Beneath deceptively clear, blue skies, Marylanders pushed their preparations for Hurricane Isabel yesterday, securing homes, businesses and boats, and rushing their harvests to beat the heavy rains and gales expected tomorrow.
Isabel, which had packed 150 mph winds over the weekend, diminished yesterday to a Category 2 storm, with top winds of 110 mph at 11 p.m.
Though the weakening had stopped, forecasters said Isabel is unlikely to regain its former strength before it strikes North Carolina tomorrow. Isabel's northwesterly track seemed likely to spare Central Maryland its worst winds.
"It's a serious storm, but not a crippling storm," said Todd Miner, a meteorologist with Penn State Weather Communications, in State College, Pa.
For Maryland, the real threat is likely to be the rain.
"I can guarantee you there will be serious flooding from this system," Miner said. "This will be a big newsmaker in terms of flooding, most likely in the mountains."
The intensity of Isabel's wind and rain in the Baltimore-Washington area will depend on how far west of the Chesapeake Bay the storm passes. The closer the storm's center, the wetter and windier it will be.
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. declared a state of emergency last night, activating the Maryland National Guard so troops will be ready when Isabel strikes.
"It's simply a matter of readiness," he said. "You put your assets in place."
The Guard's Maj. Gen. Bruce F. Tuxill said it will be able to supply Humvees, front loaders and multipurpose vehicles able to ford streams where needed, and that troops will be called on to help in medical emergencies as during February's record snowstorm.
Marylanders were not the only ones watching Isabel's approach. More than 50 million people live in the broad path of the storm, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Many along the storm's projected path were trying to get out of the way of hurricane winds that extended 160 miles from Isabel's center. More than 100,000 people were making their way off North Carolina's Outer Banks yesterday after evacuation orders were issued for Dare and Currituck counties.
Large swells and dangerous surf were already pounding beaches from the Bahamas to the East Coast. Tropical storm conditions extended 275 miles from the storm's center.
Storm watch
As of late yesterday, Isabel was expected to come ashore tomorrow afternoon near Cape Hatteras, N.C., moving through Central Virginia and crossing Western Maryland on Friday.
