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

[AppyPappy]

Yup. We are all over it. There's also a picture running around of a soldier in Iraq holding a howitzer shell with "Beat A&M" on it.

[Inspectorette]

A Yorkie. And you cannot believe how much $$$ I have spent on this "free" dog. Teeth, etc.! And she's SO needy....never had a Yorkie before....she's sitting on my shoulder right now

Mornin' from the Left Coast, Howlin - her name isn't "Bonior" is it ;-)

[GYPSY286]

Is Smithfield close to Newport News? My sister lives in Smithfield.

[Howlin]

80 MPH winds south of Hatteras.

[Miss Marple]

The President just finished a press conference with King Abdullah of Jordan. At the end, he metioned the preparations for the hurricane. Said that he had been in contact with Tom Ridge, they had emergency crews and equipment pre-positioned, that he was getting updates from Homeland Security as the storm progressed, and that they were as prepared as they could be.

Then he apologized for messing up the reporters' schedules and told them to get home before it started raining. I really like that guy!

[NCjim]

Lights just blinked twice - cable modem came back - laptop of course has power - may have to switch to dialup if power goes... :-)

[Howlin]

I'm not in any kind of danger, at least not like most of these people on here, closer to the coast and nearer water and where the high winds will be.

Thanks for thinking of me. If I lose power, another Freeper might not want to talk to me, 'cause I'll be cussing!

[Jonah Hex]

It's about 30 miles away. I just heard Smithfield and Franklin is without power.

[Hatteras]

I was keeping an eye on a harbor cam from Oriental, NC. I think they just lost power, I can't get the site back now.

[Howlin]

Do you have a link to the map you're talking about?

[Jonah Hex]

I have my computer/cable modem/etc. running on an UPS, so I'll sign off if and when we lose power here.

WNIS just reportd 196,000 without power.

[putupon]

Did you see the post about the pier where somebody put a sign on it that says "BEAT A&M?"

if they don't, they'll just call in the lawyers and have the loss overturned in court. Probably take it all the way to the to the 9th Circus in San Francisco if they have to.

Go Aggies!!!

[Howlin]

Just pretend like it didn't happen. (I'll go nuts!)

[glock rocks]

code 4 check... got power?

[honeygrl]

I have pay access on a site that updates every 5 minutes and it shows the eye just about to hit land. maybe in the next hour or two.

[wimpycat]

Click on the link for N. Carolina radar at the top of Drudge's page. It'll show you that the eye is, indeed, coming in smack between Morehead and Cape Hatteras.

[Howlin]

My nephew is a HUGE Va Tech fan......and I haven't been able to figure out why!

[Mad Dawgg]

"I was keeping an eye on a harbor cam from Oriental, NC. I think they just lost power, I can't get the site back now."

The Camera from atop the Hatteras Lighthouse is bluescreened but the camera of the lighthouse is still working!

The Avalon FIshing Pier Cam is still working also!

[NautiNurse]

Oriental had water in the streets yesterday! Photo

[honeygrl]

"Do you have a link to the map you're talking about? "

It's on accuweather premium where you have to pay to access it. It's only $5/m though and worth in IMO if you are a weather buff.