HURRICANE ISABEL becomes first Atlantic Category 5 Hurricane since 1998.....

National Hurricane Center ^ | September 11, 2003 | Pasch

[John H K]

BULLETIN HURRICANE ISABEL ADVISORY NUMBER 23 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 PM AST THU SEP 11 2003

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISABEL NOW AT CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY...

SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT HURRICANE ISABEL HAS CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN...AND HAS REACHED CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. ISABEL IS THE FIRST CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN SINCE MITCH OF 1998.

AT 5 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE ISABEL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.6 NORTH... LONGITUDE 55.3 WEST OR ABOUT 500 MILES...805 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLAND.

ISABEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 160 MPH...260 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 185 MILES...295 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 921 MB...27.20 INCHES.

LARGE OCEAN SWELLS AND DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY OVER PORTIONS OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...AND PUERTO RICO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

REPEATING THE 5 PM AST POSITION...21.6 N... 55.3 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 921 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 PM AST.

FORECASTER PASCH

[4everontheRight]

As a person who survived hurricane Camille in 1969, I don't wish these kind of storms on anybody!
No, wait a second....I wish them on the Clintons! Yes, that would be worth the wreckage and distruction if it would wipe them out!

[meadsjn]

Maybe it is the Gulfstream effect.

The gulfstream turns them northward, and feeds them heat from the warmer water temperature. My bet for this one would be Cape Fear or Hatteras, by next Thursday (not Friday).

[Tax-chick]

Where's the craft show? We'd probably stop by, unless my mother-in-law has evac'ed from Myrtle Beach and camped on us indefinitely (in which case I'm declaring an illness and going to bed!).

[palmer]

In my understanding the cold front will steer the hurricane north and eventually east. Also a strong jet stream associated with the front will sheer off the top of the hurricane which will quickly weaken it.

[Dog Gone]

BobTheNailer is a good guy. I imagine the difference between SE New Mexico and South Carolina is about as big as it can get.

I'm sure you're going to get used to people on the coast worrying about these things. A glancing blow from one of these storms is not too bad.

I once rode out a direct hit from a Category 3 storm, and I'll never do that again. I didn't get injured, but it's no fun worrying whether the house is going to hold together.

A 2 or below isn't that bad unless you're very near the ocean. Anyone who tries to ride out a Category 5 is an idiot with a death wish.

[WackyKat]

Call me superstitious but I think that if Bush and co stop Israel from killing Arafat this thing is coming straight at us and will stay just as strong. If arafat is dead in 48 hours then it will miss the US.

Alright, you are superstitious.

The truth is, Isabel will hit Florida as punishment for the state's execution of Paul Hill

[Howlin]

He's got a lot of "learning" to do!

[Howlin]

My bet for this one would be Cape Fear or Hatteras, by next Thursday (not Friday).

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

[mykdsmom]

My bet for this one would be Cape Fear or Hatteras, by next Thursday (not Friday).

I sincerely hope you are WAY wrong on this one. With the amount of rain that we've received this summer we're gonna be in HUGE trouble if we get this.

Fran was bad enough once, I don't want a repeat performance thank you very much.

GOD I hate hurricane season.

MKM

[boingo_temp]

Weather Undertground 5 day forcast

[My Favorite Headache]

I am in South Florida as well...but this thing aint comin anywhere near us...count on it PJ.

[Amelia]

I guess it's a matter of timing. I'm still sticking with a Savannah to Myrtle beach landfall.

That's a bit too close for comfort.

[PJ-Comix]

I am in South Florida as well...but this thing aint comin anywhere near us...count on it PJ.

Didn't they say the same thing about Andrew?

[The Hose]

It's definitely a 180 between Roswell NM and here let me tell you, and Isabel looks like one giant and mean big sister with attitude to our puny NM "dust devils". Regarding hanging around and letting one of these monsters pound the #### out of you or taking a drive inland till the fireworks are over.....everyone I talk to say there is only one option for anyone with a brain and a will to live. Last I checked, I had a brain, so I guess I'll take my family on a trip if indeed it comes our way. Actually, I have a business trip planned back to NM next Wed. but I think I'll postpone it so I don't leave my wife fighting the traffic all by herself or dealing with one of those "glancing blows" all by her lonesome.

[Dixie Pirate]

Take a good look at this one...

NASA Sat images...

http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/

[talleyman]

Actually, am I the only one who sees a boob rising out of the sea?

[Howlin]

Let me ask you this: when a hurricane comes near here and the trees fall, is the sound like it was the night of the ice storm???

[Dog Gone]

Only three storms to hit the United States have ever been given the Category 5 ranking -- Hurricane Andrew, the nation's most expensive natural disaster, in 1992; Hurricane Camille, which hit the Gulf Coast in 1969, and an unnamed storm that hit the Florida Keys in 1935.

And Andrew wasn't upgraded to a Category 5 storm until 2002.

[My Favorite Headache]

No. There was no trough coming at all when Andrew was where Isabel is right now. I too lived through Andrew. We got 120 mph sustained at my house. Thousands of trees down..power out..roof came off. Isabel is gonna get sucked north. I can see it already...if I am wrong you can call me a democrat.

[Ima Lurker]

Can't say your statement is rational, but I sure like the way you think.