Florida, on the 24th. Local winds at the FRF were very strong, reaching a 
maximum sustained speed of 23 m/sec on the evening of the 24th. On the 25th, 
the low was located over Cape Hatteras, and it continued north to Maryland 
where it turned east and moved directly offshore for the next 2 days. Heavy 
rains, especially on the 25th, drenched the coast of North Carolina. 
155. Wave heights exceeded 3 m for most of the 24th and 25th; wave 
periods increased from 6 sec on the 23rd to 14 sec on the 25th. Radar images 
of the wave crests obtained during the storm clearly show that the direction 
of wave approach changed slowly from northeast on the 24th to southeast by 
0700 hours on the 25th. This shift in wave direction coincided with a similar 
change in wind direction as the storm moved past the FRF. 
156. Longshore currents were directed southward during most of the 
storm, but they reversed direction at about 2200 hours on the 24th. Surface 
currents in excess of 2 m/sec were measured on the 25th, 200 m offshore under 
the pier, at the midsurf position. Waves were from the southeast with H, in 
excess of 3.5 m, and winds averaging 9 m/sec from due south produced the 
extremely fast northwardly directed currents. 
157. On the 25th, the persistent high waves and strong onshore winds 
produced the highest recorded water level of 1982, 127 cm. 
158. Pre- and poststorm bathymetric surveys of the FRF show that 
although relatively little change occurred away from the pier, the trough 
under the pier greatly enlarged and deepened, with the depth of the scour hole 
at the seaward end of the FRF pier increasing to 8.5 m. 
159. The storm was also responsible for severe beach erosion along the 
Outer Banks; several houses were lost at Kitty Hawk beach 10 km south of the 
FRF. 
19-25 November 1982 
160. An Arctic high pressure system that formed in Canada slowly drifted 
eastward dominating the wind patterns at the FRF. However, a succession of 
high pressure systems, originating in the central United States and moving off 
the east coast maintained onshore winds from 15 to 25 November. This storm, 
lasting 7 days, was the longest of the year. In general, less than 5 percent 
of the storms have durations exceeding 4 days. 
9 December 1982 
161. A high pressure system originating over West Virginia on the 7th 
moved east causing high waves for a short time on the 9th. 
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