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5:25p And that was that. Andrea is now post-tropical. Andrea’s brief 2019 stormy career is over. She started yesterday. Dismissed today.

We can now imagine that tropical storm season hasn’t started yet. Coverage for the moment is over, and will officially begin again June 1.

• Post-tropical Andrea Tracking Chart
• Post-tropical Andrea Forecaster’s Discussion & Computer Models
• Post-tropical Andrea Public Advisory

8:39a Storm Andrea will remain Subtropical. The “before the season storm” is forecast to pass south of Bermuda, dissipating Wednesday.

But a 2019 name has been used. Andrea ✓. Tropical Storm/Hurricane season is supposed to be June 1 – Nov 30. Storm names coming up: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto and Imelda.

8:24a Croakertown Coffee, Oriental’s own coffee bean roastery, is raffling 2 tickets to the Hope Regala BBQ dinner on Friday, June 7. Stop by the store at 108 Straight Road to enter. The drawing will be June 5.

You don’t have to buy anything to enter the drawing, but you can check out Croakertown’s Daily Brew or the new Fire House Brew while there. For every bag of Fire House Brew sold, Southeast Pamlico Volunteer Fire Department Station 19 receives 1$.

Croakertown is open Tuesdays & Saturdays 7:30a – noon and Wednesday ‘til Friday 7:30a – 2:00p.

8:50p It is now confirmed a Cherry Point Marine Corps Harrier jet crashed tonight near the Cherry Branch ferry station, some 4 miles from the runways at Cherry Point. The following is the Marine Corps’ statement on the crash:

7:54p There is no confirmation regarding the aircraft crash near Cherry Branch ferry this evening, however Sue Kinner confirms that Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station personnel are currently on the scene.

7:38p The ferry has shut down for the night due to a nearby aircraft crash:

Photo provided by Sue Kinner at Cherry Branch:

6:44p That was fast. NOAA sent an aircraft out to look at the “disturbance” on the Atlantic this afternoon. They confirmed it was a subtropical storm. So Subtropical Storm Andrea has been declared. Andrea won’t bother us, but is forecast to rain on Bermuda:

• Subtropical Storm Andrea Tracking Chart
• Subtropical Storm Andrea Forecaster’s Discussion & Computer Models
• Subtropical Storm Andrea Public Advisory

Today is May 20. Tropical Storm / Hurricane Season doesn’t officially start until June 1.

But here we are.

2:01p It is looking more likely that a subtropical storm could form on the Atlantic. But too be clear – it isn’t coming anywhere near us. The latest from the National Hurricane Center:

Click here to see the computer models on this disturbance. Chalk this up to being a real reminder that hurricane season begins June 1.

9:10a The TownDock creative writing crew is slow today. Brains melting just a bit on day three of summer~ish heat in May.

Sunny & 90 today. Meh. It’s cools down to daytime highs of 80 for Tuesday & Wednesday.

2:25p That disturbance on the Atlantic is now being tracked as Invest 90. NHC says “This system could develop into a short-lived subtropical or tropical cyclone late Monday or Tuesday while moving northward or northeastward.”
You can see if it forms that the forecast takes it east and away:

click image for the big view

9:10a Today the Pamlico County Democratic Party hosts a Block Party at Lou Mac Park, 3-6p. Free food, drink & talk.

8:35a Both summer and storm season may be arriving a bit early. Summer officially starts June 21 – the summer solstice. Saturday peaked at 90, and today and Monday are expected to be the same. As well as hot today, almost no breeze. The Neuse marine forecast is for south winds at 5 knots.

The potential storm in the Atlantic looks a bit more possible this morning, but beyond the alarm of this happening in May… this won’t be a concern. If a storm develops (and it probably won’t), weather conditions indicate it will stay at sea – likely just slowly moving north over the Atlantic. From NHC:

Here’s a look at the disturbance (X marks the spot) and it’s forecast route if it formed:

3:30p Hurricane season officially starts June 1. Even then, activity isn’t likely the first month. But the Atlantic may have other plans… a potential system is out there today. From the National Hurricane Center:

Mom Nature. Just keeping you alert.

We have some good storm names on tap for 2019. They include: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto and Imelda.

9:07a If you purchase Jeff Little tickets online (you can at this link) just bring a printout of the email ticket confirmation as your ticket tonight. Meanwhile, here’s some Jeff to tide you over until then:

There’s more Jeff Little Trio if you scroll down this page. There are tickets at Nautical Wheelers too if you like that real ticket experience. Speakin’ of Wheelers, they’ll be semi-delicately tasting wine today at 3 & 4p.

6:50a All is calm this morning. The barometer trended up. The winds down. From The Oriental Weather Station:

click image for the big view

Sunny and near 90 today… the same forecast is with is through Monday.

7:37p It has been a much breezier day than forecast. High wind 29 mph this afternoon at the Oriental Weather Station, and at least one boater reported over 30 mph gusts on the Neuse. A lot to handle for sailing, but the air felt good in town on a porch.

Saturday should be calmer.

2:32p There have been some significant donations to the Whittaker Creek Dredging fund in the last week. It is up about four thousand dollars – the new total $93,237.

That is over 85% of the $109,389 the town must raise to be eligible for a $218,744 grant. The fundraising mission is getting closer.

10:05a Your dance card can be full this weekend in Oriental.

Risque film tonight at the Old Theater. Ken Belangia is making music tonight at the Red Rooster Bar (behind The Silos.) Food trucks today & Saturday at New Village Brewery, plus acoustic artist Melissa Plett performs Saturday night in the Beer Garden. Go kayaking Saturday morning with Bill Hines & Larry Summers. Wine Tastings at Nautical Wheelers Saturday at 3 & 4p. The PCC Foundation annual golf tournament is Saturday at Minnesott Golf & Country Club.

Saturday night’s big event is a fundraiser for the Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival. The festival brings performers to the porches (and stages) of Oriental for days of free music (the festival is Oct 4-6 this year.) That free music is possible due to generous donations and a couple of fundraisers. Like Saturday night’s performance of the Jeff Little Trio. The Trio’s sounds have roots in Appalachian, Americana, and old timey music. The concert is on the big stage at The Red Rooster. Tickets $22 at Nautical Wheelers, or get them online at this link. $25 at the performance.

Event details in What’s Happening.

For more info about October’s Ol’ Front Porch Music visit olfrontporchmusicfestival.org

5:55a Wake up. Be brave. Sunny mid 80s ahead. The weekend will be just like #&%$ summer, highs near 90 both days.

Should you be a seafaring type, light 5-10 knot southwest winds today through Sunday on the Neuse. On the Pamlico Sound a bit brisker, 10-15 knots.

1:59p Most of the debris from Hurricane Florence is gone. But this morning, Carol Mabe told TownDock.net she found these photos in a debris pile just before the entrance to White Farm Rd.

If you know these smiling faces, let Carol know at cmabex2@gmail.com or 252-249-1600. Carol’s got the photos waiting for you.

8:12a Pickleball. Strange name for a popular game. Learn the game, or brush up on your skills, with the local Pickleball league at one of two introductory sessions this month. The first is this Friday from 9-11a at Camp Caroline.

It’s the third Thursday of this month. That means the open jam session at Pamlico Community College. Bring an instrument, your voice, or just a chair to listen.

3:12p A reminder re hours at New Village Brewery – they are now open Wednesday – Sunday.

Got grill? At The Piglet specials this week include NY strip steak and Videlia onions.

If you like spring’s cooler days today is the magic day. For those that crave summer, sunshine and temps near 90 this weekend.

7:53a Sun and clear skies all week. High 70s today and high 80s later in the week.

Tomorrow morning is the Tourism Board Breakfast Meeting. Business owners and non-profits gather at Brantley’s at 8:30a. If you’d like breakfast, be there at 8a. On the agenda – getting ready for CycleNC 2020.

12:33p Another circumnavigation, starting & finishing in Oriental, was completed just a few minutes ago. Congratulations to Howard and Ros Cheetham aboard catamaran “Misto” – they completed the round-the-world voyage in just 2 1/2 years. This is Misto (flying colors) as she arrived moments ago (the town dock was full – here Misto readies to turn and back into town dock #2):

Here is a link to Misto departing Nov 5, 2016. TownDock will have more photos and Misto’s story coming.

10:34a The Jeff Little Trio plays this Saturday 7:30p at The Red Rooster. Check ‘em out:

The performance is a fundraiser for the Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival. Tickets at Nautical Wheelers, or online at this link.

10:20a Sunny 75 today, just near 70 Tuesday. The low tonight – 51. It just might be the coolest night we see until autumn.

Happy sleeping.

8:16a When Hurricane Florence took out the pier, it also took the water gauge. Since then, the HarborCam has been the best way to determine local water levels.

But there is hope. Construction on the pier is about complete. The water gauge isn’t far behind. The state has said the gauge would be installed about a month after the pier is completed. When that happens, TownDock.net will post the data under water levels. Until then, the harborCam view is always available.

7:47a It’s Monday the 13th. Plan accordingly.

Rain not so likely this morning, but could visit after 3p and thru early evening. Nothin’ but sunny & dry in the forecast starting Tuesday.

Cycle NC is expected to visit Oriental in April of 2020. The event has visited town before, bringing over a thousand cyclists for a weekend. Here’s a look at Cycle NC’s 2017 visit to Oriental.

The Tourism Board hosts quarterly breakfast meetings for local business owners (and others) to compare notes. This Thursday May 16 the meeting’s focus is on how to best support CycleNC in 2020. The meeting starts at 8:30a in Brantley’s back room.

2:47p It drizzled all morning, but in the last hour rain has come down hard & heavy. Over an inch of rain so far and weather radar shows more precipitation on the way.

6:18a Happy Mom’s Day dear reader. Mom gets a break in the inside shade today… it looks like rain. A 70% chance of rain today, and the hour-by-hour forecast shows that wet probability is higher starting this afternoon.

Today and Monday highs near 80, then north winds bring cool air Tuesday & Wednesday, highs just near 70.

8:48a You may not have noticed them unless you took a peek on Smith Creek… there are over 80 Scouts in town this weekend. The Scouts are in Oriental to get their small boat sailing merit badge, which they are learning from the crew at Bow To Stern Boating. Troops 202 from Cary and 104 from Fayetteville NC are both camping & sailing. Here’s the scene this morning at Bow To Stern:

8:11a This morning is the moment to get the town to haul off your old stuff. It’s Oriental’s annual Brown/White goods pickup. Details here.

At Oriental Woman’s Club Fine Arts & Crafts are showcased today from 9a – 3p. BBQ by Smokin’ Joe’s BBQ Co. from 4-8p, then Songs from The Road Band serves up bluegrass tonight at New Village Brewery (it’s a Hope Clinic fundraiser.) At the Old Theater tonight Mother Land dances on stage. FYI, Nautical Wheelers was out of Mother Land tickets – they now have more available.

It’s all in What’s Happening.