Tropical Storm Isidore

Pre-Landfall 4 | Summary
Posting Date: September 25, 2002, 8:30:00 AM

As of 8:00 a.m. EDT, on Wednesday, September 25, Tropical Storm Isidore was located about 305 miles (491 km) south of New Orleans Louisiana. Isidore is moving toward the northwest at about 13 mph (21 kph). The storm is expected to continue moving north during the next 24 hours. A hurricane watch remains in effect along the northern Gulf coast from Cameron LA to Pascagoula MS. A tropical storm watch remains in effect from east of High Island TX to Destin FL. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (97 kph) with higher gusts. Little strengthening is expected over the next 24 hours, and Isidore may not achieve hurricane status before landfall. Tropical storm force winds extend outward to 345 miles (555 km). Minimum central pressure is currently estimated to be 990 mb. Contrary to some previous forecasts, Isidore remains a loosely organized system. A NOAA reconnaissance plane has verified the lack of a well-defined center and deep convection. Thus the main threat from Isidore is currently heavy rainfall, especially in the convective band east of the center. Nevertheless, Louisiana has declared a state of emergency and evacuations were ordered yesterday for the most low-lying and isolated communities. Using the most recent information about the meteorological parameters of this storm, the AIR tropical cyclone modeling team has run dozens of simulations representing a variety of assumptions about the storm’s future track and intensity. The resulting scenarios and loss estimates suggest that insured losses could well be under $100 million, assuming the storm does not intensify significantly. It is important to note, however, that there is still considerable uncertainty about the future track and intensity of this storm. The AIR hurricane team will continue to monitor events in the area and will post further information as necessary.

Pre-Landfall 4 | Downloads
Posting Date: September 25, 2002, 8:30:00 AM