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

[abner]

The wind is starting to get fairly nasty here.

[kayak]

A swift water rescue unit from Charlotte is in the eastern part of the state working on rescuing those 100 people near Harlow .... and, I think, also the other group of 200. As of the 6:00 news, only 2-3 had been gotten to safety. It's slow work in order to minimize danger to both the victims and the rescuers.

If any of you saw the Storm Stories segment on TWC last week about the couple that went over the dam and were rescued, this is the same unit that saved them.

There should be updates on the 11:00 news in Charlotte ..... if so, I'll report in.

[palmer]

My first century post! Ok, content. Radar show a huge blob moving up. Good news is it ends down at Richmond. Some thunderstorms embedded south of DC.

[glock rocks]

You're the pilot, one of those folks who can see the wind :o)

Stay Safe.

[Spirited]

That's what I thought. Wish you well. Hope your electricity stays on through it all. It would help to hold onto it. Government is out tomorrow so that they can work on problem areas.

[abner]

LOL! You stay safe too.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"The wind is starting to get fairly nasty here."

If it gets too nasty, get in a closet or bathroom in the center of the house on the bottom floor, away from outside walls and windows.

Hang in there.

[Interesting Times]

Power flickered on for a couple of seconds here, then died again... I can't believe anybody's out working on the lines, so maybe it was just a hiccup.

[palmer]

The wind is going in bands. You may get your strongest winds now, got mine about 3 hours ago down here in Northern VA.

[Unknown Freeper]

Hi, Alberta's Child. I noticed the Raritan in Piscataway was unusually high already this evening. The canal over by Manville was nothing to laugh at either. Things should be very interesting in the valley in the morning.

[abner]

It isn't supposed to get really bad until about midnight. That is when I'll be finding a place to hide. All of our bathrooms and closets are along outside walls though...

[lizma]

Sounds like it's time to fire up that noisy generator!

We got ours roaring up power, taking care of the fridge, freezer, few lights and laptop but you're right, it's very loud ...and the best investment we have ever made.

It's paid for itself about 6 times over. No spoiled food is a blessing.

[abner]

Just come on up here and fire up our generator... It will give you something to do doing the storm. :-)

[abner]

If we don't have power by morning, the generator gets going before we go to work. There, I have spoken.

[sarasmom]

Stay safe!
Having lived in Florida for over 15 years, I have a bit of experience with nasty storms.

Howlin, you still there?

[NautiNurse]

If it gets too nasty, get in a closet or bathroom in the center of the house on the bottom floor, away from outside walls and windows

Does the telephone cord reach in there?

[abner]

Does the telephone cord reach in there?

If it doesn't, I guess I stay here.. . eating dry Froot Loops and cold coffee. LOL!

[lizma]

PEPCO said they aren't getting out until the storm is over. That's ludacris.

This isn't anywhere near as bad as predicted. So far it's just been a windy night.

[Amelia]

During the "March blizzard" of 1993 I made pallets for all of us in the hallway, which was the only place we had without outside walls. For a time I seriously thought the windows on the south & west sides were going to blow in.

[U S Army EOD]

That is probably a good idea. There has already been one lineman electrocuted in North Carolina.