Hurricane Isabel:Live Thread #2 "Force Ten Conditions In North Carolina And Further North"

NHC | 9-17-03 | My Favorite Headache

[My Favorite Headache]

Hurricane Isabel Advisory Number 48

Statement as of 11:00 PM EDT on September 17, 2003

...Outer bands of Hurricane Isabel moving onshore...weather should gradually worsen...

A Hurricane Warning remains in effect from Cape Fear North Carolina to Chincoteague Virginia...including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds...and the Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area...generally within 24 hours.

All preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion in the Hurricane Warning area.

A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect south of Cape Fear to South Santee River South Carolina...and north of Chincoteague to Sandy Hook New Jersey...including Delaware Bay. A Tropical Storm Warning also remains in effect for the Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point northward...and for the tidal Potomac.

At 11 PM EDT...0300z...the center of Hurricane Isabel was located by an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft near latitude 31.9 north... longitude 73.9 west or about 250 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina.

Isabel is moving toward the north-northwest near 13 mph. A turn to the northwest with an increase in forward speed is expected prior to landfall. On the forecast track...the center of Isabel is expected to make landfall in eastern North Carolina during the day Thursday. However...conditions will deteriorate over a large area well before the center reaches the coast. Tropical storm conditions are already spreading across the coastline.

Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph...with higher gusts. A slight increase in strength is possible prior to landfall.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 315 miles. A buoy located west of the hurricane recently reported wind gusts to 74 mph and 32 foot waves.

An Air Force hurricane hunter plane recently reported a minimum central pressure of 956 mb...28.23 inches.

Storm surge flooding of 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels... along with extremely large and dangerous battering waves...is expected near and to the north of where the center crosses the coast. Storm surge flooding of 4 to 8 ft above normal tide levels is expected in Chesapeake Bay and the tidal portions of adjacent rivers.

Storm total rainfalls of 6 to 10 inches...with locally higher amounts...are likely in association with Isabel.

There is a threat of isolated tornadoes over eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia on Thursday.

Repeating the 11 PM EDT position...31.9 N... 73.9 W. Movement toward...north-northwest near 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds...105 mph. Minimum central pressure... 956 mb.

For storm information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.

An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 2 am EDT followed by the next complete advisory at 5 am EDT.

Forecaster Avila

[Neenah]

Actually, if he was measuring wind speed, he was using an anemometer. :)

Thanks rw, it is so nice to have smart friends like you ! I didn't know what it was called...now, thanks to you, I know !! smile.

[Howlin]

What other group of people could make a natural disaster so much fun?

When Isabel is all cleared out, I'll be back to trashing you. :-)

[Howlin]

Ab, that's just for the EYE.

[JennysCool]

We're calm as an Amish picnic and blue as a jilted suitor here in the north of Nevada; we'll be taking our weather-hits in a couple of months, though ...

[Slip18]

That is so great there have been no casualties! Something is to be said about knowing your weather in advance. The East Coast FReepers really were ready for this. I'm proud of them all!

[EternalVigilance]

Some things are more dependable than the weather. ;-)

[Mo1]

It's weird .. it was windy earlier .. but not now .. just rain

[Howlin]

LOL...ain't that the truth.

[Old Sarge]

EV, I just got reports of mass transit in DC is offline, and reagan Nat'l is shut down. Have they stopped traffic on I-495, or is it still open?

[abner]

I'm about 20 minutes from Valley Forge. On Route 100....

[FreeTheHostages]

Mass transit was intentionally shut down in prepatory fashion, here in DC where I type.

I-95 is up. Some bridges are being closed. The Bay Bridge (connecting Ocean City and such points to the mainland) has been closed.

Mayor had a press conference and asked civilians to stay off the streets and the roads.

Sky is getting darker but rain and wind so far are fairly light -- but gusts ahead though. Some fairly dramatic gusts. Lots of wet ground and unstable, unhealthy trees in the city means we'll have lots of tree damage here.

[Mo1]

My hubby works over by that way .. the weather over there is always worse then in my area

[FreeTheHostages]

Reagan National (thank you for calling it that!) is not only shut down, but they've flown all the planes elsewhere.

One of the major news channels is flickering in and out on my TV.

[PleaseNoMore]

The winds here are steady but with some very strong gusts. I was getting the kids from school today and there were tree limbs down on the power lines in Moore County. My little Mazda felt like it was going to be tossed off the road in some of the gusts. All of the traffic lights were out for a while. My mother is in Aberdeen with no power. I was very upset at the inclement weather coordinator for the schools here. They were putting the kids on the busses with this wind. Poor little kids. I honestly didn't think we would get the wind that we are getting here so I guess that they didn't either. This came on us really fast here. My husb says that the winds are in the 20's to 30's with regard to MPH but that the gusts are about twice that much. I don't know if he is right though. We have no TV as the sattelite won't get a signal, the power is flickering on and off. I have missed keeping up with the thread. Hope everyone else is ok. PleaseNoMore reporting from the Sandhills. Moore County, NC. :o)

[FreeTheHostages]

Hi! I too am about one mile from the Capitol in DC -- here in Dupont Circle. I'm expecting major tree damage from these soggy grounds.

Mayor had a news conference and said anyone who wants to volunteer to help can call 727-1000, FYI.

[mrobison]

Hey, this is a big long thread. What you guys all talking about, huh?

[aBootes]

Additionally, BWI will close at 5:30 and Amtrak is not running south of DC; northbound trains are limited.

[EternalVigilance]

FTH already clued ya, but I dont' know about the Beltway.

395/295 is right out my window, and there is some traffic up there, but precious little. I think everybody has pretty much hunkered down.

The few areas of town I saw today there wasn't much in the way of preparations it didn't seem. People were putting loose things away, but I only saw one storefront boarded up.

[MEG33]

Thanks! I'm so glad there have been no casualties yet.I'll bet there are some when everyone starts up their chain saws!

[EternalVigilance]

Thanks. I'm the other direction, by the Marine Barracks.