What is 'landfall'? RE Isabelle? Is landfall the eye hitting the land

[patdem]

or the outter hurricane force winds hitting land??? I do not know, having lived on the east cost for all my life, what 'landfall' means...the eye? or the winds behind the tropical storm winds???

Please..I am in Norfolk VA..and many in NC would like to know if 'landfall' means the eye... if so there will be much desctruction prior to 'landfall'...if 'landfall' means the first hurricane winds..then the timing is very different.

Please help...you who are in the know! :bounce:

[cjbuchanan]

1. I think it is where the eye hits

It is like the epicenter of an earthquake.

[morningglory]

2. I have always believed it was when hurrican force winds hit the shore

however, lately the weather people declare landfall when it is usually completely over--keeps you hanging glued to the screen several extra hours. You can watch and see the cloud circulation completely breaking up and they will still be saying, "stay tuned in because Hurricane soandso is due to make landfall within the next 2 hours". You know the people on the beach are already out picking up palm fronds by then.

[Bossy Monkey]

3. I don't know, so I looked to the experts

The National Hurricane Center, from their glossary:
Landfall:
The intersection of the surface center of a tropical cyclone with a coastline. Because the strongest winds in a tropical cyclone are not located precisely at the center, it is possible for a cyclone's strongest winds to be experienced over land even if landfall does not occur. Similarly, it is possible for a tropical cyclone to make landfall and have its strongest winds remain over the water. Compare direct hit, indirect hit, and strike.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutgloss.shtml