Meteorological Analysis
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Isabel originated from a tropical wave which moved off the coast of Africa on
September 1st. The wave moved steadily west under the sub-tropical ridge and
organized, by September 6th the wave was organized enough to be considered
a tropical depression. The depression quickly strengthened into tropical storm
Isabel the same day. Isabel continued WNW and NW towards a weakness in the
sub-tropical ridge, and intensified into a hurricane by the 7th. The sub-tropical
ridge then built back in and Isabel turned almost due west at about 23 N. On
September 11th, under very favorable environmental conditions, Isabel became
a category 5 hurricane. Winds in Isabel reached 165 mph at this time,with a
pressure of 915 mb. Isabel also had a very large eye of up to 45 nm, and in
this eye some of the best examples of mesovortices ever occurred. The
data collected at this time is very valuable and is being used to decipher some
of the mysteries of hurricanes. Isabel was in a favorable environment, and stayed at
or near cat 5 strength for an unusually long time, 3 days in total. Isabel turned
more northerly by the 13th as it approached a weakness in the ridge, and
was heading NNW by the 15th. Shear increased by the 15th, and combined with
cooler waters in Fabian's wake, Isabel substantially weakened to category 2
strength by the 16th. The size of Isabel increased however. Isabel made
landfall near Drum Inlet, North Carolina on the 18th with 100 mph winds. Isabel
was very large and well formed as indicated by radar. Isabel weakened into a
tropical storm over Virginia, and went extra-tropical over Pennsylvania on the
19th. Extra-tropical Isabel then moved into Canada and was absorbed by a larger system.
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Casualty and Damage Overview
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16 deaths are attributed to Isabel, with 10 in Virginia and the other 6 spread
across many states on the east coast. 34 other deaths are indirectly attributed
to Isabel with 22 in Virginia, 6 in Maryland, 2 in North Carolina, 2 in
Pennsylvania, 1 in New Jersey, and 1 in DC. Isabel brought widespread wind
and surge damage to North Carolina and Virginia.Total U.S. damage is $3.37 billion.
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Isabel Hurricane Research Division Products
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Imagery
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Tracking Data
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Hurricane Isabel
Time Lat Lon Wind(mph) Pressure Storm type
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0 GMT 09/06/03 13.8N 31.4W 35 1009 Tropical Depression
6 GMT 09/06/03 13.9N 32.7W 40 1005 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/06/03 13.6N 33.9W 45 1003 Tropical Storm
18 GMT 09/06/03 13.4N 34.9W 50 1000 Tropical Storm
0 GMT 09/07/03 13.5N 35.8W 65 994 Tropical Storm
6 GMT 09/07/03 13.9N 36.5W 70 991 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/07/03 14.4N 37.3W 75 987 Category 1 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/07/03 15.2N 38.5W 80 984 Category 1 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/08/03 15.8N 39.7W 90 976 Category 1 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/08/03 16.5N 40.9W 110 966 Category 2 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/08/03 17.1N 42.0W 125 952 Category 3 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/08/03 17.6N 43.1W 125 952 Category 3 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/09/03 18.2N 44.1W 135 948 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/09/03 18.9N 45.2W 135 948 Category 4 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/09/03 19.4N 46.3W 135 948 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/09/03 20.0N 47.3W 135 948 Category 4 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/10/03 20.5N 48.3W 125 952 Category 3 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/10/03 20.9N 49.4W 125 952 Category 3 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/10/03 21.1N 50.4W 135 948 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/10/03 21.1N 51.4W 140 942 Category 4 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/11/03 21.2N 52.3W 145 935 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/11/03 21.3N 53.2W 145 935 Category 4 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/11/03 21.4N 54.0W 155 925 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/11/03 21.5N 54.8W 165 915 Category 5 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/12/03 21.6N 55.7W 160 920 Category 5 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/12/03 21.7N 56.6W 160 920 Category 5 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/12/03 21.6N 57.4W 160 920 Category 5 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/12/03 21.7N 58.2W 160 920 Category 5 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/13/03 21.8N 59.1W 155 925 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/13/03 21.9N 60.1W 150 935 Category 4 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/13/03 22.1N 61.0W 155 935 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/13/03 22.5N 62.1W 160 932 Category 5 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/14/03 22.9N 63.3W 155 935 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/14/03 23.2N 64.6W 155 939 Category 4 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/14/03 23.5N 65.8W 155 935 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/14/03 23.9N 67.0W 160 933 Category 5 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/15/03 24.3N 67.9W 150 937 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/15/03 24.5N 68.8W 145 940 Category 4 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/15/03 24.8N 69.4W 140 946 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/15/03 25.3N 69.8W 135 949 Category 4 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/16/03 25.7N 70.2W 120 952 Category 3 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/16/03 26.3N 70.5W 115 955 Category 3 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/16/03 26.8N 70.9W 110 959 Category 2 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/16/03 27.4N 71.2W 110 959 Category 2 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/17/03 28.1N 71.5W 110 957 Category 2 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/17/03 28.9N 71.9W 110 957 Category 2 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/17/03 29.7N 72.5W 105 957 Category 2 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/17/03 30.6N 73.0W 105 955 Category 2 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/18/03 31.5N 73.5W 105 953 Category 2 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/18/03 32.5N 74.3W 105 956 Category 2 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/18/03 33.7N 75.2W 105 956 Category 2 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/18/03 35.1N 76.4W 100 958 Category 2 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/19/03 36.7N 77.7W 75 969 Category 1 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/19/03 38.6N 78.9W 60 988 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/19/03 40.9N 80.3W 40 997 Extratropical Storm
18 GMT 09/19/03 43.9N 80.9W 35 1000 Extratropical Storm
0 GMT 09/20/03 48.0N 81.0W 30 1000 Extratropical Storm
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Tracking maps courtesy of NHC
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Selected Satellite Image
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Selected Hurricane Research Division Radar Image
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