1. Strong wind gusts are still possible over portions of extremeeastern North Carolina, southeastern Virginia, and the southernDelmarva Peninsula during the next couple of hours.

2. Through this evening, the last of the heavy rainfall along the track of Zeta is expected over the Mid-Atlantic. This rainfall may lead to flash, urban, small stream, and isolated minor river flooding.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Key messages for Zeta can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT3, WMO header WTNT43 KNHC, and on the web at www.hurricanes.gov/text/MIATCDAT3.shtml.

WIND: A few strong gusts are still possible across portions of extreme eastern North Carolina, southeastern Virginia, and the southern Delmarva Peninsula during the next couple of hours.

RAINFALL: The last of the heavy rainfall along the track of Zeta will impact the MidAtlantic through this evening. Additional rainfall totals of an inch or less are expected across these areas, possibly resulting in flash, urban, small stream, and isolated minor river flooding.

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the center of PostTropical Cyclone Zeta was located near latitude 38.8 North, longitude 75.3 West. Zeta is moving toward the eastnortheast near 55 mph (89 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Zeta will emerge over the western Atlantic this evening.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast tonight, but the cyclone should become absorbed by a frontal system on Friday.

Tropicalstormforce winds extend outward up to 310 miles (500 km) mainly to the southeast of the center. A sustained wind of 39 mph (63 km/h) and a gust to 46 mph (74 km/h) were recently reported at Ocean City, Maryland.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 992 mb (29.30 inches).

Zeta lost tropical characteristics and was declared post-tropical afew hours ago. The surface pressure field has become elongatedwith the center now embedded within a frontal zone over theMid-Atlantic states. The maximum sustained winds are stillestimated to be 45 kt, based on an observation received fromnortheastern North Carolina a few hours ago, and winds have beenincreasing at marine sites located just off the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Zeta is zooming toward the east-northeast (060/48 kt), and itscenter is just about to move off the Delmarva Peninsula over thewestern Atlantic waters. This motion should continue for the nextday or so since Zeta is embedded within fast westerly flow ahead ofa strong mid-level trough.

Some baroclinic re-intensification is expected over the next day orso while Zeta moves farther out over the western Atlantic, and the12-hour forecast intensity is based on the GFS and ECMWF globalmodels. Zeta's center is expected to dissipate within the frontalzone by 24 hours, with another strong low pressure area likely todevelop and move toward the north Atlantic over the next severaldays. The forecast wind radii are based on guidance from theOcean Prediction Center.

This is the last advisory issued on Zeta. Additional informationon this system can be found in High Seas Forecasts issued by theNational Weather Service, under AWIPS header NFDHSFAT1, WMO headerFZNT01 KWBC, and online at ocean.weather.gov/shtml/NFDHSFAT1.php