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
Red
My workplace didn't suffer any damage, so we're open today. I wish I could say the same about a lot of the people on the Peninsula. A lot of folks have damaged houses due to falling trees and flooding. Our house came through fine, but we've been without power since mid-day Thursday. I spent Friday and Saturday helping neighbors with my chainsaw and helping clear debris at church for Sunday services.
Folks around here are beginning to get edgy. Some didn't prepare for the storm so they're beginning to run out of food and essentials. Some folks are running generators to save their frigs/freezers, but they started running out of gas this weekend. People were lined up around the block at the few operating gas stations getting fuel for their vehicles and generators. General stress is building and a few fist fights have broken out over gas, ice, etc. Also, the police set a curfew between 2300 and 0700 due to cases of looting.
My family and I are fine. I've always laid in enough camp stoves, lanterns, and fuel to last for a week, plus we have enough canned/dry food to last. Supposedly, we should get power back by Thursday (fingers crossed).
(As an aside, my wife's teased me for years about my tendency to stockpile camping and emergency supplies, calling me a survivalist. She came as close as she could to an apology to me this weekend when she admitted that it was a good thing I had supplies laid aside for us and to share with our neighbors in need.)
Anyway, we're hanging in there just waiting for the infrastructure to return. Hey, at least the kids understand the meaning of "infrastructure" now!
At least something good came out of it.
You're a very good person. Hopefully you will get power back soon.
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