Emergency declared as Hanna eyes coastline

By Uriah A. Kiser

Published: September 4, 2008

STAFFORD — Tropical Storm Hanna has Virginia officials on edge, prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency in the Commonwealth.

Gov. Timothy Kaine announced Thursday that Hanna could bring tropical storm force winds, flooding and possible tornadoes to the state after making landfall near Wilmington, N.C. as a weak Category 1 hurricane sometime early Saturday morning.

At landfall Hanna is expected to pack winds of 74 to 95 mph and bring a storm surge of four to five feet over normal water levels.

The emergency declaration will allow Virginia’s Emergency Management Agency to quickly respond to areas across the state that could potentially be battered by the storm. The governor’s office said additional personnel from the Virginia State Police, The National Guard and The Virginia Department of Transportation will be on stand-by during the event.

Forecasters say the storm will weaken before it makes it to Virginia, but will retain many of its tropical characteristics of heavy rain and winds. The latest forecast track shows the storm hugging the Delmarva Peninsula, in contrast with original predictions that had the storm moving further inland. 

“Originally we thought had the storm’s track moving over Interstate 81, but on this track the threat of tornadoes will be significantly less,” said Andy Woodcock, with the National Weather Service.

The lowered threat of tornadoes also brings the lowered chance of heavy flooding in the area, as was originally predicted.

Woodcock said the forecast track is subject to change on Saturday and the Weather Service may extend a flood watch as far west as the Shenandoah Valley if needed.

Hurricane watches are currently posted from Charleston, S.C. to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The last tropical cyclone to affect the Commonwealth was Hurricane Isabel in September 2003. That storm made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane, packing winds of at least 96 miles per hour. Isabel caused heavy flooding along the Potomac River and widespread power outages across the state, according to a National Weather Service report.

Despite first striking North Carolina, Virginia suffered more property damage than any other state affected by Isabel, with damages totaling more than $900 million. The storm also claimed 17 lives.

At 2 p.m. on Thursday The National Weather Service reported that the storm was moving at 14 miles per hour toward the northeast, with winds reaching 65 mph. Tropical storm-force winds extended 315 miles out from the center of the storm, located 670 miles south-southeast of Wilmington, N.C.