Hurricane (Typhoon) — Perquimans, North Carolina

2003-09-18 to 2003-09-19 · Perquimans, North Carolina

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with frequent gusts to hurricane force occurred over coastal northeast North Carolina. Isabel made landfall near Ocracoke Inlet in North Carolina, tracked northwest into central Virginia just west of Richmond, then continued northward into western Pennsylvania. The highest sustained wind speed recorded was 73 mph at Duck (DUCN7). Other sustained wind speed was 59 mph at Elizabeth City (ECG). The highest gusts recorded were 97 mph at Elizabeth City (from Clemson University observation site in Elizabeth City), 92 mph at Duck (DUCN7), and 74 mph at Elizabeth City (ECG). Mandatory evacuations were ordered for parts of Currituck county, with approximately several thousand persons evacuated and housed in numerous shelters across coastal northeast North Carolina. The unusually large wind field uprooted many thousands of trees, downed many power lines, damaged hundreds of houses, and snapped thousands of telephone poles and cross arms. Hundreds of roads, including major highways, were blocked by fallen trees. Local power companies reported many thousands of customers were without power. Duck water levels peaked at 7.8 feet MLLW before data was lost. On the Albemarle Sound, storm surge values around 7 feet occurred at Edenton, with a surge around 5 feet observed on the Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City. The lowest sea level pressure recorded was 984 mb at Duck (DUCN7) and Duck (Army Coe Field Research Facility). Isabel will be remembered for the greatest wind and storm surge in the region since Hazel in 1954, and the 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane. Also, Isabel will be remembered for the extensive power outages in northeast North Carolina, and permanent change to the landscape from all the fallen trees and storm surge. Rainfall amounts ranged from 2 to 5 inches across coastal northeast North Carolina. Inland flooding due to heavy rainfall occurred over parts of coastal northeast North Carolina. Significant beach erosion occurred across outer banks Currituck county. Eight deaths can be directly attributed to Isabel in the Wakefield area of responsibility, with 1 in North Carolina. There were more than 15 deaths indirectly attributed to the storm.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5370981. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.