Driving through Isabel?

[alvernon90]

It looks like Isabel might hit the Carolinas right when we're trying to drive down I-95 to Orlando. Does anyone know how this might affect the drive? Can anyone suggest alternatives from the D.C. area?

 

[Sanchez]

Not many alternatives. You could take 85 from Richmond to Charlotte and take 77 to Columbia. The problem is that there is no major route south from Columbia. If the storm is situated north at that time you could take 26 east to 95.

 

[seashoreCM]

I don't know to what extent this will affect your drive, but it is likely that people evacuating the area prior to the storm will be on the highways too.

You do not want to be at highway speed right through where the storm is raging.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Just because the police are cruising the streets with bullhorns ordering everyone in your coastal town to evacuate does not mean you have to be first and sit in traffic a few miles inland. Assuming you were originally planning to ride out the storm.

 

[Viking]

This would be quite difficult: Isabel has turned towards the Northwest into the open Atlantic. Your main problem will not be the driving, but staying afloat

 

[Talking Hands]

Isabel has not made that turn yet. It is still very iffy as far as where it may go and I would not want to be driving anywhere near that monster. Remember Andrew they kept predicting would go north and it continued straight west slamming intio south Dade. This storm is bigger and meaner. Don't take any chances

 

[alvernon90]

Thanks for the replies. If the latest forecasts are accurate and Isabel doesn't turn out to sea, she will hit the Virginia coast. In that case, from D.C. we will probably drive out to West Virginia, take I-81 south, and then cut back over to I-95 at the first opportunity that is well south of the storm.

No worries, I'm not taking any chances with Isabel. I can't imagine a worse start to a WDW vacation than a hurricane-related auto accident.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Our "back up" plan is to also hit I-81 and head South until it's "safe" to get back to I-95.
Would be nice if they REALLY knew where this thing is going--and when. Just a 12 hour window would put us in the clear to make a dry getaway. Look at the forecasts so far--going to hit Puerto Rico--but that didn't happen. Then everyone was worried about it wiping out Orlando. Now it looks like S. Carolina--or N. Carolina--or Md./Virginia--or New York???? maybe Mass.???

 

[WDWisTheBest]

You did not mention from where you were starting, but if I were in the DC area, I would take I-66 to I-81, go south to I-77 to I-26 in Columbia, SC and then go to I-95.
The huge high pressure zone out at sea due east of Long Island is likely to remain intact. At this time Monday morning, the high pressure will probably keep Isabel from turning northeast thus moving far away from the US east coast. As SeashoreCM said, you don't want to be part of the crowd trying to move to the west and north away from possible landfall zones, as you would be on I-95.

Simply put, just take I-81, I-77 and I-26 down and you will probably be better served. Thursday and Friday heavy rain could be a factor driving everywhere from North Carolina north.

Good luck and be safe.

 

[alvernon90]

Thanks for the advice, I think we'll do just that. The storm should be long gone by the time we leave on Saturday morning, but the evacuation traffic returning to the shore could cause some serious problems. We computed it and determined that the 81-77-26-95 route is only about 100 miles farther from our house, so in addition to being safer it may even be quicker.

Good luck to those of you riding out the storm on the N.C. coast. This one is going to be nasty.