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Isabel was the strongest Atlantic hurricane since Mitch and the deadliest, costliest, and most intense hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Before hurricanes Irma and Dorian in 2017 and 2019, Isabel was the strongest hurricane in the open waters of the Atlantic, both in wind speed and in central pressure. Isabel, the ninth named storm, the fifth hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the season, formed near the Cape Verde Islands on September 6. Within a light wind shear environment and warm waters, it steadily strengthened to reach peak winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) on September 11. It fluctuated in intensity for four days, displaying annular characteristics, then gradually weakened and made landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on September 18 with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). The next day, Isabel weakened over land and became extratropical over western Pennsylvania. Isabel's extratropical remnants were absorbed into another system over Eastern Canada on September 20.
