Hurricane ISABEL
ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM ISABEL INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 53A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 8 AM EDT FRI SEP 19 2003 ...ISABEL WEAKENING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS CONTINUE... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF CHINCOTEAGUE TO MORICHES INLET NEW YORK...AND FOR CHESAPEAKE BAY NORTH OF SMITH POINT...THE TIDAL POTOMAC...AND DELAWARE BAY. AT 8 AM EDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ISABEL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 40.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 25 MILES EAST OF PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA. ISABEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 22 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH AT A FASTER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS MOTION SHOULD BRING THE CENTER OF ISABEL ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND INTO CANADA TODAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 40 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS MAINLY IN A FEW SQUALLS. FURTHER WEAKENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS... AND ISABEL IS EXPECTED TO LOSE TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS DURING THAT TIME. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 250 MILES MAINLY TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 996 MB...29.41 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...MAY STILL OCCUR ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 6 FT ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS STILL POSSIBLE IN CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THE TIDAL PORTIONS OF ADJACENT RIVERS. STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE POTOMAC RIVER HAS EQUALED OR EXCEEDED THAT OF THE 1933 HURRICANE IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA... AFFECTING PORTIONS OF REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT AND THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE OUTER BANKS SHOULD GRADUALLY SUBSIDE TODAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...ARE LIKELY IN ASSOCIATION WITH ISABEL. THERE IS A THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES OVER PORTIONS OF MARYLAND... DELAWARE...CENTRAL AND EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW YORK...AND WESTERN CONNECTICUT TODAY. REPEATING THE 8 AM EDT POSITION...40.3 N... 79.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 22 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 40 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 996 MB. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM EDT. FORECASTER FRANKLIN NNNN