Hurricane Isabel will still serve as a big potential

[John]

The 18z Reconnaissance Data this evening Indicated 110 KTS... it's give or take and the NHC has taken 5 KTS so this would support the 110 KT intensity for now. Isabel appears to be trying to undergo another eye wall replacement cycle, the large 50 N, MI eye seen in recent day's is gone, however latest observations suggest that a new eye wall may be trying to form inside of it. Fluctuations in strength are likely ... but since Isabel is likely to cross sections of the Gulf stream during the next day or so it should maintain much of it's intensity prior to landfall. The Primary Area of risk continues to be from Dare County Northward to Fire Island. Isabel should come ashore just east of Stumpy Point NC, however only a small deviation to the left and this area could experience the western portion of the core of the Hurricane. One must not focus on this track because Isabel will still have a very large core of strong winds, It is likely that Hurricane force winds will be experienced over portions of inland Eastern, NC spreading North to the VA border.
The Hurricane is expected to encounter a more Northward steering current and eventually a North Northeastward flow on the East side of a Mid to upper level trough in the next few day's. In any event due to the size of this Hurricane and the predicted acceleration... I would expect the Hurricane warnings to be from Carteret County and extended Northward to Fire Island.

ALL PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY
SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION ONCE A HURRICANE WARNING AREA BECOMES OFFICIAL.

[dixiebreeze]

Thanks for the update John. From this IR it's pretty hard to tell that Isabel is still alive, let alone moving NW:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT ... IR4/20.jpg

[soonertwister]

Dixie, if you can't see from the images that Isabel is still alive, then you need glasses.

Your eulogy for Isabel is extremely premature.

I would dearly love to hear your explanation how Isabel is all but gone. In fact, I would love it if she WAS gone...

I'm waiting with bated breath to hear your postmortem.