Hurricane Isabel

Losses, 2024 dollars

$9.3 billion

Losses at the time

$5.5 billion

Deaths

55

The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.

• Flash Flooding in Texas, September 17, 2003$75,000 · 3 eventsFlash flooding of city streets was reported by the McAllen Police Department due to heavy rains.
• Flash Flood in Texas, September 17, 20031 eventVery heavy rainfall over city of Corpus Christi produced water over the road at Rand Morgan Road and also near the West Campus Del Mar College. Minor, nuisance street flooding occurred across numerous other city streets.
• Hurricane in North Carolina, September 17 to 19, 2003$450 million · 17 eventsHurricane Isabel made landfall early in the afternoon on September 18th as a category two hurricane across Core Banks in extreme eastern Carteret county. Isabel moved north northwest near 20 mph across eastern North Carolina during the afternoon.
• Hurricane in North Carolina, September 18 to 19, 20031 death · $17 million · 7 eventsHurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with frequent gusts to hurricane force occurred over coastal northeast North Carolina.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in New Jersey, September 18 to 20, 20032 deaths · $8.0 million · 50 kt wind · 36 eventsTropical Storm Isabel produced strong power outage producing winds, moderate tidal flooding along the Delaware Bay and the Delaware River and erosion and rough surf along the shore. Two deaths were directly attributed to the storm.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Delaware, September 18 to 20, 2003$27 million · 50 kt wind · 13 eventsTropical Storm Isabel caused tidal flooding up Delaware Bay, heavy rain and strong power outage producing winds. Isabel made landfall as a hurricane near Drum Inlet, North Carolina around 100 p.m. EDT on the 18th and weakened as it tracked farther inland.
• Hurricane in North Carolina, September 18 to 19, 2003$3.9 million · 3 eventsHurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with gusts to hurricane force occurred over the piedmont of northeast North Carolina.
• Hurricane in Virginia, September 18 to 19, 20032 deaths · $517 million · 19 eventsHurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with frequent gusts to hurricane force occurred over Eastern Virginia, along and near the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Coastal Waters.
• Hurricane in Virginia, September 18 to 19, 20032 deaths · $9.7 million · 6 eventsHurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with frequent gusts to hurricane force occurred over interior southeast Virginia.
• Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 18, 20033 eventsThe eye of category 3 Hurricane Isabel made landfall between Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras NC during the afternoon. The fringe of Isabel's circulation caused offshore winds gusting near 60 mph along the beaches of Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick Counties.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, September 18 to 19, 20033 deaths · $52 million · 18 eventsTropical Storm Isabel produced tropical storm force sustained winds and wind gusts over the piedmont of central and south central Virginia, as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area.
• Hurricane in North Carolina, September 18, 20031 death · $7.3 million · 13 eventsHurricane Isabel made landfall along the Outer Banks just north of Cape Lookout around 1 pm on September 18, 2003. The eye of the storm tracked northeast passing over eastern Halifax County. Winds gusts to near Hurricane force were recorded over Halifax county.
• Tropical Storm in Maryland, September 18 to 19, 2003$2.5 million · 5 eventsHurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Isabel produced tropical storm force sustained winds and wind gusts over the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Maryland, September 18 to 19, 2003$50 million · 50 kt wind · 15 eventsTropical Storm Isabel caused a record breaking tide and storm surge up the Chesapeake Bay, heavy rain and strong power outage producing winds. Isabel made landfall as a hurricane near Drum Inlet, North Carolina around 100 p.m.
• Tropical Storm and Strong Wind in New York, September 18 to 19, 20031 death · 2 injured · 5 eventsAs Hurricane Isabel moved northwest toward the southern Mid Atlantic States, a strong high pressure system built over Northern New England. As the pressure gradient increased, strong northeast winds developed across the region Thursday, September 18th.
• Tropical Storm in Maryland, September 18 to 19, 20031 death · 200 injured · $531 million · 8 eventsOn September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. Its huge wind field was already piling water up into the southern Chesapeake Bay. By the time Isabel moved into central Virginia, it had weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, September 18 to 19, 200329 injured · $55 million · 5 eventsOn September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. Its huge wind field was already piling water up into the southern Chesapeake Bay. By the time Isabel moved into central Virginia, it had weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm.
• Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 18, 20032 eventsThe Time Warner Cable office was flooded with several feet of water in the parking lot.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, September 18, 2003$3.1 million · 9 eventsAs Hurricane Isabel weakened to a tropical storm, winds were sustained during the mid afternoon and early evening at up to 50 to 60 mph with gusts near 70 mph.
• Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 18, 2003$300,000 · 3 eventsAs Hurricane Isabel weakened to a tropical storm, winds were sustained during the mid afternoon and early evening at up to 45 to 55 mph with gusts near 65 mph. This produced widespread wind damage with numerous trees and power lines downed.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Virginia, September 18 to 21, 200370 injured · $39 million · 50 kt wind · 42 eventsBy 9 pm on September 18, a rain band associated with Isabel had set up over the Shenandoah Valley and showers were training southward into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east side of Augusta County.
• Flash Flooding in Texas, September 18, 20036 eventsHeavy rainfall fell across Central Bee county producing flash flooding along Hwy 59, 888 and 202 near Beeville.
• Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 18, 20033 eventsFlooded roads were impassable in Roanoke Rapids.
• Tropical Storm in District of Columbia, September 18 to 19, 2003$125 million · 1 eventHurricane Isabel shut down Washington, DC on Thursday September 18 and Friday September 19. The city had days of preparation and many people including non-emergency government personnel were told to stay home. Tropical storm force winds spread north into the area by 4 pm.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in West Virginia, September 18 to 21, 20037 injured · $2.3 million · 50 kt wind · 20 eventsOn September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. It moved northwest across Virginia and by 5 am on September 19, the center was over the heart of the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. Fortunately the storm had greatly weakened by this point.
• Flooding and High Wind in Maryland, September 18 to 21, 20033 injured · $2.2 million · 50 kt wind · 9 eventsOn September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. Its wind field extended for hundreds of miles from the storm's center. As bad as it was across Maryland and Virginia, it could have been much worse. The air at the surface was relatively cool.
• Storm Surge and Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, September 18 to 19, 20031 injured · $32 million · 52 kt wind · 14 eventsTropical Storm Isabel produced strong power outage producing winds, moderate tidal flooding along the Delaware River and stream flooding in Chester County. Isabel made landfall as a hurricane near Drum Inlet, North Carolina around 100 p.m.
• Tropical Storm and Strong Wind in New Jersey, September 18 to 19, 20033 injured · 4 eventsAs Hurricane Isabel moved northwest toward the southern Mid Atlantic States, a strong high pressure system built over Northern New England. As the pressure gradient increased, strong northeast winds developed across the region Thursday, September 18th.
• Flash Flooding in Texas, September 18, 20032 eventsAn off-duty NWS employee reported flash flooding of city streets near downtown Brownsville due to heavy rains.
• Flash Flooding in Texas, September 18, 2003$35,000 · 7 eventsInterstate 635 closed at Interstate 75 due to flooding in North Dallas.
• Tropical Storm in Pennsylvania, September 18 to 19, 200329 eventsHurricane Isabel came ashore around midday on September 18th between Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout, North Carolina.
• Tornado in Virginia, September 18, 2003F0 · 1 eventBrief F0 tornado occurred in association with Isabel. No damage reported.
• Flood in Texas, September 18 to 19, 20031 eventHeavy rainfall on the 17th through the 19th led to river flooding:The Aransas River near Skidmore crested at 16.94 feet on the 19th. (flood stage 13 feet)
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, September 18 to 19, 20039 eventsAs Tropical Storm Isabel moved inland, winds sustained at 25 to 50 mph with gusts to near 60 mph during the late afternoon of the 18th through the early morning of the 19th, especially over the higher elevations, resulted in numeorus trees and power lines being downed.
• Flooding in Virginia, September 18 to 19, 2003$650,000 · 3 eventsFlooding along the South River as a result of Hurricane Isabel caused significant damage to property and infrastructure from the northern Rockbridge county border downstream to the South River's confluence with the Maury River.
• Flash Flooding in West Virginia, September 19, 2003$3,000 · 2 eventsSteady rains from the remnants of Hurricane Isabel caused swollen streams by late on the 18th. Embedded showers early on the 19th caused small streams to flood roads. In terms of dwellings, only one old mobile home at Glady was damaged.
• Flash Flood in Maryland, September 19, 20031 eventAfter nearly 6 inches of rain, streams overflowed and flooded many roads around Oakland.
• Flood in Maryland, September 19, 20031 eventNumerous roads remain flooded between Oakland and Grantsville.
• Flood in West Virginia, September 19, 20031 eventNumerous roads remained flooded.
• Flood in Texas, September 19 to 21, 20031 eventHeavy rainfall over South Texas on the 17th through the 19th led to river flooding.The Guadalupe River at Dupont crested at 20.99 feet on the 19th. (flood stage 20 feet)
• Flooding in Virginia, September 19 to 20, 20033 eventsThe remnants of hurricane Isabel produced heavy rainfall on the 18th that resulted in minor flooding on on the Roanoke River and up to moderate flooding on the James River.The James River at Bremo Bluff crested 7.5 feet above flood stage around 4 PM on the 19th.
• Flood in Texas, September 19 to 25, 20031 eventHeavy rainfall over South Texas on the 17th through the 19th led to river flooding.The Nueces River at Bluntzer crested at 24.19 feet on the 23rd. (flood stage 18 feet)
• Flash Flooding in Texas, September 19, 2003$25,000 · 4 eventsHeavy rains led to flash flooding of Highway 100 west of Los Fresnos.
• Flood in West Virginia, September 19, 20031 eventRemnants of Hurricane Isabel dumped nearly 4 inches of rain on the headwaters of the Cheat River. At Rowlesburg, the Cheat River rose from 4 ft at 630 AM EDT on the 19th to flood stage, which is 16 ft, at Noon.
• Flooding in Virginia, September 19 to 20, 2003$3,000 · 2 eventsRunoff from the heavy rains of Tropical Storm Isabel produced flooding along the Cowpasture river in Bath and Alleghany counties. In Bath County a foot bridge was washed away in Williamsville at 3:00 PM on the 19th.
• Flooding in Texas, September 19 to 30, 2003$1.9 million · 3 eventsHeavy rains were widespread across Deep South Texas during the period. Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 7 to 15 inches.
• Flood in Texas, September 20 to 21, 20031 eventHeavy rainfall over South Texas on the 17th through the 19th led to river flooding.The Atascosa River near Whitsett crested at 26.40 feet on the 21st. (flood stage 20 feet)
• Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, September 20, 20031 eventUrban flooding was reported along the entrance to the town of Barceloneta.
• Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, September 20, 20031 eventUrban flooding was reported in Barrio Obrero, San Jose and Hato Rey.
• Heavy Rain in Puerto Rico, September 20, 20031 eventSpotter from Fajardo reported urban flooding along road 195 towards the beach.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2003The 2003 hurricane seasonTornadoes in 2003

NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.