Offshoreonly.com - Reggieville Weather

Hurricane Alex winds near 100 mph - Category 2 storm approaching Outer Banks
Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Posted: 3:11 PM EDT (1911 GMT)

(CNN) -- Alex, the first hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic season, strengthened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday as its winds neared 100 mph off North Carolina's Outer Banks.

At 1 p.m. ET, Alex's center was about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Moving northeast about 17 mph, Alex was picking up forward speed, forecasters said. Maximum sustained winds were near 100 mph (161 km/h), with higher gusts, the center said.

The hurricane center classifies a storm as a Category 2 hurricane when its sustained winds reach 96 mph (154 km/h).

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers, in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, said, the storm was expected to miss landfall and eventually head out to sea.

The center said Alex was expected to pass near North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Outer Banks resident Jim Sarsfield told The Associated Press that he isn't worried about Alex. "It's just going to be a couple of days of rain and a little bit of wind, then it will be life as usual," said Sarsfield, who had picked up loose objects around his home but didn't plan to cover his windows. "Just your basic get-ready-to-get-ready."

Expected rainfall accumulations are from three to six inches, with some higher amounts, according to the hurricane center. Coastal storm surge flooding of two to four feet above normal is expected on Atlantic shorelines and the predicted storm surge from Alex is three to five feet above normal, according to the center.

A hurricane warning remained in effect for the Pamlico Sound area of the Outer Banks, from Cape Lookout on the south to Oregon Inlet on the north.

"This means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area during the next 24 hours," the center said. "Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."

A tropical storm warning remained in effect from north of Oregon Inlet to the North Carolina-Virginia border, including the Albemarle Sound. A tropical storm warning to the south stretches from Surf City, North Carolina, to Cape Lookout.

All warnings have been discontinued south of Cape Fear, North Carolina.

Hurricane force winds extend up to 25 miles from the storm's center. Winds of tropical storm force -- at least 39 mph (62 km/h) -- extend up to 105 miles (165 kilometers), posing problems for area shipping traffic.

Joyce Essick, a resident of Manteo, North Carolina, since 1984, was stocking up on bread and milk early Tuesday, according to the AP.

"I don't think it will get that bad," Essick said. "I was out of this stuff anyway, so I had to come get it either way."

Local powerboat manufacturer Reggie Fountain added "Hurricane shmurricane.......get this rain out of here so I can kick some ass this weekend."

:rolleyes: OK.....so I added that last part :rolleyes: