Be careful with this game - it's the one televised at 7:45pm EDT by ESPN - hurricanes are really hard to predict, but I wouldn't be surprised if this game sees high winds or rain bands moving out far in front of the hurricane. Hell, for all I know they might postpone it entirely - they've already declared a state of emergency in Virginia to help mobilization efforts.
Blackburg is where they play the game - here's their current forecast ...
Thursday. Becoming mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Highs in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Thursday night. Showers and thunderstorms likely. Rain may be heavy at times. Windy. Lows 55 to 60. Chance of rain 60 percent.
RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Mark R. Warner (search) declared a state of emergency in Virginia on Monday to brace the state for Hurricane Isabel, which was on course to smash into the East Coast as early as Thursday.
The declaration places the National Guard, the State Police and the Department of Transportation on full alert for what Warner said could be significant flooding across an already waterlogged state as well as wind and tornado damage.
Isabel, 350 miles wide and packing winds of about 150 mph, on Monday was churning its way toward the U.S. mainland, where prognosticators predict landfall would be most likely from the Carolinas northward.
Warner called on Virginians statewide, not just in coastal or tidewater regions, to be prepared to move to higher ground, tie down garbage cans and lawn furniture that could become missiles in high winds and prepare for three to seven days without electricity.
He met privately Monday afternoon with state law-enforcement, military, emergency preparedness and transportation officials.
The last hurricane to affect Virginia was in 1999, when Hurricane Floyd (search) caused widespread flooding damage, particularly in Franklin and Southampton County. Franklin's downtown business district was almost completely inundated and is still struggling to rebound.
---------------------------------------------
MANTEO, N.C. — With Hurricane Isabel's (search) point of landfall still a mystery, all eyes on the Atlantic Coast were pinned Tuesday to the monster storm.
More than 75,000 residents and visitors were urged to evacuate the North Carolina coast as the storm slowly moved closer to land, and a hurricane watch was to be issued later Tuesday for North Carolina and possibly eastern Virginia.
A watch is issued when an area faces hurricane conditions within 36 hours.
The storm was moving northwest at around 7 mph and was about 660 miles southeast of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, the hurricane center reported.
Forecasters said Isabel appeared likely to hit the North Carolina coastline on Thursday and move up through Chesapeake Bay, but minute changes in conditions could still divert it east or west.
The Carolinas "will start feeling the effects of Isabel by Wednesday evening," said Krissy Williams, a meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center (search) in Miami.
Large ocean swells and dangerous surf conditions were already being felt along portions of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts.
At 5 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Isabel's fastest sustained wind had slowed to near 115 mph, down from about 125 mph at 5 p.m. Monday, but it was still a Category 3 storm. Forecasters said it would not likely slow much more.
On Sunday, Isabel's top wind had hit 160 mph, making it a Category 5 storm.
"It has been weakening," said Eric Blake, a meteorologist with the Miami-based center. "That's good for the people of the East Coast, but by no means should anyone let their guard down. Hurricanes are notorious for gaining strength as they cross the Gulf Stream. Even if it weakens to a Category 2 hurricane, there's still a lot of potential for danger."
Preparing for the Worst
Coastal residents and military installations were already taking precautions.
Charles Quidley of Manteo said he'd "seen storms come and go and I've always been thankful to God I've never been hurt." The 59-year-old Quidley added that he and his family would brave the storm in their mobile home, despite urges from officials to evacuate.
"It doesn't look good, but not everybody can afford to leave," Quidley said.
School systems along North Carolina's barrier islands planned to either have only teachers report to work Tuesday or end their day after lunch.
The latest evacuation order was for the low-lying Outer Banks islands, affecting an estimated 75,000 people from Hatteras to Duck. On Monday, hundreds of residents of vulnerable Ocracoke and Bald Head islands were ordered to evacuate.
"We do have some fire departments in municipalities that will visit neighborhoods and encourage people, but we don't have any kind of law enforcement knocking on doors, forcing people to leave," said Dare County spokeswoman Dorothy Toolan.
In other islands there, residents started boarding windows, moving their vessels inland and checking up on their generators.
Kay Burros and Anne Troutman checked their 5,000-watt home generator at Surf City.
"We've had it about three years, but haven't cranked it up in a while. It's been so long, we have to read the instructions," Burros said.
As far north as Rhode Island, owners were hauling boats out of the water to protect them from expected rough seas.
"We're not panicking yet, but a lot of owners are calling us because they don't want to lose their boats," said Rick Smith, yard manager at Conanicut Marine Service in Jamestown, R.I.
Vice Adm. Gary Roughead, commander of the U.S. Second Fleet (search), ordered 40 ships and submarines based around Norfolk, Va., to head to sea Tuesday to avoid being battered against piers by high winds.
About 30 vessels that couldn't be moved were "being battened down as tight as possible, tightening all the hatches," said Navy spokesman Lt. Scott McIlnay.
The Air Force planned to fly about 60 planes Tuesday from Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., inland to Grissom Air Force Base in Indiana, said Capt. Jeff Glenn, spokesman for the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley, Va.
About 74 F-15E Strike Eagles at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C., were leaving Tuesday for Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City.
Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner declared a state of emergency, putting National Guardsmen, state police and transportation crews on full alert.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday activated its emergency preparedness and response functions.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of DHS, activated its headquarters operations center and regional operation centers in three of its four Eastern regions.
Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge (search) told Fox News on Tuesday that trucks loaded with blankets, emergency communication equipment and other supplies had been sent out to areas most likely to be hit. Urban search and rescue teams were also ready to be dispatched if needed, he said.
"We'll be talking to emergency management officials to do everything we can at the federal level ... to prepare for this hurricane," Ridge said.
"One of the interesting benefits of pulling this together is the training exercises and equipment go to the same first responders that we would use in a terror incident," he added. "In an [terror] incident, we'll be stronger and better prepared."
Battening Down the Hatches
At Taylor's Do-It Center hardware store in Norfolk, Va., assistant manager George Wolf was swamped with customers as soon as the doors opened at 8 a.m., and large batteries and flashlights sold out quickly.
"You would have thought we were giving stuff away," Wolf said. "I just sold my last 30 sheets of plywood."
Stevens Hardware in Annapolis, Md., ran out of batteries, flashlights, lamp oil, tape, camping lamps, can openers, plastic sheeting and candles before noon Monday.
"A lot of people are calling for generators. I don't think there's a generator in Annapolis to be bought," said manager Mike Stevens.
In Dover, Del., B.J. Whittaker snapped up 10 sheets of plywood at a Lowe's home improvement store. "I can't do anything if the roof blows off, but I can keep my windows from getting broken," he said.
Baltimore officials canceled leave for staffers in the police, fire, transportation and public works departments.
"Right now we are preparing ... as if the storm is coming right at us," Mayor Martin O'Malley said.
Isabel is the first major hurricane to threaten the mid-Atlantic since Floyd wreaked havoc on the East Coast in September 1999, causing 56 deaths.
Pennsylvania emergency officials started planning for Isabel or its remnants.
Pennsylvania had a wetter summer than usual; hundreds of people were evacuated Monday in West Chester, west of Philadelphia, because of extensive flooding caused by more than 8 inches of rain overnight.
In New Jersey, residents of Bound Brook remembered with dread the $70 million in damage caused by the remnants of Floyd as it swept through in September 1999.
"If it floods again, we're done," said diner owner Phyllis Pournaras. "You just don't have the heart to do that again."
Officials at the Miss America pageant were getting backup power generators and said Saturday's live pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., could be postponed.
Blackburg is where they play the game - here's their current forecast ...
Thursday. Becoming mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Highs in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Thursday night. Showers and thunderstorms likely. Rain may be heavy at times. Windy. Lows 55 to 60. Chance of rain 60 percent.
RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Mark R. Warner (search) declared a state of emergency in Virginia on Monday to brace the state for Hurricane Isabel, which was on course to smash into the East Coast as early as Thursday.
The declaration places the National Guard, the State Police and the Department of Transportation on full alert for what Warner said could be significant flooding across an already waterlogged state as well as wind and tornado damage.
Isabel, 350 miles wide and packing winds of about 150 mph, on Monday was churning its way toward the U.S. mainland, where prognosticators predict landfall would be most likely from the Carolinas northward.
Warner called on Virginians statewide, not just in coastal or tidewater regions, to be prepared to move to higher ground, tie down garbage cans and lawn furniture that could become missiles in high winds and prepare for three to seven days without electricity.
He met privately Monday afternoon with state law-enforcement, military, emergency preparedness and transportation officials.
The last hurricane to affect Virginia was in 1999, when Hurricane Floyd (search) caused widespread flooding damage, particularly in Franklin and Southampton County. Franklin's downtown business district was almost completely inundated and is still struggling to rebound.
---------------------------------------------
MANTEO, N.C. — With Hurricane Isabel's (search) point of landfall still a mystery, all eyes on the Atlantic Coast were pinned Tuesday to the monster storm.
More than 75,000 residents and visitors were urged to evacuate the North Carolina coast as the storm slowly moved closer to land, and a hurricane watch was to be issued later Tuesday for North Carolina and possibly eastern Virginia.
A watch is issued when an area faces hurricane conditions within 36 hours.
The storm was moving northwest at around 7 mph and was about 660 miles southeast of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, the hurricane center reported.
Forecasters said Isabel appeared likely to hit the North Carolina coastline on Thursday and move up through Chesapeake Bay, but minute changes in conditions could still divert it east or west.
The Carolinas "will start feeling the effects of Isabel by Wednesday evening," said Krissy Williams, a meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center (search) in Miami.
Large ocean swells and dangerous surf conditions were already being felt along portions of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts.
At 5 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Isabel's fastest sustained wind had slowed to near 115 mph, down from about 125 mph at 5 p.m. Monday, but it was still a Category 3 storm. Forecasters said it would not likely slow much more.
On Sunday, Isabel's top wind had hit 160 mph, making it a Category 5 storm.
"It has been weakening," said Eric Blake, a meteorologist with the Miami-based center. "That's good for the people of the East Coast, but by no means should anyone let their guard down. Hurricanes are notorious for gaining strength as they cross the Gulf Stream. Even if it weakens to a Category 2 hurricane, there's still a lot of potential for danger."
Preparing for the Worst
Coastal residents and military installations were already taking precautions.
Charles Quidley of Manteo said he'd "seen storms come and go and I've always been thankful to God I've never been hurt." The 59-year-old Quidley added that he and his family would brave the storm in their mobile home, despite urges from officials to evacuate.
"It doesn't look good, but not everybody can afford to leave," Quidley said.
School systems along North Carolina's barrier islands planned to either have only teachers report to work Tuesday or end their day after lunch.
The latest evacuation order was for the low-lying Outer Banks islands, affecting an estimated 75,000 people from Hatteras to Duck. On Monday, hundreds of residents of vulnerable Ocracoke and Bald Head islands were ordered to evacuate.
"We do have some fire departments in municipalities that will visit neighborhoods and encourage people, but we don't have any kind of law enforcement knocking on doors, forcing people to leave," said Dare County spokeswoman Dorothy Toolan.
In other islands there, residents started boarding windows, moving their vessels inland and checking up on their generators.
Kay Burros and Anne Troutman checked their 5,000-watt home generator at Surf City.
"We've had it about three years, but haven't cranked it up in a while. It's been so long, we have to read the instructions," Burros said.
As far north as Rhode Island, owners were hauling boats out of the water to protect them from expected rough seas.
"We're not panicking yet, but a lot of owners are calling us because they don't want to lose their boats," said Rick Smith, yard manager at Conanicut Marine Service in Jamestown, R.I.
Vice Adm. Gary Roughead, commander of the U.S. Second Fleet (search), ordered 40 ships and submarines based around Norfolk, Va., to head to sea Tuesday to avoid being battered against piers by high winds.
About 30 vessels that couldn't be moved were "being battened down as tight as possible, tightening all the hatches," said Navy spokesman Lt. Scott McIlnay.
The Air Force planned to fly about 60 planes Tuesday from Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., inland to Grissom Air Force Base in Indiana, said Capt. Jeff Glenn, spokesman for the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley, Va.
About 74 F-15E Strike Eagles at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C., were leaving Tuesday for Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City.
Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner declared a state of emergency, putting National Guardsmen, state police and transportation crews on full alert.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday activated its emergency preparedness and response functions.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of DHS, activated its headquarters operations center and regional operation centers in three of its four Eastern regions.
Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge (search) told Fox News on Tuesday that trucks loaded with blankets, emergency communication equipment and other supplies had been sent out to areas most likely to be hit. Urban search and rescue teams were also ready to be dispatched if needed, he said.
"We'll be talking to emergency management officials to do everything we can at the federal level ... to prepare for this hurricane," Ridge said.
"One of the interesting benefits of pulling this together is the training exercises and equipment go to the same first responders that we would use in a terror incident," he added. "In an [terror] incident, we'll be stronger and better prepared."
Battening Down the Hatches
At Taylor's Do-It Center hardware store in Norfolk, Va., assistant manager George Wolf was swamped with customers as soon as the doors opened at 8 a.m., and large batteries and flashlights sold out quickly.
"You would have thought we were giving stuff away," Wolf said. "I just sold my last 30 sheets of plywood."
Stevens Hardware in Annapolis, Md., ran out of batteries, flashlights, lamp oil, tape, camping lamps, can openers, plastic sheeting and candles before noon Monday.
"A lot of people are calling for generators. I don't think there's a generator in Annapolis to be bought," said manager Mike Stevens.
In Dover, Del., B.J. Whittaker snapped up 10 sheets of plywood at a Lowe's home improvement store. "I can't do anything if the roof blows off, but I can keep my windows from getting broken," he said.
Baltimore officials canceled leave for staffers in the police, fire, transportation and public works departments.
"Right now we are preparing ... as if the storm is coming right at us," Mayor Martin O'Malley said.
Isabel is the first major hurricane to threaten the mid-Atlantic since Floyd wreaked havoc on the East Coast in September 1999, causing 56 deaths.
Pennsylvania emergency officials started planning for Isabel or its remnants.
Pennsylvania had a wetter summer than usual; hundreds of people were evacuated Monday in West Chester, west of Philadelphia, because of extensive flooding caused by more than 8 inches of rain overnight.
In New Jersey, residents of Bound Brook remembered with dread the $70 million in damage caused by the remnants of Floyd as it swept through in September 1999.
"If it floods again, we're done," said diner owner Phyllis Pournaras. "You just don't have the heart to do that again."
Officials at the Miss America pageant were getting backup power generators and said Saturday's live pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., could be postponed.
