NationStates Jolt Archive


Hurricane Wilma 901 mb, Cat 4/5!

Evil Woody Thoughts
19-10-2005, 09:34
Last I checked on it (like 6 hours ago), it was 951 mb!:eek:

http://www.weatherunderground.com/blog/SteveGregory/show.html

UPDATED SOURCE (5 AM EDT UPDATE) (http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USNationalWide.asp?loc=usa&seg=StormCenter&prodgrp=TrackingCharts&product=HurTrack1&prodnav=none&pid=none)

I feel sorry for the people in Florida...this thing might pwn the entire state, and I know from experience that traffic down there is absolutely horrendous. I don't think the infrastructure down there can handle the evacuation of the entire state to Georgia in a timely manner. And I'm freaked because my dad (whom I have little contact with, but I care about him nonetheless) lives in Tampa Bay.:(

*runs and hides*
Potaria
19-10-2005, 09:39
Oh, wonderful. The gulf coast really needs another one of those.

*kicks self*
Evil Woody Thoughts
19-10-2005, 10:06
Oh, wonderful. The gulf coast really needs another one of those.

*kicks self*

It strengthened some more in the half hour or so since the OP; I edited for the update. Looks like we have the Three Evil Sisters.:(
Gymoor II The Return
19-10-2005, 10:06
CNN and MSNBC report it now to be down to 892mb, and there's some preliminary talk that it is down to 887mb, making it the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Typhoon Tip (I'm not making this up,) is the strongest hurricane/typhoon of any sort at 870mb.

The speed with which it has intensified is almost unprecedented.

Don't worry folks, it's all part of a cycle though...
Evil Woody Thoughts
19-10-2005, 10:14
CNN and MSNBC report it now to be down to 892mb, and there's some preliminary talk that it is down to 887mb, making it the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Typhoon Tip (I'm not making this up,) is the strongest hurricane/typhoon of any sort at 870mb.

The speed with which it has intensified is almost unprecedented.

Don't worry folks, it's all part of a cycle though...

Apparently the 884 mb is raw data that hasn't been properly calibrated for surface pressure yet because the eye is too small for the recon aircraft to manuever enough to get a decent reading.

source (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/190835.shtml)
Gymoor II The Return
19-10-2005, 10:18
Holy crap, the thing is still growing. Well, at least theoretically, ocean surface friction is supposed to limit wind speeds from going over around 200mph, so at least there's that.
Mesatecala
19-10-2005, 10:25
Here we go with the hysteria without looking at the facts:

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/tropical.gif

Notice it went over a hot spot in water.. the water in the gulf itself has cooled down substantially over the last few weeks.

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/at200524_5day.gif

And notice by Friday it will be a category 3 again.

Well I wish the best for people in Florida anyways. As I said, I project to hit as a weak category 3 (or even category 2). And I was right about Rita you know..

Anyways, I must be getting back to my work.. my posting will continue to be scant..
Gymoor II The Return
19-10-2005, 10:32
Here we go with the hysteria without looking at the facts:

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/tropical.gif

Notice it went over a hot spot in water.. the water in the gulf itself has cooled down substantially over the last few weeks.

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/at200524_5day.gif

And notice by Friday it will be a category 3 again.

Dude, no one predicted this thing would grow to record-breaking intensity in a single day, and it's gonna beat the hell out of Cuba in the meantime.

So, how come science and forcasting is absolute when you use it, Mesa, but it all breaks down if it just happens to predict something you aren't already inclined to believe in? The overwhelming evidence for global warming doesn't move you, but one prediction (on a very unpredictable hurricane, thus far,) satisfies you?
Potaria
19-10-2005, 10:35
The overwhelming evidence for global warming doesn't move you, but one prediction (on a very unpredictable hurricane, thus far,) satisfies you?

I'm surprised anything satisfies him, really.
Gymoor II The Return
19-10-2005, 10:38
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/10/19/wilma/index.html

Forecasters have said the storm could strike Florida as soon as this weekend. However, the long-range forecast has Wilma weakening to a Category 3 by Saturday, before hitting the United States. Due to the erratic nature of hurricane movement, such long-term forecasts often change.
Evil Woody Thoughts
19-10-2005, 10:41
Here we go with the hysteria without looking at the facts:

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/tropical.gif

Notice it went over a hot spot in water.. the water in the gulf itself has cooled down substantially over the last few weeks.

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/at200524_5day.gif

And notice by Friday it will be a category 3 again.

Well I wish the best for people in Florida anyways. As I said, I project to hit as a weak category 3. And I was right about Rita you know..

Anyways, I must be getting back to my work.. my posting will continue to be scant..

I realize that Wilma won't be able to maintain this forever...

My hysteria is because this morning, forecasts called for Wilma to make 110 kts as she crossed into the Gulf of Mexico. It was supposed to be something like 90 kts at this point IIRC. The hurricane pretty much pwned those forecasts.

Oh, and that map with the water temps...doesn't look like an isolated "hot spot" to me; it looks like the hurricane will be in excessively hot water at least long enough to give western Cuba a good beating, and if it stays south it will likely stay in warmer waters for longer.

Yeah, and the advisory I posted in a response to some other poster said hurricane force winds only extend 15 miles away from the eye, but I imagine that that will eventually change too, even as the eye weakens/is replaced.

Oh, and for the record, when was the last time we had three Cat 5 storms in the Atlantic in a single season?
Foecker
19-10-2005, 11:17
Not to mention that even if it weakens down to a category 2 or 3 -- there will be more to come next year, and the year after, etc.

Given enough time, say a few years, and enough Big Hitters should have caused enough economic damage to make the costs that would have come with reducing the output of greenhouse gasses almost a pittance.

Mind you, I'm not saying that that reduction would have prevented the global warming, which undeniably is a natural process, just that it may have slowed down the pace a bit, possibly resulting in less hurricanes than the one's we are seeing these days. I say "possibly" because at this point there is no real way of knowing to what extend we could have reduced the speed at which the process takes place at this time, if we had taken action say - five years or so ago. Personally I think, based on all I read on the subject of how man influences global warming on this planet, I think the damage was done before Kyoto even came up, and our only viable option now is to prepare for "shit creek without a paddle".

Anyways, here is hoping it will weaken down to a category 1!
Mariehamn
19-10-2005, 12:07
Present #3 of the 2005 holiday season.

To: America
From: Mother Earth
Message: Stop plundering me, or I'll puke all over humanity!