ISIDORE MEANDERING OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO

September 23, 2002 — At 11 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Isidore was located near latitude 20.1 north, longitude 89.5 west or about 55 miles south of Merida, Mexico. Isidore is currently drifting eastward. A slow northwest motion is expected to begin later Monday or Monday night. This motion will keep the center over the northwestern Yucatan peninsula Monday, possibly emerging over the Gulf of Mexico Monday night, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Storm Isidore taken at 11:15 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2002. Click here to see latest view. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Maximum sustained winds have decreased near 65 mph with higher gusts. Further weakening is forecast while the center remains over land. However, Isidore is likely to strengthen again when the center reaches the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 960 mb, 28.35 inches. Very heavy rains are affecting the Yucatan peninsula, other portions of eastern Mexico, and the northern portions of Guatemala and Belize. Additional rainfall amounts of 10 to 15 inches are likely.

Coastal storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels along with battering waves continues in areas of onshore winds over the northwest Yucatan peninsula. Onshore winds will produce storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal elsewhere along the coast of Mexico from Campeche westward to near Veracruz. Tides are running 1 to 2 feet above normal along much of the remainder of the gulf coast, and this combined with large swells generated by Isidore may cause some coastal flooding and beach erosion. Large swells generated by Isidore are affecting much of the remainder of the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico.

The government of Mexico has changed the hurricane warning from Cabo Catoche to Campeche to a tropical storm warning as of 11 a.m. EDT. A tropical storm warning is now in effect along the gulf coast of Mexico from Cabo Catoche to Veracruz.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices.

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