0320 PM 09/22   CWOP
Newport 2.5 W                34 MPH    0515 AM 09/23   CWOP
Cape Carteret 0.6 E          34 MPH    0530 AM 09/23   CWOP
Newport 6.3 SW               34 MPH    0645 AM 09/23   CWOP
Newport 10.3 ENE             33 MPH    0625 PM 09/22   CWOP
Harkers Island 0.9 NW        32 MPH    0525 AM 09/23   DAVIS
Beaufort                     30 MPH    0655 AM 09/23   CWOP

...Craven County...
Cherry Point (NKT ASOS)      67 MPH    0700 AM 09/23   AWOS
New Bern (EWN ASOS)          55 MPH    0741 AM 09/23   ASOS
JAMES CITY                   36 MPH    0615 PM 09/22   CWOP
New Bern RAWS                36 MPH    0817 PM 09/22   RAWS
Havelock 0.7 NW              34 MPH    0455 AM 09/23   CWOP
Havelock 3 S                 25 MPH    0715 AM 09/23   AWS

...Dare County...
Oregon Inlet CG (WxFlow)     68 MPH    0931 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Buxton (WxFlow)              61 MPH    0712 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Avon (WxFlow)                57 MPH    0553 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Oregon Inlet (WxFlow)        57 MPH    0919 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Rodanthe 0.6 N               55 MPH    0701 PM 09/22   CWOP
DVI11679                     54 MPH    0615 PM 09/22   DAVIS
KHK Resort (WxFlow)          54 MPH    0733 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Oregon Inlet Marina          54 MPH    0936 PM 09/22   NOS-NWLON
ECU Coastal Studies Institut 54 MPH    0940 PM 09/22   MESOWEST
Nags Head                    54 MPH    0953 PM 09/22   CWOP
Real Slick (WxFlow)          53 MPH    0730 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Buxton RAWS                  52 MPH    0630 PM 09/22   RAWS
Hatteras High (WxFlow)       49 MPH    0622 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Manteo (MQI AWOS)            49 MPH    1005 PM 09/22   AWOS
Frisco (HSE ASOS)            48 MPH    0731 AM 09/23   ASOS
Manteo 0.5 SSE               44 MPH    0945 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Kill Devil Hills             43 MPH    1025 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Rodanthe                     41 MPH    0325 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Dare Bomb Range RAWS         41 MPH    0948 PM 09/22   RAWS
Southern Shores 1.7 NNW      41 MPH    1028 PM 09/22   CWOP
Kill Devil Hills (FFA AWOS)  40 MPH    0815 PM 09/22   AWOS
Kill Devil Hills             40 MPH    1045 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Dare Co Gnry Ran (2DP AWOS)  38 MPH    0310 PM 09/22   AWOS
Kitty Hawk                   38 MPH    0950 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Frisco                       37 MPH    0855 AM 09/22   DAVIS
Manteo                       36 MPH    1005 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Buxton 0.7 SE                36 MPH    0515 AM 09/23   CWOP
Kitty Hawk                   35 MPH    1025 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Manteo 0.2 E                 31 MPH    0800 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Kitty Hawk 3.9 NNW           27 MPH    1035 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Avon                         25 MPH    0725 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Kitty Hawk                   25 MPH    1015 PM 09/22   DAVIS

...Duplin County...
Kenansville (DPL AWOS)       43 MPH    0845 PM 09/22   AWOS
Kenansville                  39 MPH    0930 PM 09/22   CWOP
Wallace (ACZ AWOS)           39 MPH    1005 PM 09/22   AWOS
Nc Fire Raws No. 3           37 MPH    0812 PM 09/22   RAWS
Wallace 6.4 WNW (Williamsdal 35 MPH    0850 PM 09/22   NC-ECONET
Chinquapin                   31 MPH    0605 AM 09/23   DAVIS
Jacksonville 8.8 NNW         27 MPH    0936 PM 09/22   CWOP
Chinquapin                   26 MPH    0755 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Mount Olive                  17 MPH    0105 AM 09/23   DAVIS

...Hyde County...
Engelhard (7W6 AWOS)         41 MPH    0445 PM 09/22   AWOS
Ocracoke                     40 MPH    0715 PM 09/22   DAVIS
Fairfield RAWS               31 MPH    0717 AM 09/23   RAWS

...Lenoir County...
Kinston (ISO AWOS)           39 MPH    0505 AM 09/23   AWOS
Kinston 2.5 NNE (Cunningham  34 MPH    0905 PM 09/22   NC-ECONET

...Martin County...
Williamston (MCZ AWOS)       33 MPH    1020 PM 09/22   AWOS
Williamston 2.4 WSW (HP Comm 28 MPH    1135 PM 09/22   NC-ECONET

...Onslow County...
Jacksonville (NCA ASOS)      60 MPH    0802 PM 09/22   AWOS
Jacksonville 1.7 NNW         42 MPH    0827 PM 09/22   CWOP
Sneads Ferry 1.7 SE          41 MPH    0630 PM 09/22   CWOP
Richlands (OAJ AWOS)         40 MPH    0918 PM 09/22   AWOS
Sandy Run RAWS               38 MPH    0619 AM 09/23   RAWS
Jacksonville 7.0 W           34 MPH    0851 PM 09/22   CWOP
MAPLE HILL                   31 MPH    0927 PM 09/22   CWOP
Holly Ridge 4.8 E            29 MPH    0615 AM 09/23   CWOP
Hoffman RAWS                 29 MPH    0710 AM 09/23   RAWS
Jacksonville                 22 MPH    0755 PM 09/22   DAVIS

...Pamlico County...
Oriental 1.7 NE              45 MPH    0715 AM 09/23   CWOP
Burlington                   19 MPH    0615 AM 09/23   CWOP
Bayboro 0.4 W                16 MPH    0725 PM 09/22   AWS

...Pitt County...
Greenville (PGV AWOS)        45 MPH    0525 AM 09/23   AWOS
FARMVILLE                    37 MPH    0950 PM 09/22   CWOP
Greenville (Dowdy Ficklen St 29 MPH    1140 PM 09/22   MESOWEST
Greenville 3.8 S             26 MPH    1039 PM 09/22   CWOP
Greenville                   24 MPH    1030 PM 09/22   DAVIS
WINTERVILLE                  18 MPH    0418 AM 09/23   CWOP

...Washington County...
Tidewater Research Station   38 MPH    0655 PM 09/22   NC-ECONET
Creswell 2.6 SSW             35 MPH    0730 PM 09/22   CWOP
Roper 9.8 ENE                32 MPH    1145 PM 09/22   CWOP
Pocosin Lakes RAWS           29 MPH    0917 PM 09/22   RAWS
Plymouth 12.2 SSE            18 MPH    0556 PM 09/22   CWOP

...Maritime Stations...
Jennettes Pier (WxFlow)      67 MPH    1000 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Onslow Bay Buoy (41064)      65 MPH    0608 PM 09/22   NDBC
Pamlico Sound (WxFlow)       61 MPH    0458 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Diamond Buoy (41025)         60 MPH    0110 PM 09/22   NDBC
Crab Point (Wx Flow)         59 MPH    0521 AM 09/23   WXFLOW
Avon Sound (WxFlow)          56 MPH    0705 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Duck Pier                    56 MPH    1054 PM 09/22   NOS-NWLON
Frisco Woods (WxFlow)        54 MPH    0512 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Roanoke Sound Channel (WxFlo 52 MPH    1007 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Croatan Sound (WxFlow)       49 MPH    0939 PM 09/22   WXFLOW
Emerald Isle                 42 MPH    0145 PM 09/22   DAVIS            


 

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