 On September 17, 26 hours before Isabel made landfall, the watches were changed to tropical storm warnings.While over the western Atlantic Ocean as a Category 5 hurricane, forecasters predicted Isabel would move northwestward and within five days be at a position 155 miles (250 km) south-southeast of Lewes as a 115 mph (185 km/h) major hurricane.Though located within the cone of uncertainty, all subsequent forecasts predicted a landfall on North Carolina with the hurricane passing to the west of the state.