Isabel satellite and advisory/forecast!!

[WXBUFFJIM]

http://hadar.cira.colostate.edu/ramsdis ... lvis8.html

http://hadar.cira.colostate.edu/ramsdis ... flvis.html

This is about as beautiful as you'll ever see a hurricane in the Atlantic basin. However the track is potentially devastating if it remains above a category 3 status for the next 6-7 days. Once again reviewing hurricane preparation procedures is now a good reccommendation along the southeast US coast as well as the Bahamas.

At 5 AM EDT, the center of dangerous hurricane Isabel was located near latitude 21.3 north, longitude 53.7 west or about 650 miles east northeast of the northern Leeward Islands.

Isabel is moving towards the west at near 10 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. At 11 AM, the latitude was 21.1. Now it's up to 21.3 north just like it was at 11 am yesterday. Thus small wobbles in the west track are possible in major hurricanes. However review for hurricane preparationsn should begin in the southeastern United States. The earlier we prepare for this, the better!!!

Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph with higher gusts. This makes Isabel a very dangerous category 4 hurricane on the saffir simpson hurricane scale. Fluctuations in intensity are common in major hurricane and uch as the case for the next 24 hours. However overall no change in strength is expected for the next 5 days since Isabel will remain a major hurricane through the next 5 days and most likely beyond that as well.

Minimum central pressure is now 936 mb or 27.64 inches. Large ocean swells today may begin to affect the Leeward Islands and cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions.

Jim

[charleston_hugo_veteran]

Definately a text book model!

[JCT777]

Great update, Jim. And as you said, for those along the southeast U.S. coast - it is never too early to prepare.