Hurricane Isabel on course toward Atlantic Coast

MIAMI -- Hurricane Isabel plowed toward the Atlantic Coast on Sunday on a course that could slam the powerful Category 4 storm into the central East Coast late this week.\n"If it hits landfall ... it has the potential for a large loss of life if we don't take it seriously and prepare for it," Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center said on CNN.\nComputer models predict that weather conditions over the East Coast should prevent Isabel from turning back out to sea and missing land, hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart said.\n"Landfall along the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast somewhere between North Carolina and New Jersey between four or five days (Thursday or Friday) is appearing more and more likely," Stewart said. "Little or no significant weakening is expected to occur until after landfall occurs."\nIn Wilmington, N.C., John Byrnes had already stocked up with 25 sheets of plywood Sunday and enough two-by-fours and screws to barricade the windows at his house, his in-laws' house and their downtown law office.\nHis household generator was ready and he had an extra tank of propane gas to run appliances.\n"We're all pretty much taken care of," Byrnes said. "We're in standby mode."\nAt 11 p.m. EDT, Isabel's maximum sustained wind speed was 155 mph -- 1 mph below the minimum for Category 5 -- and down 5 mph from earlier measurements. Experts had said it would be extremely unusual for Isabel to maintain Category 5 strength as it moved north over cooler water.\nThe storm was centered about 850 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. Hurricane-force wind of at least 74 mph extended 115 miles out from the center.\nIt was moving toward the west-northwest at about 13 mph, and was expected to continue on that path into Monday, then turn toward the Carolinas, possibly making landfall Thursday or Friday. Forecasters note that hurricanes can be unpredictable, and long-range forecasts have large possibilities for error.\nIn Washington, D.C., emergency officials were working on acquiring additional sandbags, and planned to begin a public education campaign and meet with other department and critical services leaders Monday.\n"Then we're going to pray," said Peter LaPorte, director of the Emergency Management Agency.\nIn Charleston, S.C., Joe Walker said he didn't evacuate in 1989 when Hurricane Hugo blasted ashore and he probably won't leave if Isabel veers into his area.\n"If it's going to come, it's going to come," Walker said.\nIn the Hampton Roads areas of Virginia, many stores were cleaned out of batteries, bottled water and other hurricane-readiness supplies.\n"My wife is taking the dogs and getting out of town, but I'm going to stay because I feel like I have a responsibility here," said Stewart Smokler, a member of the Virginia Beach Amateur Radio Club.\nSmokler said his group can use hand-held radios for emergency workers if other means of communication go down.\nThe last Category 5 Atlantic hurricane was Mitch in 1998, which killed about 11,000 people in Central America. The last two Category 5 hurricanes to strike the United States were Andrew in 1992 and Camille in 1969.\nThe Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.