 Download
Cat Report
(54kb pdf)
Cover Page
Heatwave - UK & Europe
Typhoon - Japan
Hurricane - USA
Wildfires - USA
Floods - France
Earthquake - Iran
Other events
|
Catastrophe Report 4
July 8, 2003 - February 20, 2004
|
Hurricane - United States, Canada
| Territory: |
|
United States, Canada |
| Region: |
|
East coast, especially North Carolina,
Virginia and Maryland |
| Date: |
|
18 – 20 September, 2003 |
| Event: |
|
Hurricane |
| Impact: |
|
Over 360,000 homes were damaged or destroyed,
either due to strong winds or to coastal (storm surge) or inland
flooding. Most damage occurred in eastern North Carolina, south
east Virginia, and eastern Maryland, although damage also extended
to West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York
and into Ontario (Canada). Thirteen deaths are attributed directly
to Isabel, with another seventeen indirect deaths reported.
Two million homes lost power in Virginia as winds toppled thousands
and trees and power lines. Further power outages also occurred
in Ontario. With economic losses totalling 5 billion US$, and
insured losses set at 1.68 billion US$, the storm was the costliest
of the year. |
| Summary: |
|
Hurricane Isabel reached hurricane status east
of the Leeward Isles on September 7thand peaked at category
5 on the 11th. From then on the storm weakened, making landfall
as a category 2 hurricane on the evening of the 17th between
Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout in North Carolina. Maximum sustained
winds at landfall were in excess of 154 kph, with the accompanying
storm surge approaching 3m in the Potomac, York and other rivers
in east Virginia. Isabel brought hurricane conditions to parts
of eastern North Carolina and south east Virgina, and tropical
storm conditions as far north as New York. Extensive storm surge
flooding occurred along the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia
and in Chesapeake Bay, and above normal tides were reported
as far north as Long Island. Up to 30cm of rain fell in parts
of North Carolina and Virginia, with up to 6cmin Ohio, Pennsylvania
and New York. |
| Data sources: |
|
NOAA National Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
The Canadian Hurricane Centre
http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/index_e.html
|
| Additional sources:
|
|
NOAA Coastal Services Centre
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/coos/isabel.html
NOAA Hurricane Media Central
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/hurricanes.html
|
| |
|
|
|
|
