Hurricane Isabel Is Falling Apart/But Could Re-Gain Strength-Live Thread

NHC | 9-16-03 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

Hurricane Isabel is falling apart and fast. Re-Con planes have been flying in the storm since midnight and the entire west quad of the storm has disappeared. The eastern portion of the storm has a wind around 110KTS. There is discussion that re-strengthening will occour within 24 hours though so this still remains a threat.

Pressure has dramatically risen as well. Discussion currently is Isabel making landfall in either Northern South Carolina or Southern North Carolina and a due north move after landfall. Thinking is a landfalling Category 2 minimal 3 storm.

[MEG33]

It is exciting,awesome,scary,spine tingling..until you lose your home or lose your child or friend.

[Hatteras]

"Eeesh--the computer models look like a NC roadmap."

The only thing missing is all the road cones.

I was starting to feel a little relieved by the track I saw last night before hitting the sack. This morning, I'm getting back on edge. This thing looks like it might duck the front that's moving through and then after hitting the gulfstream, rebuild and come ashore as a high CAT2 or 3 further south, say between Wilmington and Atlantic Beach? I'll need some reassurance from today's reports.

[AppyPappy]

Wednesday Night/Thursday Morning

If it hits north of Wilmington, it will be Friday AM.

[NautiNurse]

Compare a direct hit from a major hurricane with a 12 hour air raid bombing. Makes me wonder whether you were excited September 11, 2001.

[Nexus]

I have noticed just in the last 1 hour that there is some solid convection building around the center.

Yes, I see that as well. Also, it seems to be pulling moisture in from the SW, helping the regeneration.

[Treebeard]

That's rather unfair and ungenerous. September 11th was a preventable act of utter evil and cowardice.

Nature in her fury is great to behold. Terrible, sometimes, but great.

[Severa]

*LOL* Tell me about it. My husband was just a cussing as he left for work this morning, they're sending the Atlantic Fleet out. Good thing he's on a submarine I guess. *s*

[Gabz]

Don't know about Seymour Johnson, but Langley AFB is shipping its planes to Indiana.

Dover AFB started moving out the C-5s yesterday, expect to have all done by tomorrow afternoon.

[4Freedom]

Ping for later reading.

[Damocles]

If you type in 1989 and look at Hugo, it has the same pattern of losing strength, then, well you know what happened then...

[Constitution Day]

That looks like Manteo.

[Constitution Day]

The good news for CD is that the Tar River is 12 ft. lower than it was before Floyd.

That has a lot of people here in RM feeling very relieved [including me].

[Treebeard]

Local news just said Tinker AFB here in OKC metro is moving AWACS planes and making space for all the extra aircraft it can accomodate, for traffic from other AFBs fleeing the storm. Might be a good day to stand out at SE 29th and I-40 to watch the planes come in.

[Damocles]

If you go to dawn53's link here  type in 1989 and add Hugo, you can see a strikingly similar pattern of behavior.

Here's hoping Isabel just dies...

[Gabz]

You won't be seeing any of the massive C-5's from Dover, though

Dover is home to 36 C-5s. As of Monday, 11 were deployed and five others were unable to fly and housed in hangars on the base. Most of the evacuated aircraft will go to McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., with the balance going to Fort Campbell, Ky., and Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina.

Though the way this thing has been acting, they may be rethinking Charleston.

[Constitution Day]

Ok, 'fess up. Is anyone else slightly disappointed?

NO.
Not just no, but hell no.

Hurricane Floyd here in eastern NC broke me of any affinity I had for storm 'excitement'.

[dawn53]

Thanks for the info, I'll check it out.

[djf]

I saw one of those puppies drop into McChord AFB one day. Definitely not a Cessna.

[dawn53]

That's scary, lots of similarities to Hugo.

I had friends living in Charleston in 1989. They said that after Hugo their house looked like it had been sand-blasted. The house stood, but all the paint was stripped off of it.

[Doohickey]

I lived in Charleston in '89. Not a good time.