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

[Think free or die]

The night was rough, wasn't it? I kept waking up when the wind howled and prayed for the safety of my sleeping kids. We lost our TV cable and DSL connection late last night. The power is still off - about 16 hours now. We were really fortunate though. All we have is broken limbs to clean up. All our trees held up, the stream didn't flood, and I don't think the basement got wet. That's next on my list to check out, since my sons are too scared to go down there alone.

Schools are closed today, and DH is working from home today so he can be on hand to help with cleanup. There are thousands without power this morning, but the sun is shining and things look a lot better by daylight. We'll still need to be careful under the trees, as the wind is gusting right along.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Yes a little scary last night..... but things can be replaced, our loved ones cant - so I'd say we did very well!

Glad you are all ok - and basements dry - eventually....lol........

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

OH Howlin....let us know, ok?

[Fawnn]

but no bugs.

If you tell me there also aren't any rodents or liberals, I may have to reconsider. ;)

[Slip18]

I may have mislead you about the bugs. There are scorpions, I'm told, but I haven't seen a one. We do have gekkos, but they are wonderful little creatures.

The libs are mostly in Tucson, so you don't want to go there, even though it is beautiful.

If you're a gardener, there are two seasons of growing every year. This year has been a little hot, though, to start anything of substance yet.

It took me a while to love it, but I do now. I'm from SoCal, Laguna Niguel. It rarely got over 90 degrees in the summer. Never really got below 35 in the winter. If you can tolerate the heat, AZ is the place to be. We need more conservatives here!

[Slip18]

I'm so glad you're okay, Whyisa. There's a check-in thread going on. Have you been there? It's right here.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

No I haven't....thanks for the link!

[Slip18]

I mislead you about the check-in link. LOL! I'll have to go find it.

[hedgerow]

This seems to work...This will be fun.

[CobaltBlue]

Good morning, sorry to hear about your son-in-law. I will add him to my prayer list.

My DH just woke me up with coffee, he let me sleep in. We never lost power last night but don't have cable and don't have water. We are using regular dial-up, just like in the olden days. ;^)

The loss of water is a little ironic. I bought four cases of water and filled up the bathtub, but kept telling people that I felt silly filling up the bathtub because I am 51 and never lost water in my life.

Well.

Very nice to have water to flush the toilets using a bucket!

Going out now to buy paper plates, etc.

FRegards to all.

[CobaltBlue]

Good morning, sorry to hear about your son-in-law. I will add him to my prayer list.

My DH just woke me up with coffee, he let me sleep in. We never lost power last night but don't have cable and don't have water. We are using regular dial-up, just like in the olden days. ;^)

The loss of water is a little ironic. I bought four cases of water and filled up the bathtub, but kept telling people that I felt silly filling up the bathtub because I am 51 and never lost water in my life.

Well.

Very nice to have water to flush the toilets using a bucket!

Going out now to buy paper plates, etc.

FRegards to all.

[CobaltBlue]

Good morning, sorry to hear about your son-in-law. I will add him to my prayer list.

My DH just woke me up with coffee, he let me sleep in. We never lost power last night but don't have cable and don't have water. We are using regular dial-up, just like in the olden days. ;^)

The loss of water is a little ironic. I bought four cases of water and filled up the bathtub, but kept telling people that I felt silly filling up the bathtub because I am 51 and never lost water in my life.

Well.

Very nice to have water to flush the toilets using a bucket!

Going out now to buy paper plates, etc.

FRegards to all.

[CobaltBlue]

Sorry for the hiccup!

[DollyCali]

three's a charm...

glad all is okay there for you. A little roughing it now and then helps us to appreciate all that we take for granted most of the time

[Not A Snowbird]

Glad you're okay there in Fairfax.

Anything on the news about Stafford? I haven't heard from my tenants, so I assume the birch tree is still standing and hasn't crashed down on the roof.

[Xthe17th]

Came through eastern WV en force around 1 am this morning. No problems here 'cept some small tree branches and leaves strewn about. Sounds like it hit harder your way though. My sister in Alexandria reports the pine tree by side of her house uprooted and leaning against neighbor's home.

Stay in touch.

[EternalVigilance]

Thanks for responding, my friend. I was worried about ya...real happy to hear your good report!

Came through it totally unscathed here in DC.

[EternalVigilance]

So glad to hear your good report!

[EternalVigilance]

Just read your post. Praying for him.