THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509100046
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
If you already feel exhausted by this year's busy hurricane season, take a deep breath - it may not be over.
Today marks the traditional peak of the season in the Atlantic.
And since 1928, 22 hurricanes have passed within 200 miles of the Outer Banks between Sept. 10 and Oct. 10. The last was Hurricane Gloria in 1985.
Thus far this year, the Outer Banks and Hampton Roads have lucked out. Twice in less than a month, potentially devastating storms have slipped past with minimal impact.
The latest, Hurricane Luis, was steering swiftly north-northeastward Saturday, sparing the East Coast and Bermuda the catastrophic destruction it visited on the northern islands of the Caribbean a few days ago.
By today, Luis is expected to be moving swiftly toward Newfoundland. The Canadian government issued gale warnings Saturday for the eastern coast of Nova Scotia.
Meanwhile, a strong tropical wave was located about 1,125 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands and moving toward the west-northwest about 15 mph Saturday. This system could become the season's 14th tropical depression today or Monday.
As for Luis, it was starting to lose significant strength.
The hurricane packed sustained winds of 140 mph when it hit St. Martin and was the strongest storm yet this season. By Saturday, however, top sustained winds were down to 100 mph and a steady decrease is forecast as the hurricane steers into much colder waters of the North Atlantic.
At 5 p.m. Saturday, Luis was about 425 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras or about 225 miles west-northwest of Bermuda - about as close as it is expected to get to the island.
Luis was moving north-northeast near 23 mph along the edge of a strong low-pressure trough just off the East Coast. That trough helped keep the hurricane from threatening Virginia and North Carolina.
While the storm's winds are far offshore, however, its tides are slamming into a tide-worn coastline. That was good news for surfers who have had a great time of it in the past month, but a disappointment for swimmers.
On the Outer Banks and at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, red flags were flying and swimmers were told they could go no further in the roiling surf than ankle-deep, lest they be dragged under by strong currents.
Those rip currents likely will not ease for a day or two, the National Weather Service said.
``The rough conditions will continue through tonight and Sunday,'' said Joel W. Cline, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Raleigh, said Saturday afternoon. ``Coastal flooding and beach erosion will occur around the times of high tide.''
A flood warning is posted for the entire North Carolina coast through today, with a small-craft advisory and heavy-surf advisory for the Virginia and North Carolina coasts.
Things are expected to calm by early this week. And the region probably will get its first taste of fall weather.
Today will be partly sunny and not as warm with a high near 80. Tonight's forecast calls for clear and much cooler weather, with an overnight low in the mid- to upper 50s.
Monday is expected to be mostly sunny with a high in the lower 70s. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
STEVE STONE/Staff
TRACKER'S GUIDE
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB