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ISIDORE DRIFTING WESTWARD IN THE GULF OF MEXICO
September
21, 2002 — At 11 p.m. EDT, the eye of Hurricane Isidore was located
near latitude 22.2 north, longitude 86.7 west or about 45 miles north-northeast
of Cabo Catoche on the northeast tip of the Yucatan peninsula. Isidore
is moving toward the west near 6 mph, and this motion is expected to continue
during the next 24 hours. On this track, the eye of Isidore is expected
to remain just north of the northern coast of the Yucatan peninsula. However,
strong winds on the south side of the eye will likely affect northern
Yucatan during the next 24 hours, but just a slight deviation to the south
would bring the core of the hurricane and the most intense winds onshore,
according to the NOAA National Hurricane
Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger
view of Hurricane Isidore taken at 11:15 p.m. EDT on Sept. 21, 2002. Click
here to see latest view. Please credit “NOAA.”)
Maximum
sustained winds remain near 125 mph with higher gusts. Some fluctuations
in intensity are likely during the next 24 hours. Hurricane force winds
extend outward up to 35 miles from the center, and tropical storm force
winds extend outward up to 200 miles. (Click NOAA radar image
for larger view of Hurricane Isidore's eye taken at 6:12 p.m. EDT on Sept.
21, 2002. This radar composite image is from the NOAA
P-3 Orion "hurricane hunter" aircraft, which flew a mission
into Hurricane Isidore on Sept. 21, 2002. Click
here for high resolution version.)
Estimated
minimum central pressure is 946 mb, 27.94 inches. Although the center
of Isidore is moving away from Cuba, additional heavy rainfall amounts
of 10 to 15 inches are still possible over portions of western Cuba and
the Isle of Youth. Heavy rainfall will also affect the northern portion
of the Yucatan peninsula. Coastal storm surge flooding along the southwest
coast of Cuba, along with large and dangerous battering waves, will gradually
diminish. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane
Isidore taken at 6:15 p.m. EDT on Sept. 21, 2002.)
A hurricane warning is in effect along the north and east coasts of the Yucatan peninsula from Tulum to Progresso, including the island of Cozumel. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio, including the Isle of Youth.
For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices.
Click
NOAA tracking map for larger view.
Relevant
Web Sites
NOAA's
National Hurricane Center —
Get the latest advisories here
NOAA's Atlantic Hurricanes
Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes
El
Niño Expected to Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA Reports
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane
Scale
NOAA's River Forecast Centers
NOAA's Flood Products
NOAA Rainfall Graphics
24-hour
Observed Precipitation as of 8 a.m. today
Latest
rainfall data as of 8 a.m. EDT today
NOAA Buoys
NOAA Satellite Images — The
latest satellite views
Colorized Satellite Images
NOAA 3-D Satellite Images
NOAA's Hurricanes Page
NOAA's Storm Watch —
Get the latest severe weather information across the USA
Media
Contact:
Frank
Lepore, NOAA's National Hurricane
Center, (305) 229-4404
(Radar image
courtesy of Sean McMillan, systems crew chief aboard NOAA-42 P-3 "hurricane
hunter" aircraft.)
 Click NOAA photo for larger view of Sean McMillan, NOAA systems crew chief of NOAA-42 P-3 aircraft, at work last May. Click here for high resolution version. Please note that this is a large file. |
Sean
McMillan NOAA Systems Crew Chief NOAA42 P-3 Orion “Hurricane Hunter” NOAA Aircraft Operations Center, Tampa, Fla. Science and Engineering Division The
responsibilities of Systems Crew Chief are to plan, coordinate,
document, install and upgrade the aircraft scientific systems, as
well as to network the onboard computers systems with those of other
scientific organizations. |
