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CNN Live Today

Latest News on Hurricane Isidore

Aired September 25, 2002 - 11:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Isidore, the big storm right now that's chewing up the Gulf Coast right now.
Let's check in now with the National Hurricane Center. Meteorologist Stacey Stewart is standing by there.

Hi, Stacey. Can you give us the very latest right now?

STACEY STEWART, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Leon.

Isidore is still over the central Gulf of Mexico about 300 miles south of New Orleans. It is forecast to track to the north at around 15 miles per hour for the next day or so. And on that track, it will move across southeast Louisiana and over the New Orleans area sometime tomorrow.

HARRIS: All right. And here is proof that I'm an optimist. Any chance that some of the figures we've heard about how much rain that's going to hit the coast with have actually diminished at all, or is it getting worse?

STEWART: No. Rainfall will still be the primary threat with this system, although there will be some storm surge associated with it also. Winds could reach briefly category 1 hurricane strength, but that doesn't appear likely right now.

So, the biggest threat that we think that will occur with Isidore will be the very heavy rainfall, possibly 10 to 20 inches in some spots, and that will produce extensive flooding.

HARRIS: Is it your belief, right now, that this storm is going to last for a long time? That when it hits the shore, is it going to just really slow down and just sit there and just sort of squat over the coast for a while, or what?

STEWART: No, we expect it to keep moving, and after it moves inland, it will likely turn off to the northeast. The problem is it's a very large system. So even though once it moves inland, there will still be winds to the south of the center that will be blowing close to tropical storm strength, and also produce heavy rainfall as far east as the Florida Panhandle.

HARRIS: Well, in that case, then, which side of the storm right now has got the highest winds?

STEWART: The highest winds are presently located on the east side of the storm and just north of the center.

HARRIS: OK. And they're hitting about which cities, do you think?

STEWART: Well, if it maintains that track, eventually the strongest winds will move onshore southeast of Louisiana, and then into the New Orleans area, followed by the stronger winds also affecting the Mississippi and Alabama coastline, and then farther east into the Florida Panhandle.

HARRIS: All right. And you say there is a good chance this storm could still strengthen back to a category 1 storm? And if it does that, what kind of damage is that capable of?

STEWART: Well, category 1 hurricanes usually produce minimal damage in terms of minor roof damage, some trees uprooted -- things of that nature. But that's still not going to be the main threat. The biggest threat we need to be concerned about is coastal flooding, and especially the inland fresh-water flooding due to the heavy rainfall.

HARRIS: All right, any other new warnings to give people, some advice for the folks who are sitting right now and looking down the barrel of this thing?

STEWART: Other than we don't want people to the east of Isidore to focus on the exact track and the exact center of the storm. The effects of this storm are very large, and they extend several hundred miles well to the east of the center. So, folks as far east as Appalachia, Ocala, and possibly even near the Tampa Bar area could see some of the fringe effects in the form of rain and gusty winds.

HARRIS: All right, Stacey Stewart, thank you very much. A busy couple of days ahead for all of you down there at the Hurricane Center -- we wish you the best, good luck.

STEWART: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired September 25, 2002 - 11:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Isidore, the big storm right now that's chewing up the Gulf Coast right now.
Let's check in now with the National Hurricane Center. Meteorologist Stacey Stewart is standing by there.

Hi, Stacey. Can you give us the very latest right now?

STACEY STEWART, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Leon.

Isidore is still over the central Gulf of Mexico about 300 miles south of New Orleans. It is forecast to track to the north at around 15 miles per hour for the next day or so. And on that track, it will move across southeast Louisiana and over the New Orleans area sometime tomorrow.

HARRIS: All right. And here is proof that I'm an optimist. Any chance that some of the figures we've heard about how much rain that's going to hit the coast with have actually diminished at all, or is it getting worse?

STEWART: No. Rainfall will still be the primary threat with this system, although there will be some storm surge associated with it also. Winds could reach briefly category 1 hurricane strength, but that doesn't appear likely right now.

So, the biggest threat that we think that will occur with Isidore will be the very heavy rainfall, possibly 10 to 20 inches in some spots, and that will produce extensive flooding.

HARRIS: Is it your belief, right now, that this storm is going to last for a long time? That when it hits the shore, is it going to just really slow down and just sit there and just sort of squat over the coast for a while, or what?

STEWART: No, we expect it to keep moving, and after it moves inland, it will likely turn off to the northeast. The problem is it's a very large system. So even though once it moves inland, there will still be winds to the south of the center that will be blowing close to tropical storm strength, and also produce heavy rainfall as far east as the Florida Panhandle.

HARRIS: Well, in that case, then, which side of the storm right now has got the highest winds?

STEWART: The highest winds are presently located on the east side of the storm and just north of the center.

HARRIS: OK. And they're hitting about which cities, do you think?

STEWART: Well, if it maintains that track, eventually the strongest winds will move onshore southeast of Louisiana, and then into the New Orleans area, followed by the stronger winds also affecting the Mississippi and Alabama coastline, and then farther east into the Florida Panhandle.

HARRIS: All right. And you say there is a good chance this storm could still strengthen back to a category 1 storm? And if it does that, what kind of damage is that capable of?

STEWART: Well, category 1 hurricanes usually produce minimal damage in terms of minor roof damage, some trees uprooted -- things of that nature. But that's still not going to be the main threat. The biggest threat we need to be concerned about is coastal flooding, and especially the inland fresh-water flooding due to the heavy rainfall.

HARRIS: All right, any other new warnings to give people, some advice for the folks who are sitting right now and looking down the barrel of this thing?

STEWART: Other than we don't want people to the east of Isidore to focus on the exact track and the exact center of the storm. The effects of this storm are very large, and they extend several hundred miles well to the east of the center. So, folks as far east as Appalachia, Ocala, and possibly even near the Tampa Bar area could see some of the fringe effects in the form of rain and gusty winds.

HARRIS: All right, Stacey Stewart, thank you very much. A busy couple of days ahead for all of you down there at the Hurricane Center -- we wish you the best, good luck.

STEWART: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.