THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 9, 1995 TAG: 9509090267
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Where Felix fumbled for five days, Luis should fly past in 12 hours, staying well offshore from Hampton Roads and the Outer Banks overnight.
The primary effect: strong surf and the possibility of beach erosion.
Hurricane Luis is approaching three weeks after residents of coastal Virginia and North Carolina battened down in fear of Hurricane Felix.
That huge storm - fresh from a run-in with Bermuda - had threatened to slam ashore in the Mid-Atlantic. Instead, Felix lumbered offshore, looping around for five days before steering away to the northeast.
Forecasters expect no such uncertainty from Luis.
Rather, they expect this storm to cover the same territory as Felix, but in only 12 hours - passing about 400 miles east of Cape Hatteras late tonight and early Sunday.
The primary effect of Luis will be to kick up strong surf along the East Coast from New England to Florida, the National Hurricane Center said Friday.
Late-season vacationers and other beach-goers could find themselves blocked from entering the water at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and on the Outer Banks for fear of rip currents.
A coastal flood watch and a heavy surf advisory are in effect today for North Carolina's coast; the surf advisory covers Virginia's coast, too.
Although Luis was 650 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras Friday, the storm's long reach was being felt along the coast.
``The North Carolina coast is experiencing rough seas and surf from swells generated by Hurricane Luis,'' said Jan B. Price, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Raleigh. ``The rough conditions will continue through Saturday. Coastal flooding and beach erosion may occur, especially around the times of high tide.''
Luis is expected to pick up speed as it passes east of the Outer Banks and Virginia. It should be due east of, but about 400 miles from, Massachusetts by Sunday afternoon.
``It's moving a little faster now and we expect to see this general motion continue,'' said John Hope, senior meteorologist with The Weather Channel in Atlanta. ``I would expect to see some overwash and the possibility of beach erosion'' along the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Luis is expected to pass close enough to Bermuda that tropical-storm-force winds of 39 mph or higher will be felt on the island. Although such winds extended 290 miles from the storm's center Friday, there was no relationship between Luis and the cloudy, rainy weather iin Hampton Roads.
Almost three-quarters of an inch of rain fell at the National Weather Service office at Norfolk International Airport Friday. Other areas reported more in a late-afternoon dousing that was appreciated after weeks of minimal rainfall.
The rainfall did not extend far inland, however, where drought conditions are becoming extreme, especially for agriculture.
Friday marked the 32nd consecutive day in which there has been no measurable rain at Washington National Airport. The last time measurable rain fell in the nation's capital was Aug. 6 when the remains of hurricane Erin brought a half-inch of rain.
The 32 days with no measurable rain ties the all-time record set in 1963.
KEYWORDS: WEATHER by CNB