Hurricanes are the major reason I now live in the Northwest. We got completely wiped out by Georges in '98 - had 42" of swamp water mixed with fuel oil from nearby shipyards and septic tank overflow for 2 days before it finally began to recede. At this point we found out we were’nt insured for floods, which is another story and includes a class-action suit pending against State Farm. Anyways, for the love of whatever deity you subscribe to, get your photos, important papers, precious artwork and anything else you really really care about into something waterproof right now!!! I lost every picture ever taken of me since infancy (including my long-past “hot” days, which definately need some sort of documentation to seem credible, given the current physical state), as well as all other photos that held sentimental memories and painstaking composure, and nearly every painting and drawing I had done since high scholl to this bastard Georges, not to mention a whole lot of other shit that still bums me out to remember, simply because they were in portfolios on the floor. Get your computer tower somewhere safe, too-you don’t want to lose that. We had all the emergency stuff covered, and all the critters survived, but I wish I had prepared for this contingency. A flood can pop out of nowhere, a hurricane can spin on its heel and change direction in a heartbeat, and the aggravation of taking these precautions is well worth it if that bitch decides to surprise everybody and go in a new direction. I never imagined the heartache a hurricane could cause, and I paid dearly to find out.
Take care, everybody in this bitch’s path, and I pray you don’t get hit with this kind of loss. Good luck!
So it’s looking less scary here. Now my main (personal) concern is if I’ll be able to fly to Baltimore on Thursday evening.
Here’s hoping the swing to the north comes sooner and includes a swing to the east. Let the monster go over the open ocean and die…
Here’s hoping.
Whatever scalar accelerated energy quantum magnetism is involved in pushing storms into the Carolinas recently should be studied. Nothing personal, I hope this bitch turns due north and east and smacks the North Pole. But, it looks like she might be setting up the most appropriately named place in the US…
CAPE FEAR
Good riddance, Isabel.
OTOH, if anyone is interested, look at the track of a storm in 1965 called Betsy. My 'rents lived in Sarasota. That’ll make you do a double take.
Just looked at Betsy. Very interesting, especially if you live in New Orleans, the Bahamas, or Key West.
It’s that notch in the coastline… J-Ville is just outside the usual arc for nothern-going storms, and more than a bit north of the usual path for the storms headed across the state and into the gulf coast area.
And of course, Hatteras looks to be catching it on the chin, again. 
YES! I just moved back to Greenville NC and I was hoping for a nice Welcome Wagon Hurricane! Time to dance!
Just to reassure you that I’m not totally irresponsible, I live on the second floor and have relatives near Charlotte. I do have an out if it gets too bad. Ain’t no way I’m staying here if Izzy’s a Cat 5.
pantom, I’m gonna KILL you if Izzy heads our way!
No kidding!
You’re less than an hour from us (depending on the traffic in Wilson). Do post if you plan on coming to the State Capital – the corporal’s guard of us left here will want to get together.
Even less. 264 bypasses Wilson now.
The State of North Carolina: Occasionally we get it right.
Even less. 264 bypasses Wilson now.
The State of North Carolina: Occasionally we get it right.
whiterabbit: 'Twasn’t I! It was beagle made me look! Really!
So, shall the poor poster(s) who end up in the middle of this bitch be designated hurricane updaters, broadcasting live from the eye of the storm? Assuming they can post, assuming they haven’t moved 100 miles inland, like I would.
I live 100 miles inland. It doesn’t help much. Heck, I lived 400 miles inland in 1989, and Hugo passed directly over my house.
I was in the navy and stationed at Homestead AFB when Andrew blew through.
I lived through it, and I have only one thing to say to those of you living in Isabel’s path:
Get the fuck out of there.
Please.
Yeah, I second SpazCat (Another Down Easterner on the boards, hooray!) on that one. A Category 5 could easily get 100 miles inland before it even realizes it’s hit a major landmass. Floyd fucked us up right good here in Edgecombe county, and it was what, barely a Category 2 by the time it hit? A Cat 4 or 5 would be catastrophic. Cat-a-STROPH-ic!
When will we North Carolinians face up to the fact that we live in a gawd-damn hurricane magnet of a state and do something about it, like maybe build a great big butterfly net that can pop out of the Hatteras light, scoop up the encroaching storm, and detain it until it can be downgraded to depression status and released somewhere off Nova Scotia?
Hey, a good ol’ girl can dream…
We’re all hoping this baby just waltz’s on by (St. Pete here). Looks like the Carolina’s are ground zero, but it’s way to early to tell. Let’s hope Isabel does the two-step and just shimmies her big butt back out to sea.
NOAA projected path link:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/images/isabeltracking091303-11am.jpg
Looks like is headed straight to Washington! Has there ever been a big hurricane going up the river and hitting the DC?
It looks that way…
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics/AT13/refresh/AL1303W5+GIF/132218W5.gif