Isabel aimed straight at us (according to the computer model)

Stephen Orr · 09-15-2003, 12:17 PM

I live in the VA Beach/Hampton Roads area, and we are LONG overdue for a major hit (1933). Current models show Isabel coming up our left side (slightly) and clobbering us with the Northeast quadrant. Possible winds of 120 miles per or more.

Keep us in your thoughts for the next four or five days. We're expecting the hit sometime Thursday.

Ted Lee · 09-15-2003, 12:20 PM

stephen - keep us in the loop and make sure you let us know you're okay!

are you going to stay in the area?

good luck!

Malcolm R · 09-15-2003, 12:31 PM

It'll probably be quite a wallop regardless, but I think it'll have weakened to Cat 2 before it makes landfall. It appears to have already started its death spiral. Of course, it still has to cross the Gulf Stream. Sometimes that can re-energize a dying storm.

Topher · 09-15-2003, 01:32 PM

All accounts suggest otherwise. What I am seeing is the possibility of the storm reaching shore with at least cat3, possibly still a cat4 because of the energy it will gather when it gets close. I hope not though, good luck over there Stephen.

SteveA · 09-15-2003, 01:35 PM

Hopefully VA Beach won't get a direct hit. I have a sister in Norfolk who is planning to stay at my house for a couple of days if things look really bad. I'm sure the traffic on I-64 will be horrendous!

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Dana Fillhart · 09-15-2003, 04:48 PM

I have family in Ocean City, MD (where I grew up). If this thing tracks up the Chesapeake Bay, it's a nightmare scenario for the Eastern Shore, as the higher winds and rain are usually on the eastern side of the eyewall.

I'm hoping the thing falls apart or veers away to sea beforehand, but it's looking less and less likely that it will miss landfall, and, as said above, it's looking very much like a minimum Category 3 'cane at landfall, too

Kirk Gunn · 09-15-2003, 05:06 PM

I work for an Energy company in Baltimore, so we have some internal forecasters. Our models show it coming right up the bay. Don't know what I'm going to do about my boat which is in a marina in Annapolis. Nowhere is safe from the storm surge.

Stephen - I'd get the heck out of Dodge as soon as you can. As Stephen said, I-64 will be madness... Good Luck.

Chris_Morris · 09-15-2003, 08:32 PM

Looks like we may get lucky Topher. The tracks keep moving farther east all the time, but it seems like it will track too close to my hometown of Fredericksburg. Hopefully this will be the only hurricane to strike the coast this year.

Chris

Ron C · 09-15-2003, 08:56 PM

I'm hoping it doesn't hit at all

I live in New Jersey next to the raritan river. When hurricane floyd came in 1999(hit virginia first i think), the river flooded and my street was 6 feet in water. That was only four years ago, I can't believe its happening again

Dana Fillhart · 09-15-2003, 09:08 PM

I remember Floyd very well; I was in NJ at the time, but not where I currently live. Where I live now, I'm only 6 miles or so away from the worst-hit area of Jersey -- Bound Brook. They interviewed a guy today from the town, said they're still recovering from it.

So yeah, I'm REALLY hoping for a out-to-sea-but-if-it-HAS-to-hit-land-do-it-anywhere-but-Jersey scenario. The slightly good news is that my apartment is on (supposedly) higher ground compared to the surrounding area; the bad news is I'm stuck in the Boston area until Thursday evening -- right in the middle of landfall

If it appears to be tracking to Jersey by Wednesday morning, I'm going home a day early to evacuate some of my belongings!