Tropical Storm Danny Passes Close to the Outer Banks, Brings Fun Surf

Posted on August 31, 2009

Tropical Storm Danny was almost a non-event on the Outer Banks. The storm drew attention throughout the week because it’s projected path brought it precariously close to the delicate strip of barrier islands. Luckily, Danny had some bark but lacked the bite.

The storm passed the Outer Banks on Friday evening. Rains and winds picked up, but most of the passage was cloaked in darkness and missed by the slumbering population of residents and vacationers. As Saturday arrived, the gorgeous Carolina skies brightened and the beaches filled up for a picture-perfect late August day on the Outer Banks.

Unfortunately, dangerous rip currents kept swimmers out of the water, but surfers were out in force. From Hatteras through Corolla, surfers hunted for the right spot that would offer the best waves. The surf was about 8 feet high and semi-clean, but closing out pretty quickly in most spots. Not the perfect OBX surf day, but you really can’t beat 80 degree air, 70 degree water, and head high waves…even if they are closing out.

A new storm is developing in the tropics, but at this time it doesn’t seem to be a threat to the Outer Banks.

Invest 94 Computer Models
Invest 94 Comp. Models 8.31.09

Tropical Storm Danny Brings the Outer Banks a Storm Alert and Surf

Posted on August 28, 2009

As of Friday morning, Topical Storm Danny is barely a tropical storm as winds drop, however, the Outer Banks is still expecting rain, winds, increased surf and rip currents. Now barely a tropical storm, Danny’s maximum sustained winds fell to 40 miles per hour. There is potential for some strengthening over next 12 hours, however Danny is currently poorly organized and struggling through wind shear, so it shouldn’t strengthen significantly.

On Thursday, The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm watch for the Outer Banks through Saturday, with windy and rainy conditions possible from Tropical Storm Danny. The watch, issued at 5 p.m. Thursday, covers the Outer Banks from Cape Lookout to Duck in Dare County and the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds. The watch indicates that tropical storm conditions, with winds in excess of 39 mph, are possible through Saturday.

Most tracking models keep the heart of the storm away from the U.S. East Coast, and the Outer Banks. Danny is about 350 miles south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It is forecasted to move northwest at 10 mph and then turn north and northeast while gaining forward speed.

On this course, Danny should pass near the Outer Banks overnight, approach the New England coast late Saturday and move over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland on Sunday.

Increased swell is starting to show on the Outer Banks, and hopefully conditions will cooperate to create some great OBX surf. As of this morning, the weather was ideal with air temperatures approaching 80 degrees and water temperatures in the mid 70′s. The waves are starting to line up, but not entirely clean and still in the waist to chest range. It is a great paddleboard and longboard day though.

Tropical Storm Danny Forecast

Outer Banks Surf Forecast

Tropical Storm Danny…More Outer Banks Surf?!

Posted on August 26, 2009

The 2009 Hurricane Season made a late debut in the Atlantic. The first named hurricane didn’t move up the East Coast until the middle of August, but it seems a late start doesn’t necessarily correlate to lower levels of activity.

Hurricane Bill pushed past the Outer Banks last weekend and left some great OBX surf in it’s wake. Now Tropical Storm Danny is forming in the Atlantic hurricane basin and threatening a close call for the Outer Banks by Saturday.

Tropical Storm Danny formed in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Bahamas on Wednesday and set a course that could take it near North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the northeastern U.S. states as a hurricane by the weekend. Danny is expected to gather strength over the Atlantic and could be a Category 1 hurricane by the weekend.

It is too early to forecast a precise path, but the current forecasts call for Danny to stay east of the Outer Banks. However, forecasters say the average error in their forecast three days in advance is about 200 miles.

Most computer models have the storm staying well off the U.S. East Coast, but one forecast shows it passing very close to the Outer Banks and heading up the coast.

Hopefully Danny follows a similar path to Bill and sends great surf but spares any potential damage. The storm’s progress will need to be monitored over the next few days.

The silver lining is that the Outer Banks will get some increased swell over the next few days. Hopefully the conditions line up for some great surf!

Tropical Storm Danny Forecast