Tropical Storm Ophelia
At a Glance
- Ophelia morphed from a non-tropical low to a tropical storm off the coast of North Carolina.
- It then made landfall in eastern North Carolina and moved into eastern Virginia.
- It spread heavy rain, coastal flooding and gusty winds into parts of the mid-Atlantic states.
Tropical Storm Ophelia spread heavy rain, storm surge flooding, strong wind gusts and high surf along the Eastern Seaboard.
Ophelia became the 16th storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season early on September 23. Ophelia developed from an area of energy and spin in the mid-levels of the atmosphere that began over the Deep South and swung southeastward across Florida and into the western Atlantic.
The system developed strong winds and increasing surf while sitting over the warm Gulf Stream current on Sept. 21, and attained winds of 40+ mph by late evening. It took on subtropical, then tropical characteristics as it neared the North Carolina coast.
Ophelia may have been a hurricane for a very short time either late on Sept. 22 or early on Sept. 23. Surface winds measured by the Hurricane Hunters temporarily briefly fluttered around 75 mph and an eye feature was briefly seen on radar and satellite data.
