Hurricane ISABEL

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HURRICANE ISABEL ADVISORY NUMBER  42
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
11 AM EDT TUE SEP 16 2003
 
...HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED AS ISABEL MOVES NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD...

AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LITTLE
RIVER INLET SOUTH CAROLINA TO CHINCOTEAGUE VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE
PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS...CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NORTH BEACH
MARYLAND...AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC.  A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT
HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY
WITHIN 36 HOURS.
 
HURRICANE WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.
 
AT 11 AM EDT...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF
LITTLE RIVER INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA.  A
TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED NORTH OF THE HURRICANE WATCH
AREA LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.
 
AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE ISABEL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 27.4 NORTH... LONGITUDE 71.2 WEST OR ABOUT 600 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.
 
ISABEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR  8 MPH AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED AND ARE NOW NEAR 105
MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  THIS MAKES ISABEL A CATEGORY TWO
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE.  WHILE SOME
FURTHER WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TODAY...CONDITIONS COULD BECOME
FAVORABLE FOR RESTRENGTHENING PRIOR TO LANDFALL.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 230 MILES.
 
A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE
OF 959 MB...28.32 INCHES.
 
LARGE OCEAN SWELLS AND DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY BEING
EXPERIENCED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE U.S. SOUTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC
COASTS.  THESE CONDITIONS WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER PORTIONS OF THE
THE BAHAMAS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. 

REPEATING THE 11 AM EDT POSITION...27.4 N... 71.2 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR  8 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS...105 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 959 MB.
 
FOR STORM-RELATED INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE...AND STATEMENTS FROM
LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 2 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT
COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 PM EDT.
 
FORECASTER FRANKLIN
 
 
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