Saffir-
Simpson
Scale

Depression
<35 mph
<30kt

Tropical Storm
(earns a name from the list)
39-73 mph
34-64 kt

Category 1:
74-95 mph
65-82 knots
4-5 ft surge
minimal damage

Category 2:
96-110 mph
83-96 knots
6-8 ft surge
moderate damage

Category 3:
111-130 mph
97-113 knots
9-12 ft surge
extensive damage

Category 4:
131-155 mph
114-135 knots
13-18 ft surge
extreme damage

Category 5:
over 155 mph
over 135 knots
>18 ft surge
catastrophic damage

Here is NOAA's page.

Wind Scales describes the Beaufort Scale and also the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
plus:
Small Craft Warning
21-38 mph
18-33 kt
Gale Warning
39-54 mph
34-47 kt
Storm Warning
55-73 mph
48-63 kt

• Friday 9/19/03 11 am EDT -- 35 mph winds. Remnants of Isabel continue to weaken, but only after knocking out electrical power to 4.5 million, killing at least 15 people, and shutting down Washington DC for two days. Mid Friday, winds are 35 mph, and it should move into Canada from western New York state.
• Wednesday 9/17/03 5 pm EDT -- 105 mph winds. Flooding is the greatest danger. Expect landfall early Thursday in eastern North Carolina (strength borderline between Category 2 and Category 3). Storm surge flooding of 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels is expected near and to the north of where the center crosses the coast. Rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches are likely along the path of the hurricane. 
• Tuesday 9/16/03 11 pm EDT--Close to 100,000 people were evacuated from NC's Outer Banks. About 6,000 military personnel and their families on or near Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., were ordered to leave. Navy ships from Norfolk, Va., and Earle, N.J. headed out to sea. Military aircraft were flown to airfields inland. Eastern Virginia colleges, including the College of William & Mary, will close Wednesday for the rest of the week.

Isabel News stories from a Carolina newspaper online

newsobserver.com - Coastal North Carolina Web cams

• Wednesday_9-17-03_5_pm_EDT 
    ...Large Hurricane Isabel closing in on the coast... A Hurricane Warning remains in effect from Cape Fear North Carolina to Chincoteague Virginia...including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds...and the Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area...generally within 24 hours.
    All preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion in the Hurricane Warning area.
    A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect south of Cape Fear to South Santee River South Carolina...and north of Chincoteague to Sandy Hook New Jersey...including Delaware Bay. A Tropical Storm Warning also remains in effect for the Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point northward...and for the tidal Potomac.
    At 5 PM EDT...2100z...the center of Hurricane Isabel was located near latitude 31.1 north... longitude 73.3 west or about 315 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina.
    Isabel is moving toward the north-northwest near 14 mph. A turn to the northwest with an increase in forward speed is expected prior to landfall. On the forecast track...the center of Isabel is expected to make landfall in eastern North Carolina during the day Thursday. However...the precise timing and location of landfall is uncertain...and conditions will deteriorate over a large area well before the center reaches the coast. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coastline tonight. Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph...with higher gusts. Isabel is a category two hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. A slight increase in strength is possible prior to landfall. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 315 miles.
    The most recent minimum central pressure measured by an Air Force reserve unit reconnaissance aircraft was 955 mb...28.20 inches.
    Storm surge flooding of 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels... along with extremely large and dangerous battering waves...is expected near and to the north of where the center crosses the coast. Storm surge flooding of 4 to 8 ft above normal tide levels is expected in Chesapeake Bay and the tidal portions of adjacent rivers.
    Storm total rainfalls of 6 to 10 inches...with locally higher amounts...are likely in association with Isabel. There is the threat of isolated tornadoes over eastern North Carolina tonight and Thursday.
    Repeating the 5 PM EDT position...31.1 N... 73.3 W. Movement toward...north-northwest near 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds...105 mph. Minimum central pressure... 955 mb.
    For storm-related information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office...and statements from local emergency management officials. An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 8 PM EDT followed by the next complete advisory at 11 PM EDT.
• Tuesday 9/16/03 11 pm EDT ...Isabel heading for the mid-Atlantic U.S. Coast... At 11 PM EDT...0300z...a Hurricane Warning is in effect from Cape Fear North Carolina northward to the North Carolina/Virginia state line including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds. A Hurricane Watch is in effect from the North Carolina/Virginia state line northward to Chincoteague Virginia including Chesapeake Bay and the tidal Potomac.
    A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from Cape Fear southward to Little River Inlet South Carolina.
    A tropical storm watch is in effect from north of Chincoteague to Little Egg Inlet New Jersey including Delaware Bay...and from south of Little River Inlet to South Santee River South Carolina.
    A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are possible within the warning area...generally within 24 hours.
    At 11 PM EDT...0300z...the center of Hurricane Isabel was located near latitude 28.5 north...longitude 71.7 west or about 520 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina.
    Isabel is moving toward the north-northwest near 8 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.
    Maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast prior to landfall.
    Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 145 miles from the center ...And tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 260 miles.
    The latest minimum central pressure reported by USAF reconnaissance aircraft is 957 mb...28.26 inches. Storm surge flooding of 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels is expected near and to the north of where the center crosses the coast. Rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches are likely along the path of the hurricane.
    Large ocean swells and dangerous surf conditions are being experienced along portions of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. These conditions will also continue over portions of the Bahamas for the next few days.

Henri [9/5/03--   ] Brief status as a Tropical Storm in Gulf of Mexico, crossed Florida Friday 9/5/03, heading back east into Atlantic Saturday afternoon.

 

System	Time	Date	Lat	Long	Winds	Pressure	Dir/Speed
Fabian	10AM EST	9/6/03	36.5N	61.5W	110 mph	965 mb	NE @ 22 mph
Fabian	1PM EST	9/5/03	31.9N	65.2W	120 mph	951 mb	N @ 17 mph
Fabian	10PM EST	9/1/03	19.4N	58.6W	145 mph	942 mb	WNW @ 10 mph
Fabian	5 PM AST	8/31/03			135 mph	952 mb
Fabian	4PM EST	8/30/03	17.4N	49.8W	115 mph	960 mb	W @ 14 mph
Fabian	4PM EST	8/28/03	15.2N	39.2W	45 mph	1004 mb	W @ 22 mph

• Saturday 8/16/03
  • 4 pm: inland in Mexico, W of Matamoros: 35 mph, 1005 mb, moving WSW at 17 mph--expected to dissipate, possibly with rainfall in the mountains of Mexico
  • 7 am: 70 mph, 987 mb, moving W at 18 mph
    • made landfall by 6 am near Matamoros, MExico, 30 mi S of Brownsville--surprisingly little rain in Brownsville--
    • Queen Isabella Causeway closed--may open by mid-day Saturday
    • Under-developed, unpaved colonias, populated mostly by recent immigrants or migrants, were expected to turn quickly into quagmires, and people were streaming into 11 county-run shelters.  "The colonias will flood with a lot less rain than this," Hinojosa said.  As of 5 a.m. CDT, more than 1,200 people had sought shelter.
• Friday 8/15/03
  • 4 pm: 60 mph, 1000 mb, moving W at 22 mph
    • Erika is forecast to make landfall as a 65-knot hurricane...intensity forecasts are uncertain. The formation of an inner core...which is not out of the question but basically impossible to forecast...could result in stronger winds at landfall.
  • 10 am: 50 mph, 1008 mb, moving W at 23 mph
    • "Storm surge flooding is expected to be 3 to 6 feet above normal tide levels...along with large battering waves...near and to the north of where the center crosses the coast. Rainfall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches...with isolated higher amounts...can be expected near the path of Erika. There is a possibility of isolated tornadoes along the middle Texas coast beginning tonight."

 

System	Time	Date	Lat	Long	Winds	Pressure	Dir/Speed
Erika	11 PM	8/17/03			30 mph	dissipating in mountains of Mexico--rain could cause mudslides
Erika	11PM EDT	8/16/03	24.8N	100.8W	30 mph	1008 mb	W @ 14 mph
Erika	5PM EDT		24.6N	99.8W	35 mph	1005 mb	WSW @ 17 mph
Erika	7AM EDT		25.4N	97.4W	70 mph	987 mb	W @ 18 mph
Erika	8PM EDT	8/15/03	26.0N	94.5W	60 mph	998 mb	W @ 20 mph
Erika	5PM EDT		26.0N	93.5W	60 mph	1000 mb	W @ 22 mph
Erika	2PM EDT		26.0N	92.5W	50 mph	1001 mb	W @ 23 mph
Erika	11AM EDT		26.1N	91.4W	50 mph	1008 mb	W @ 23 mph

• captured satellite images: just before landfall  soon after landfall  220pm  420pm
• captured radar loops: just before landfall  just after landfall  soon after  several hours later  over mexico east of big bend  heading into big bend  over big bend  fizzled out past big bend
• other captured images: ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
• from weatherunderground:
  • tracking map | 5 Day Forecast Map | Discussion | Satellite | Wind Map
• from palmbeachpost:
  • Update | Advisory | Maps | Forecast | Satellite
• Wed 7/16/03
  • 30,000 customers without power--"a few thousand" may remain without power for several days. Two fatalities (falling trees or limbs). Red Cross has hundreds of workers in South Texas, will become thousands.
• Tue 7/15/03 HURRICANE Claudette
  • Final Advisory: 10 pm CDT:
    ...Claudette weakening as it moves inland...coastal warnings discontinued... At 10 PM CDT...0300 UTC...all coastal warnings are discontinued. However...a few wind gusts in excess of tropical storm force are still possible in rainbands over the Gulf of Mexico.
      At 10 PM CDT...0300z...the center of Tropical Storm Claudette was located near latitude 28.5 north... longitude 98.9 west or about 70 miles south-southwest of San Antonio Texas.
      Claudette is moving toward the west near 14 mph. A west or west-northwest motion is expected over the next 24 hours.
      Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph...with higher gusts. Claudette is expected to weaken to a tropical depression Wednesday morning.
      Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles ... 95 km from the center.
      Estimated minimum central pressure is 996 mb...29.41 inches.
      Storm surge flooding...swells...and battering waves along the Texas coast are subsiding.
      Storm total rainfall of 5 to 8 inches is possible in association with Claudette.
      Isolated tornadoes are possible in portions of south-central Texas tonight. One fatality has been reported in association with Claudette...a thirteen-year-old was killed by a falling tree in Jourdanton Texas in Atascosa County. Repeating the 10 PM CDT position...28.5 N... 98.9 W. Movement toward...west near 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 50 mph. Minimum central pressure... 996 mb.
      For storm information specific to your area...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
      This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center on this system. Future information on Claudette can be found in public advisories issued by the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center...under AWIPS header tcpat4 and wmo header wtnt34 kwnh...beginning at 4 am CDT.
      Forecaster Franklin
  • 4 pm CDT 70 mph winds, 989 mb = Back to Tropical Storm status. Rain bands about to move into the Hill Country.
  • 2 pm CDT 75 mph winds, 985 mb--over land (Matagordo Bay) since about noon, loosing strength, but slowly. Moving into South Central Texas. Track as expected: rain bands approaching San Antonio and Austin around 3 pm.
  • 10 am CDT Tues 7/15/03 (80 mph winds, 981 mb) landfall imminent, half way between Corpus Christi and Galveston.
    [captured satellite image just before landfall]
    [captured radar loop just before landfall]
    The path brings Claudette just south of our area, loosing strength & dumping lots of rain, which will put us in the heaviest quadrant of rains.
    [Current Radar Loop]
    Wind Advisory 10:50 am CDT, includes: "Northeast and North winds of 20 to 35 mph will reach as far inland as the Austin and San Antonio metropolitan areas." (We are barely beyond the Western fringe of the warned area.)
    Rain bands should reach Kerr area Tues afternoon, with rains becoming heavier and more frequent into Tues evening, overnight, and most of Wednesday. Flood watches and/or warnings in the Kerr area will be likely beginning later Tuesday.

Saffir-
Simpson
Scale

Depression
<35 mph
<30kt

Tropical Storm
(earns a name from the list)
39-73 mph
34-64 kt

Category 1:
74-95 mph
65-82 knots
4-5 ft surge
minimal damage

Category 2:
96-110 mph
83-96 knots
6-8 ft surge
moderate damage

Category 3:
111-130 mph
97-113 knots
9-12 ft surge
extensive damage

Category 4:
131-155 mph
114-135 knots
13-18 ft surge
extreme damage

Category 5:
over 155 mph
over 135 knots
>18 ft surge
catastrophic damage

Here is NOAA's page.

Wind Scales describes the Beaufort Scale and also the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
plus:
Small Craft Warning
21-38 mph
18-33 kt
Gale Warning
39-54 mph
34-47 kt
Storm Warning
55-73 mph
48-63 kt