THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, September 27, 1996            TAG: 9609270515
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER 
                                            LENGTH:   28 lines

ISIDORE IS NOT LIKELY TO POSE THREAT TO LAND, OFFICIALS SAY

Hurricane Isidore continued to strengthen Thursday, but the National Hurricane Center said it would likely pose no threat to land.

At 5 p.m., the center of Isidore was about 930 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, moving west-northwest near 16 mph. That motion is expected to continue through today.

Maximum sustained winds were up to 90 mph with gusts to 105 mph, and some strengthening is likely by tonight. Hurricane-force winds in excess of 74 mph extend up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds of 39 mph or greater extend 115 miles.

Computer models show Isidore's top sustained winds reaching 105 mph today with gusts to 120 mph. But even as it reaches that peak, the hurricane is expected to be running up against an upper-level, low-pressure trough that should prevent further intensification.

Forecasters expect another low-pressure trough over the Northeast to further help steer Isidore north and keep it from growing stronger by thrusting it into cooler waters.

Isidore is the seventh hurricane of this Atlantic storm season and the ninth storm to be named.

KEYWORDS: HURRICANE ISIDORE by CNB