PILOT/TRAFFIC ADVISORIES
Sabine Pilots advise pilot service was suspended 1845/13th due to high winds/seas offshore and remains suspended at this time.
Below information provided courtesy of WGMA.
<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">The Vessel Traffic Service
of US Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Port Arthur held a Port Coordination Team (PCT) conference call at 1100/14th regarding the weather conditions due to Tropical Storm Nicholas. Your Maritime Affairs team participated on the call
and report the following: <span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">Captain Wyke, Commanding Officer of MSU Port Arthur, opened the call, welcoming everyone and thanking the participants. She also requested everyone to provide
current impacts to their operations, if any. <span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">The Captain of the Port set
Port Condition YANKEE at 12PM on Monday September 13th for the ports of Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, and Sabine. The ports of Lake Charles and Cameron remain under
Port Condition X-RAY. Please refer to Marine
Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) 19-21 <span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">for complete details. There is no expectation to update these Port Conditions today. A reminder that any cargo operations
are dependent upon windspeeds.<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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National Weather Service<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">
reported the latest on the storm:<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">Hurricane Nicholas made landfall at 12:30AM Tuesday on the eastern part of Matagorda Peninsula, about 10 miles west of Sargent. It had maximum winds of 75 mph
at landfall. The storm will continue to weaken as it moves along. Radar is showing considerable rainfall amounts, and that will continue throughout the day. So far, there’s been approximate rainfall accumulations of 3-6 inches, with another 5-10 inches expected.
Storm surge will result in minor coastal flooding and Neches River flooding should be concentrated at the coast and not upriver. The winds should begin to taper off later tonight. Seas will gradually diminish overnight as well.<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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From National Hurricane Center:<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">At 10AM CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Nicholas was located near latitude 29.6 North, longitude 95.3 West, or about 10 miles southeast of Houston. Nicholas
is moving toward the northeast near 6 mph and this general motion should continue today. The storm should move more slowly toward the east-northeast by tonight, and then turn eastward on Wednesday over Louisiana. Little motion is anticipated on Thursday. NOAA
Doppler weather radar and surface observations indicate that maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 45 mph with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next couple of days as Nicholas moves farther inland, and the storm is forecast
to become a tropical depression by tonight. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles, mainly over water to the southeast of the center. An observing station at Texas Point in Sabine Pass recently measured a 1-minute sustained wind of 40 mph
and a gust to 51 mph.<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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·
Satellite Loop
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Forecast Cone for Storm
Center
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Tropical-Storm-Force Wind
Speed Probabilities
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US Rainfall Potential
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Watches & Warnings:<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">A
Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Port Bolivar to Sabine Pass including Galveston Bay.
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">A
Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for High Island to Cameron.
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">A
Storm Surge Watch is in effect for Sabine Pass to Cameron.
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">The Tropical Storm Warning has been discontinued west of High Island.
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">The Storm Surge Warning has been discontinued south of Port Bolivar.
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">The Storm Surge Watch has been discontinued east of Cameron.
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Local maritime industry representatives reported their status. There were no emergent situations reported.<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">The
Sabine Pilots suspended all vessel activities offshore at 1845 hours on Monday September 13th. Currently they show 17 vessels in port, with 10 presently ready for departure, plus 5 waiting to come inbound, and the list for both departures and arrivals
is growing. Winds of 30-40 knots and 12 feet seas are being reported by various pilot boats along the coast. Ships that were waiting to inbound have all heaved anchor and moved further offshore to ride the storm. Their current plan is to proceed with outbound
vessels tomorrow once weather permits, but first they will need to get their pilot boat out at first light to observe conditions. Any terminals having emergent situations should contact the pilots ASAP and they will try to accommodate as best as they can.<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">
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<span-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#00008C">MSU Port Arthur will conduct a Port Coordination Team conference call at
1100 hours tomorrow, Wednesday, September 15.
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