HURRICANE ISIDORE POUNDING CUBA

September 20, 2002 — At 11 a.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Isidore was located near latitude 21.7 north, longitude 83.9 west or about 100 miles southwest of Havana, Cuba. This position is also about 65 miles east of the western tip of Cuba. Isidore is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph. Some decrease in forward speed is expected during the next 24 hours. On this track, the core of the hurricane will move over far western Cuba later Friday, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Isidore taken at 11:45 a.m. EDT on Sept. 20, 2002. Click here to see latest view. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph with higher gusts, making Isidore a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 24 hours. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 145 miles. Estimated minimum central pressure is 966 mb, 28.53 inches. (NOAA aerial photo of Hurricane Isidore taken Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 at 6:37 p.m. EDT from an altitude of 7,000 feet. Click here for high resolution version. Please note that this is a large file. Please credit "NOAA.")

Extremely heavy rainfall amounts—up to 20 to 30 inches—can be expected over portions of western Cuba over the next two to three days. Coastal storm surge flooding of 8 to 12 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves, can be expected near and to the east of where the center makes landfall.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for the western Cuban provinces of Matanzas, Ciudad de La Habana, La Habana and Pinar del Rio, including the Isle of Youth. The tropical storm watch for the lower Florida keys has been discontinued. The government of Mexico has issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch from Progresso to Tulum on the Yucatan peninsula, including the island of Cozumel. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Isidore taken at 9:45 a.m. EDT on Sept. 20, 2002.)

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
(Photo courtesy of Sean McMillan, systems crew chief aboard NOAA-42 P-3 "hurricane hunter" aircraft.)

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.

These computer systems are interconnected using a variety of network protocols. i.e. Ethernet, serial RS-232, RS-422, TCP/IP. Once the aircraft systems are installed and configured, he is responsible for their operation, maintenance and repair.