While I was visiting Salar I tried to describe how a large tropical storm or hurricane could affect water levels quickly and drastically in rivers open to the Albemarle Sound.

The picture below is of Tropical Storm Alex because it happens to be in a perfect place to give an idea of how these things can really create havoc without having to make landfall.

Air circulation is anti-clockwise and you can see that while the 'top' half of the storm is passing the winds will push directly toward the land and will move a fair mass of water inland. The stronger the winds the more water they push but even a little fella like Alex can do quite a bit.

When the eye passes, the apparent wind direction for those of us on shore reverses very suddenly so all the water that had been pushed inland is now being sucked back toward the sea.

I lived on the banks of one of the rivers by the arrows and can remember having the water level in the river rise over 15 feet in an hour (flood waters everywhere) and several hours later, the level dropped over 20 feet. Things were back to normal levels fairly soon but meanwhile, lots of flood damage to the town and lots of swamp muck pulled into the river. Took a couple of years for the fishing to start to recover.

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All I can say is - yikes, we timed that well didn't we?

Tropical Storm Alex is now Hurricane Alex and moving up the coast. Won't grow into a big one and won't stick around longer than today probably but should be a breezy and damp day along the path of the thing.

[ 03. August 2004, 04:06 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

But so far only rain and a little wind up near Duck. Avalon pier (see This Article ) as of a couple minutes ago.



[ 03. August 2004, 05:49 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

having a lovely thunderstorm right now oop north

I think your link is not working Newt. Aedy, James and I were fishing just beyond those dustbins on the right. I wonder where all those people are now?? Would the be evacuated or just staying indoors drinking beer?

Thanks Salar. The link was busted - it now properly points to your sea fishing thread on Pier fishing with the pictures showing the pier in good weather.

Hurricane Advisory for the outer banks. Just bumped Alex up to a Cat2 storm.

The pier is almost certainly closed at this point. There are almost certainly surfers playing in the larger-than-normal waves too but no pictures of that just now.

From the flags, I'd say the wind has shifted in such a way as to indicate the critter is passing close-by but the eye hasn't reached them yet.



[ 03. August 2004, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

Getting a little rougher. Note the time is EST so 5 hours earlier than UK time.



But the worst is past so things should calm down pretty quickly now. The back side of these things is never as strong as the front side.



[ 03. August 2004, 10:26 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

Fishing again? Or just sight-seeing?