EnvirocastTM TV for Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Hurricane Isabel Approaching Atlantic Coast

Background

  

Images

The images to the right were taken by the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard NASA's Aqua satellite.  They show Hurricane Isabel at 18:45 UTC (14:45 a.m. EDT) on September 16, 2003, as it was located approximately 595 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, moving north-northwest at about 7 mph.

NHC 3-Day Forecast Track of Hurricane Isabel:

NTSC 720x486          NTSC 640x480

NHC 3-Day Strike Probabilities Forecast of Hurricane Isabel:

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Environmental Impacts:

  • As of the 2 p.m. EDT on Sept. 16:

    • Isabel was located approximately 595 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

    • The storm was moving north-northwest at about 7 mph.

    • Maximum sustained winds were near 105 mph.

    • Isabel is rated as a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

    • The estimated minimum central pressure is 959 mb, 28.32 inches

  • Some increase in wind strength is possible prior to landfall.

  • Isabel is the fourth hurricane and the second major (category 3 or higher) hurricane so far this year in the Atlantic.

  • Climatologically, August, September and October are most active months during the Atlantic hurricane season, with a peak in activity occurring around September 10. Historically, 78% of the tropical storm days, 87% of the minor (categories 1 and 2) hurricane days, and 96% of the major (categories 3, 4 and 5) hurricane days occur during this three-month period.
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_01_tva.jpg shows Hurricane Isabel approaching Atlantic coast on Sept. 16, 2003, with annotations.
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_02_tva.jpg is the same as above, with limited annotations.
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_03_tva.jpg is the same as above, without annotations.
Hurricane Isabel
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_04_tvb.jpg shows Hurricane Isabel on Sept. 16, 2003, with annotations.
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_05_tvb.jpg is the same as above, without annotations.
Hi-Res Zoom Into the Eye:
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_06_tva.jpg shows a close-up of Isabel's eye, with annotations.
Image NTSC 720x486 030916_07_tva.jpg is the same as above, without annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_01_tvb.jpg shows Hurricane Isabel approaching Atlantic coast on Sept. 16, 2003, with annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_02_tvb.jpg is the same as above, with limited annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_03_tvb.jpg is the same as above, without annotations.
Hurricane Isabel
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_04_tvb.jpg shows Hurricane Isabel on Sept. 16, 2003, with annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_05_tvb.jpg is the same as above, without annotations.
Hi-Res Zoom Into the Eye:
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_06_tvb.jpg shows a close-up of Isabel's eye, with annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030916_07_tvb.jpg is the same as above, without annotations.

 

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