Hurricane Isabel
The Costliest Disaster in the History Virginia
On September 1st, 2003 a tropical wave moved across the coast of Africa. For 5 days the wave would sit in the Atlantic Ocean developing into a tropical storm. On September 7th, the storm became Hurricane Isabel. This slow moving storm took its time to gain strength and power until it became a category 5 Hurricane. It rain washed across the coast for days until the storm reached landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane on September 18th. This would be what Governor Mark Warner of Va would call "The worst storm in a generation".
NOAA Satellite Image of Hurricane Isabel
In North Carolina, Hurricane Isabel made landfall near Drum Inlet in the afternoon of September 18th. It created storm surges that reached up to 8 feet above normal tide level. The hurricane broke through Hatteras Island creating Isabel Inlet, which has since been refilled. Over 700,000 People lost power from the storm. It created about 450$ million dollars in damage from flooding, trees falling, power lines down, and other damage. North Carolina highway and Hatteras Island did not reopen for public access until November 22, two months after the storm.
Photo By: Douglas R. Clifford- "SUV Dragged off of highway NC 12 by storm surge" Rodanthe, N.C.
Virginia sustained the most damage from Hurricane Isabel. Most of the damage was from trees falling over and record-breaking flooding. The precipitation in the days leading to the storm made the ground soft. When the storm came, it brought winds that reached gusts of up to 87 mph. This combination, along with the flooding, made it easy for trees and power lines to be blown over. Many people lost their water supply for a day and power for over a week. Old Town Alexandria is a well known location in Northern Virginia that became so flooded that people had to navigate the streets by kayak.
Point 1: Old Town Alexandria, Point 2 Isabel Inlet on Cape Hatteras
The Chesapeake Bay reached up to 8ft above it's normal tidal level causing major flooding. When Isabel reached Maryland, it caused the worst power outage Maryland had ever seen. Their water front industry had to pause due to flooding of boardwalks, roads, stores and the damaged piers. The damage to Maryland was particularly bad due to the fact that forecasters said Isabel had "spared Maryland it's worst as it passed through the North and West".
NOAA Photo of Hurricane Isabel's Path
The hurricane weakened into a tropical storm as it moved further North and was eventually absorbed into another system. Isabel is responsible for 17 deaths and $5 billion worth of damage. Chesapeake Bay Area has not seen a storm like it since.