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

[Slip18]

I'm pretty sure xs has her number. I think xs has everyone's number. LOL! I have her e-mail address, but it wouldn't matter if her power is down.

[EternalVigilance]

Prayers continue.

[EternalVigilance]

We've got a ton of emergency vehicles heading out over here on the SE side...sirens everywhere.

[honeygrl]

I lived an hour north of Knoxville for a couple years and I can vouch that the Vols fans are absolute nuts! LOL My hubby was the head guy at the local cable company in town and one night the cable went out during a game and they actually had people outside the office making physical threats at the girl sitting inside the office taking outage calls. My big bad hubby had to go up there to make sure she was safe and told her to call the police.

[Mo1]

She needs to get a backup battery so she can check in so we won't worry so

I'm sure she is ok .. but it will be good when she checks in

[amom]

Glad the kids are sleeping soundly. If they're like mine they'll be saddened they missed all the action. :-)

Sorry bout the roof. Glad you're ok.

[EternalVigilance]

Your screen name is as apt as ever tonight, my friend... ;-)

[MEG33]

It may save someone down the road...

[Mo1]

Glad to hear y'all are ok and sorry about the roof.

I'm praying the wind stops real soon ..

[Slip18]

"And in the winter, it sometimes gets down into the 50's! Brrrrr!"

Hey, UB, we had hail here in February.

[Conservababe]

Yet, I was stupid twice.

Our town is on the Mississippi River. One year it had flooded, not badly, as the water went down quickly. But, it left a lot of seep water across the bridge in Illinois. It was not rushing water, but still, it was over the road.

We always went camping pulling a pop-up trailer over in Illinois. Well, the seep water stayed and stayed and some folks began to cross it carefully, as the days went by.

So, my silly husband talked me into going camping and pulling the Jayco across this seep water. Well, our vehicle made it just fine, but the trailer started to float.

Somehow, me made it across, though. I don't remember how many miles we had to drive to get back home to avoid that bridge, but we did.

And, as God is my witness, I will never drive or be allowed to be driven across more than a puddle in the road again.

[Iowa Granny]

I didn't know that you'd evacuated the Cornfields for the big city lights! When did you move East?

Be Safe!

[Mo1]

Still have power, though. Semi-miraculous. LOL...

There's a company across the road out back of my house .. they are the ONLY ones around here with power. Rain just started back up again .. it's going to be one long night, that's for sure

[Interesting Times]

The FR booth we use at CPAC is up in the attic.

I'm not looking forward to talking to Bob J...

[MEG33]

I hear you! My children know when I am coming to visit ..it depends on the weather report,now!

[Interesting Times]

Thanks again. Time to bail...

[EternalVigilance]

LOL...a couple of months ago.

This is making Iowa thunderbusters look pretty tame! ;-)

[EternalVigilance]

Ah....oh well, Act of God.....must be time for a new booth! ;-)

[honeygrl]

I just read: "Jane Brooks, a Conectiv spokeswoman, said 73,000 customers were without power along the Delmarva Peninsula from Kent County to Virginia."

Isn't Delmarva Peninsula where Gabz said she was? That would mean she is almost certainly powerless.

[MEG33]

Betcha he just asks if everyone made it OK.