Posted on 09/17/2003 8:14:30 PM PDT by 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
Here, we had a glorious orange-red sunset. The wx for rain "petered out" as the clouds dissipated.
Air is fresh. RADAR shows stuff, but there is really no wind to measure.
http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.phtml?station=41025
...Isabel weakens to a tropical storm... At 9 PM...0100z...the Hurricane Warning has been replaced by a Tropical Storm Warning. A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect north of Surf City North Carolina to Moriches Inlet New York...including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds...Chesapeake Bay...the tidal Potomac...and Delaware Bay. At 9 PM EDT...0100z...the center of Tropical Storm Isabel was located inland near latitude 37.0 north... longitude 77.9 west... or about 30 miles northwest of Emporia Virginia. Isabel is moving toward the northwest near 20 mph. A turn to the north-northwest is expected during the next 24 hours. On the forecast track...the center of Isabel is expected to move across eastern Virginia toward western Pennsylvania over the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph...with higher gusts. Although Isabel will continue to weaken as it moves over land...unusually strong winds...with gusts to hurricane force...may be experienced well inland to the elevated terrain of northern Virginia and Maryland...as well as on high-rise buildings and other structures. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 345 miles. Estimated minimum central pressure is 968 mb...28.58 inches. Storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels... along with large and dangerous battering waves...may still occur along the Atlantic coast within the Tropical Storm Warning area. Storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 ft above normal tide levels is still possible in Chesapeake Bay and the tidal portions of adjacent rivers. Storm surge flooding along the Outer Banks will continue to gradually subside tonight. 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 Virginia...and southeastern Maryland through tonight. Repeating the 9 PM EDT position...37.0 N... 77.9 W. Movement toward...northwest near 20 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 70 mph. Minimum central pressure... 968 mb. For storm information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office...and statements from local emergency management officials. The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 11 PM EDT. Forecaster Avila |
No longer a hurricane 8 hours after landfall... just your basic 700 mile wide tropical storm with 70mph winds and higher gusts. And a low pressure equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane.
Hurricane Isabel. It wasn't like the others...
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