MikeCAdministrator
(Admin)
Mon Sep 03 2007 03:11 PM
Felix and More

Update - Monday, 11:30PM EDT
Hurricane Felix on schedule for landfall in northern Nicaragua at about 12Z - probably as a borderline Cat III/IV hurricane. I suspect that the remnants of this small-core storm will die out in the high terrain of Guatemala.

Invest 98L no longer an item of interest - but it could begin to regenerate in a day or two in the central tropical Atlantic. Strong easterly shear (both surface and aloft) has dominated western Africa for about the last 3 or 4 weeks - don't expect anything out of that region until the environment changes.

A weak low pressure system continues to churn east of Florida - about 280 miles east northeast of Melbourne. The system has been slowly drifting to the east southeast over the past couple of days and it has been designated as Invest 99L. Wind shear is currently light (and so are the steering currents) but the shear is expected to increase above 29N by Wednesday.

Models are all over the place with this embryonic system. The UKMET and a couple of others have been consistent in slowly developing and moving this system in an anticyclonic loop - eventually bringing the system, as a tropical storm, across the Florida peninsula. Other models meander the system eastward in an erratic fashion, while still others take it off to the north or northeast - but into the teeth of some increasing shear. Although the system is not that far away, any movement will be slow - and development is far from certain at this time.

Invest 99L East of Florida

Here is a closeup IR view courtesy of MSFC:

MSFC View of Invest 99L

I think that we'll all keep a close eye on this one during the week.
ED

11:53 AM EDT Update 3 September 2007
Felix seems to be gaining a secondary eyewall, so reorganization or eyewall replacement may be starting once.the secondary eyewall has completely formed This process can take several hours to a day or so to complete.

Original Update
Hurricane Felix doesn't look as good on Satellite this morning as it appears to have bit of some dry air entering along the north or it's going through some reorganization now. It still remains a Category 5 Hurricane. Because of the current look I expect it to weaken a bit, still to a category 4 storm. Hopefully this would continue to weaken it more, but the dynamics around it will probably keep Felix a Category 4 or 5 system. The hurricane center is forecasting it to get a little stronger before landfall, in fact.

The current forecast track has moved a little south, now aiming for the border between Nicaragua and Honduras, that along with the rather fast forward motion of 21mph makes it necessary for both of those countries to issue Hurricane Warnings, which has been done.

Current model trends suggest that Felix may not make it into the Bay of Campeche, which will make it spin itself out, and get torn up over the mountains of the middle of Central America and Mexico.



The system off Georgia hasn't changed all that much, it's there, but pressures haven't lowered all that much. We'll continue to watch it.

98L Is holding together, and may still yet become a depression over the next few days.



More to come later...
Radio
Radio Belize
Love FM - Belize
Power FM - Honduras (Spanish)

Television:
Canal 6 Honduras

Webcams
Cocoa Resort, Roatan, Honduras (Island north of the coast of Honduras) - Dock Cam - (Flhurricane Recording of this Cam)
Cocoa Resort, Roatan, Honduras - Water Cam - (Flhurricane Recording of this Cam)
Utila Lodge Dive Report - Utila, Honduras (North Coastline) - Dock Cam - (Flhurricane Recording of this Cam)
Radar Loops
{{radarlink|jax|Jacksonville FL}}
{{radarlink|clx|Charleston, SC}}
{{radarlink|ltx|Wimington, NC}}
{{StormCarib}}
{{StormLinks|Felix|06|6|2007|1|Felix}}

{{StormLinks|99L|99|8|2007|3|99L (Area off Georgia)}}

{{StormLinks|98L|98|7|2007|2|98L (East Atlantic Wave)}}


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Mon Sep 03 2007 04:28 PM
Re: Felix and More

Well, recon is inbound. Last HDOB message was right at the rim of the outer convective area.

We also have a new SSMIS microwave overpass. There does appear to be about 33-50% of a 2nd eyewall forming, but it still has a long way to go before an ERC can start.

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc07/ATL/06L.FELIX/tc_ssmis/91h/1degreeticks/full/Latest.html


Edit:

I have overlaid the Recon track (data points) on Google Earth with a backdrop of current IR. Enjoy!



Anyone interested in the KMZ for SSTs, Spaghetti models, and satellite, I grabbed the main one from here: http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/852603/an/0/page/1

Last, I think MikeC meant 11:53 AM update, not 1:53 AM


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Mon Sep 03 2007 05:41 PM
Re: Felix and More

Looks like it's weakened some, as seen on satellite.

Recon found:

116
URNT12 KNHC 031739
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE AL062007
A. 03/17:23:00Z
B. 14 deg 14 min N
078 deg 32 min W
C. 700 mb 2675 m
D. 118 kt
E. 005 deg 6 nm
F. 109 deg 114 kt
G. 014 deg 008 nm
H. 953 mb
I. 7 C/ 3050 m
J. 19 C/ 3038 m
K. 9 C/ NA
L. LLOSED WALL
M. C8

N. 12345/7
O. 0.02 / 2 nm
P. AF306 1206A FELIX OB 06
MAX FL WIND 114 KT N QUAD 17:20:50 Z

Also note that the surface low of 953mb was located where there were 33kt winds (based on dropsonde data), so the actual pressure is probably lower.

EDIT:

Officially Category 4 at 2pm.

New microwave out - the core looks like it is undergoing complete reorganization - no sign of a well defined eye.

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc07/ATL/06L.FELIX/tmi/tmi_85h/1degreeticks/full/Latest.html

My guess is a combination of dry air entrainment and temporarily cooler (relatively) SSTs has resulted in the eye unable to sustain itself without an ERC, and as there was no 2ndary eyewall forming, it is going through an entire reorganization instead. I suspect in a few hours as it hits another very warm water zone will see it restrengthen and reform a well defined, possibly larger, eye.

You can see the heat potential here: http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/products...00709030600.GIF


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Mon Sep 03 2007 07:30 PM
Re: Felix and More

Ok, going to do a bit of analysis on the latest recon mission.

From the vortex data this thing looks like a borderline Category 2/3 with 96kt surface winds. Flight level readings from the HDOB maxed at about 102kt winds, though a 114kt occured in the N quad that didn't show up in the HDOB readings.

More interesting is the dropsonde. The eyewall dropsonde shows the wind speed at surface (112kt) stronger than at flight level (90kt), and if the 112kt surface reading hit the strongest spot in the eyewall, that would be pure luck. This would keep it a strong Category 3.

The eyewall is reported open, and from the HDOB readings the windfield has expanded. Temperature in the eye is 17C (dropsonde reported just over 18.2C) and in the eyewall it is 9C (dropsonde reported 10.2C). This makes a still strong 8C difference, but nothing close to what we saw last night.

With another hot eddy in front of it and still a ways to go for land, I would expect this reogranization phase to be over in a few more hours with a new eyewall developing and then shrinking. But first it has to finish mixing out the dry air it sucked in this morning.



Recon:

869
URNT12 KNHC 031919
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE AL062007
A. 03/19:00:10Z
B. 14 deg 17 min N
078 deg 58 min W
C. 700 mb 2678 m
D. 92 kt
E. 116 deg 6 nm
F. 216 deg 095 kt
G. 119 deg 007 nm
H. 953 mb
I. 9 C/ 3033 m
J. 17 C/ 3050 m
K. 11 C/ NA
L. OPEN WNW
M. C15

N. 12345/7
O. 0.02 / 2 nm
P. AF306 1206A FELIX OB 11
MAX FL WIND 114 KT N QUAD 17:20:50 Z
MAX SFC WIND 96KT NW QUAD 19:02Z
MAX FL TEMP 20 C 315__ / 6__ NM FROM FL CNTR


Eyewall dropsonde (the decoder app I wrote and in need of testing: http://aewww.firstones.com/dropsonde_decoder.php5 ):

171
UZNT13 KNHC 031918
XXAA 53197 99142 70788 04448 99979 25429 15112 00687 ///// /////
92500 22800 16609 85235 19000 18101 70889 10200 20590 88999 77999
31313 09608 81856
61616 AF306 1206A FELIX OB 12
62626 EYEWALL 120 SPL 1430N07881W 1901 MBL WND 16112 AEV 00000 DL
M WND 17103 979708 WL150 15121 078 =
XXBB 53198 99142 70788 04448 00979 25429 11974 24800 22850 19000
33723 12800 44703 12000 55697 08400
21212 00979 15112 11965 15626 22961 16117 33957 16116 44950 16104
55940 16608 66935 16615 77911 17099 88903 17602 99862 17595 11850
18101 22697 20589
31313 09608 81856
61616 AF306 1206A FELIX OB 12
62626 EYEWALL 120 SPL 1430N07881W 1901 MBL WND 16112 AEV 00000 DL
M WND 17103 979708 WL150 15121 078 =

Eye dropsonde:

371
UZNT13 KNHC 031917
XXAA 53197 99143 70790 04449 99953 27606 16512 00933 ///// /////
92263 25200 18508 85005 22421 20503 70687 18458 02507 88999 77999
31313 09608 81900
61616 AF306 1206A FELIX OB 14
62626 EYE SPL 1429N07897W 1903 MBL WND 18008 AEV 00000 DLM WND 20
503 953716 WL150 16509 075 =
XXBB 53198 99143 70790 04449 00953 27606 11878 22400 22850 22421
33767 18825 44744 19450 55713 19657 66696 18058
21212 00953 16512 11936 17507 22850 20503 33696 03507
31313 09608 81900
61616 AF306 1206A FELIX OB 14
62626 EYE SPL 1429N07897W 1903 MBL WND 18008 AEV 00000 DLM WND 20
503 953716 WL150 16509 075 =



lunkerhunter
(Storm Tracker)
Mon Sep 03 2007 08:03 PM
Re: Felix and More

looks like the finger of green slowed Felix down.

http://isotherm.rsmas.miami.edu/heat/data/hc_tmi_latest.gif

strengthening ahead followed by a (possibly brief) let up near landfall on Honduras.


cieldumort
(Moderator)
Mon Sep 03 2007 08:10 PM
Re: Felix and More

Invest floater is now up on the disturbance off the southeast. (Link)

A couple of quick mentions regarding the two main systems of interest (Felix & likely soon to be 99L). Felix continues mostly westbound at too quickly a pace to feel whatever consequential tugs may have been imparted upon it by the upper low just now entering the pacific northwest. There is still some chance that it may begin to round the ridge which has been forcing it on this nearly due west path, but the window for this is closing fast. It becomes more and more likely with each couple of hours that it will follow course for a direct hit on mainland Nicaragua as a major hurricane.. with the question of whether it is a Cat 3,4, or 5 at landfall mostly having to do with internal structural fluctuations, which are common with all major hurricanes. At the current latitude Felix will not ride directly over the next tongue of more substantial TCHP, located about and north of 14.5N 80W. Also at its current latitude it would have to really begin moving with a greater northward component for it to miss a direct hit on Nicaragua, and ride the coasts of both Nicaragua and Honduras to cross over, say, Belize, or the Yucatan.

If Felix indeed does stay on this nearly due west path, it won't take long for it to have the bulk of its vorticity interrupted and moisture wrung out over the mountainous terrain of central America. Some of this moisture and perhaps the mid level vorticity may still eventually get caught up in the flow into Texas, on the heels of the current juicy inflow into the state from a Gulf of Mexico tropical wave & trough, as well as Henriette. Texas will probably remain under the influence of persistent low pressure through much of this week. (a low which almost has the look of a high pressure ridge on satellite, however is not high pressure, but rather a largely inverted trough )

If Felix does round the base of the ridge currently positioned to its north, then we may again have to start considering the potential for an eventual entry into the Bay of Campeche, but again, this becomes less and less likely with every hour Felix stays just on the south, or left, of official forecasts.

Getting back to the Invest - this is probably going to end up much more a concern for the CONUS . As several different model runs have also forecast, and many of us have already conjectured, a ridge may build in just to Invest's north, allowing him to fester long enough over anomalously warm Gulf Stream/nearby waters to fully transition into a tropical cyclone, and, to eventually and gradually get steered back north-northwest/northwest/ or west-northwest.. any pick of those three directions strongly suggests a landfall along the east coast.

The southwest may get "hit" by a much-weakened Henriette. The abundance of dry air out that way, even during the monsoon season, combined with often mountainous terrain, typically eats landfalling tropical cyclones out there for breakfast. It doesn't take long for them to fall to bits once crossing the Baja. Nonetheless, excessive rainfall, flash flooding, a few severe thunderstorms, and some very gusty winds may be experienced this week in some very unusual places, such as Arizona, southern California, or New Mexico. And as mentioned above, much of Henriette's moisture is already enhancing the tropical downpours over much of Texas.


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Mon Sep 03 2007 08:16 PM
Re: Felix and More

And our Felix, for people that want to see it in all it's high res glory!

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime/single.php?A072461830

Note: Click on the "250m" on the left to get it to max resolution

---

Looks like a pinhole eye is opening up on IR. Need a microwave or recon to see if convection has rewrapped the whole core.


HCW
(Storm Tracker)
Mon Sep 03 2007 08:32 PM
Re: Felix and More

INVEST 99L is now up on the navy site for an area around 30.7 78.4 25kts off the east coast

ltpat228
(Storm Tracker)
Mon Sep 03 2007 08:47 PM
99L

INVEST 99L is now up on the navy site for an area around 30.7 78.4 25kts off the east coast.

And here is the link for a visual on 99L.

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc-bin/tc_hom...s/microvap/dmsp


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Mon Sep 03 2007 08:59 PM
Felix

Using the MODIS image as a base, I created a neat false color of Felix available here (please be kind to my site - I should have 5.2TBs/month of data transfer available, but I don't trust that number; seems WAY to high).

http://www.vorklift.com/temp/felix_false_color.png
(2.4 MBs)

Note: This is false color visible satellite.


LoisCane
(Veteran Storm Chaser)
Mon Sep 03 2007 09:22 PM
so what caused Felix to weaken?

Lower water temps or dry air caught up in the storm?

Really trying to understand this and I know the Invest is important as it can affect so many people reading this but really would like to know why Felix went from a 5 to a 3 so fast...


flahurricane
(Weather Hobbyist)
Mon Sep 03 2007 09:30 PM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

From what I understand and have seen watching storms is that it is hard for a hurricane to sustain itself once it reaches the strength that Felix did last night. Felix was also going over very warm water which helped in its intensification. This morning he sucked some dry air into the core which caused weakening. However it looks like Felix is starting to clear out the eye and the system is definitely growing in size.

Hugh
(Senior Storm Chaser)
Mon Sep 03 2007 09:54 PM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Okay, I go out of town for a long holiday weekend and come back to see what Felix is doing - a system which wasn't even a depression when I left for my trip, mind you, but which I expected to be named Felix that day - and find that the system has weakened substantially, with winds now down to 135mph. Wow.

Looking at the IR and water vapor imagery, it looks like Felix is toying with gaining strength, but not quite there.

P.S. I know it's a holiday, but where is everyone??


flahurricane
(Weather Hobbyist)
Tue Sep 04 2007 12:17 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

The last couple frames of the infrared loop seem to show a slightly more northward motion than we've seen over the last 12 hours. It's hard to tell if its a wobble or the eye clearing out.

Ed in Va
(Weather Master)
Tue Sep 04 2007 12:19 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Anyone have any links to models for 99L? There are none on NRL or the main page of this site.

LoisCane
(Veteran Storm Chaser)
Tue Sep 04 2007 12:34 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Just look a little further down the page Virginia

skeetobite has a page up http://www.skeetobiteweather.com/picservice.asp?t=m&m=99

very timely ...

interesting track, if it tracks, if it forms

wondering if felix is slowing down a bit personally


Hugh
(Senior Storm Chaser)
Tue Sep 04 2007 12:47 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

The due west motion has resumed... so I assume the northward jog that flahurricane mentioned, which I saw too earlier, was just the eye reforming itself.

LoisCane: Slowing down, how? Forward motion, or sustained winds? I don't detect a slowdown in forward motion... in looks like it is zooming onward, in fact.


Lysis
(User)
Tue Sep 04 2007 12:55 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Compact storms such as felix are more sensitive to their enviornment, and therefore susceptible to rapid intensification, and weakening --both of which we have seen here.
135MPH is nothing to sneeze at, though, and the cyclone still has ample time to strengthen before landfall.


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:07 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

The latest IR sure looks like an outer eyewall has formed and the inner one is disipating. Need 85ghz which should be along before too long.

Reference: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/flt/t1/rb.jpg (time sensitive)


nicaragua
(Registered User)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:18 AM
Re: Felix and More

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TRACK IS HEADED WEST I HAVE LOST JAVA FOR SOME HOURS AND CANNOT
LOOK AT THE LOOPS, INTERNET IS IN AND OUT. AND SLOW TO GET ANY THING.WE ARE SOUTH OF PUERTO CABEZAS ON CORN ISLAND NICARAGUA, BUT WE HAVE A PLANT THERE, CELL PHONES ARE NOT WORKING AT
THIS TIME, I DON´T THINK IT WILL BE TO BAD HERE, BUT I AM NOT SURE ABOUT PUERTO CABEZAS ANY HELP WITH INFO WOULD BE GREAT.


oil tracker
(Registered User)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:23 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Quote:

The due west motion has resumed... so I assume the northward jog that flahurricane mentioned, which I saw too earlier, was just the eye reforming itself.

LoisCane: Slowing down, how? Forward motion, or sustained winds? I don't detect a slowdown in forward motion... in looks like it is zooming onward, in fact.





I am still seeing more northward component motion in the last frames. Yesterday someone mentioned the ridge stalling just behind Florida and not further, allowing Felix to miss Nicaragua/Hondoras and indeed reaching BOC.

Ukmet solution plots that path with some bias to the north from the official NHC one.

I do appreciate some comments about how strong is the ridge from here. I am in Cancun México on vacation with my notebook in the beach following this forum in order to leave or to stay.


weather999
(Weather Watcher)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:26 AM
Last night's recon abort

I found it interesting to find out that the recon plane that had to abort the mission last night due to extreme turbulence was the same plane that was severely damaged in 1989 (Hugo)-5.6 G's to the aircraft.. in Felix's case, it was about 4 G's.

As for Felix, the storm looks elongated from top to bottom-but I think we'll have a mid Cat 4 @ landfall... still very powerful and dangerous.

98L seems close to dissipation-very little convection and the circulation is not very-discernible.

99L is more promising to develop at the moment, looks to me (not very experienced weather person though ) that it's trying to get going into a depression, although depression status (if it reaches that) is a couple days off.


lunkerhunter
(Storm Tracker)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:27 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Felix is pretty much right on the new NHC track - and is now better organized and strengthening.

As an aside, what's the chance that L98 & L99 merge?


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:37 AM
Re: Last night's recon abort

Last couple frames of IR show a rapidly reforming central core. SSMIS microwave overpass just went over and we have a very well defined strong eyewall shown on microwave.

85GHz:
Latest SSMI 85ghz imagery
IR: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/flt/t1/loop-rb.html

It appears that all the disruption we saw earlier today has gone and the storm is now strengthening again.

We should have a Hurricane Hunter in the storm sometime soon, but no data coming from it yet so I don't have a clue where it is, or even if it took off.


Ed in Va
(Weather Master)
Tue Sep 04 2007 01:50 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

98 is gone from the NRL site.

CarolinaGurl
(Weather Watcher)
Tue Sep 04 2007 02:01 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

99 and Felix are on the Navy site, 98 is gone. Also the link to skeetobite's track for 99 is not in the main post, the only reference I see is to Felix and 98. Thanks Loiscane for the link.

Unregistered User
(Unregistered)
Tue Sep 04 2007 02:09 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

Yes, it appears as though 98L has gone to the dogs.

99L though is far more interesting, as several outlets are finally picking up on the chance of it forming and doing a turn similar to Jeanne of 2004. It will be interesting to see if it can form over the coming days.

South Fla. has information and several model run information on 99L, available here:

http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/omd/ops/weather/plots/storm_99.gif

Cheers.


HanKFranK
(User)
Tue Sep 04 2007 02:15 AM
felix in, 98 out, 99 in

felix's inner core is looking better this evening. it might tip back up to 5 before going in, probably a tad north of puerto cabezas. would be kinda unprecedented to have two category 5 hurricanes hit within a few hundred miles of each other two weeks apart. looking possible tonight, but there's still a chance felix will even weaken a tad more. in any case it's quite a hurricane, and is going to bang the place up pretty good.
don't like the terminal track... like dean this thing keeps leaning west of guidance. might keep plowing west and reform in the pacific or something like that; wouldn't surprise me.
98L lost it's surface trades push, sort of in a large deformation zone ahead of the next oncoming wave. that wave has nothing in the way of convection to speak of, but it killed 98L deader than a hammer. happens sometimes, and in this case prevented a storm. we haven't had the sort of wave-series this year that spawns one storm after another.. large sal breakouts, easterly shear, and an inconsistent wave pattern have kept the mdr fairly quiet so far this season. that doesn't take away from the fact that the two that made it through have both bottom out as cat fives.
99L is my big worry. it has my near and dear chunk of coastline in mind, i fear. there's still a rush of subsidence that might squash it tomorrow, but if that doesn't then it's just stuck out there mid week over hot waters, with steadily improving synoptic conditions and the ridge rebuilding over it. 12z euro put it in about where i started thinking when i first saw the setup, though there's still a big spread from the models so far. still a lot of uncertainty, but if that sucker gets the ball rolling it can come up quick, and turn the later half of this week into a real bad one for people on the southeast coast. be vigilant.
HF 0214z04september


flahurricane
(Weather Hobbyist)
Tue Sep 04 2007 02:20 AM
Re: so what caused Felix to weaken?

99L looks like its trying to get its act together. Most models want to develop this in the next few days. The models actually seem to be agreeing a lot more with each other now than earlier. The NGP, CMC, GFDL, and GFS show a a fairly decent system heading to New England in around 5-6 days.

The mm5fsu45a shows it being a weaker system and crossing the central Florida penisula in 4 days. However, this model shows Felix in the western GOM in 6 days.


cieldumort
(Moderator)
Tue Sep 04 2007 03:18 AM
Re: felix in, 98 out, 99 in

Agree with all HF wrote regarding 99L. Might add that it's that time of year when these little rather benign-looking features (benign during other times of the year) can just go gangbusters in next to no time (recall Felix & Dean, most recently) and being so close to shore, 99 might be a rude awakening to those coastal residents still of the opinion that 2007, like in 2006, is somehow proof of a "return back to normal." It's fairly obvious that most people are not fully appreciative of the significance of both Dean & Felix, and our named count to date. Lots of still-unprepared folks out there right now.

Back to Felix - Felix appears to be intensifying a bit more tonight - should really be no real surprise - major hurricanes seldom maintain category 5 status for very long, usually falling back to 4, or 3, and often back up again, very often only due to internal structural changes, and nothing more. One has to hold their breath for something like a true classic, almost annular hurricane, such as 2005's absolutely incredible Hurricane Ioke was, to witness one that actually "breaks the rules."

It continues to appear most probable that Felix will make landfall as a Category 4, possibly a 5. The core of sustained hurricane-force winds within Felix only extend 30 miles or so out, and the winds of Felix, along this path, will weaken fairly quickly once inland.. except perhaps in the numerous higher elevations of Nicaragua/Honduras. So, structural damage along the sparsely-populated coast in this relatively narrow cone about the eye.. especially within the front and really right-front quadrant, will be blown to smithereens.. especially those not built with standing up to 140 mph winds in mind - how many are there?

During and/or after the initial EF3 tornado-like onslaught to this small section of the cost, some of these same areas will likely pick up some surge, but Felix is relatively small, has a very compact wind field, and the coastline is not appreciably at risk for surge, completely unlike the boot of Louisiana, for example.

Provided the continued west track verifies all the way to landfall, the greatest risk from Felix will probably occur when he is getting wrung out over the mountainous terrain of Central America, resulting in life-threatening flash floods. Fortunately, with his forward speed, something like an exact repeat of Mitch is unlikely... fortunately, again provided, forward speed continues and the remnant cyclone continues to shear to shreds and spread out over a wider area, rather than get held back, bunch up, and rain out over some mountainous terrain.


Random Chaos
(Weather Analyst)
Tue Sep 04 2007 03:33 AM
Re: felix in, 98 out, 99 in

As a reassurance to those in the gulf, looking at the steering currents, there's virtually no chance it will head into the gulf:

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/real-time/atlantic/winds/wg8dlm6.html


danielwAdministrator
(Moderator)
Tue Sep 04 2007 04:53 AM
Recon

Recon is about 200nm from the center of Hurricane Felix. That should be about 30- 45 minutes at 300mph.

Last sat shot prior to the eclipse indicated the lightning was decreasing.
However, this could be due to the eclipse obscuring Felix's signature.


nc_tropical_wx79
(Weather Guru)
Tue Sep 04 2007 05:08 AM
Re: Recon

is 99L still a low that attached to a front or has it seperated yet? Oh and is it subtropical, a hybrid, or has yet to transition over to a warm core system?

danielwAdministrator
(Moderator)
Tue Sep 04 2007 05:59 AM
Re: Recon

Looks like 938mb central pressure.

136kt at flight level and 143kts maximum wind.

edit:
URNT12 KNHC 040556 CCA

VORTEX DATA MESSAGE AL062007
A. 04/05:33:40Z
B. 14 deg 19 min N
081 deg 44 min W
C. 700 mb 2580 m
D. NA kt
E. NA deg 000 nm
F. 125 deg 143 kt
G. 027 deg 009 nm
H. 941 mb
I. 8 C/ 3056 m
J. 18 C/ 3040 m
K. 12 C/ NA
L. CLOSED WALL
M. C15
N. 12345/ 7
O. 0.02 / 1 nm
P. AF309 1306A FELIX OB 07 CCA
MAX FL WIND 143 KT NE QUAD 05:31:10 Z
CORRECTED FOR SLP


cieldumort
(Moderator)
Tue Sep 04 2007 06:16 AM
Re: Recon

That recon data sounds about right, alright. Last couple of frames before eclipse showed consolidation of very cold tops in the eyewall, while the eye itself was clearing out smartly. Baring something unforeseen, our next few images which will be available for viewing, post-eclipse, leading up to and upon landfall might be pretty ugly. The silver lining remains the nuances of this cyclone which, unless it either a) suddenly slows way down and/or b) directly hits one of the very isolated population-dense locales, loss of life may still be far lower than might be expected in such a ferocious hurricane, as was the case with Dean, as well. Absolutely no guarantee of this, of course.

On the other side of the canal, Henriette continues to organize, and is likely to be declared a hurricane before dawn on the west coast. Her internals looked -really- good for a TC in that area. Models are now fairly tightly clustered on affecting the southwest with her remnants, perhaps even including some tropical storm-like conditions here or there.

I've been following some Felix coverage on Nicaraguan tele:
http://mediahopper.com/
(Scroll to the country you wish to view)


danielwAdministrator
(Moderator)
Tue Sep 04 2007 06:28 AM
Landfall

I was hoping that Felix would hit or extend an ERC. An ERC at landfall would spare some damage. Probably not much will be spared at 150 mph.

If there is any one good thing about Felix it will be the forward speed. The storm shouldn't linger over any one location very long.

However... the forward speed is also added to the wind speed in the right front quadrant. Roughly 150mph + 17 mph= 167mph wind damage swath at some point.

Those reading in the area of the Honduran/ Nicaraguan Border please go to a place of safety Now!
Higher ground away from rivers and mudslide areas is best if possible.
Hills and mountain residents be prepared for extremely heavy rainfall. Increasing the threat for mudslides and landslides.

Seek shelter now. Before the weather prevents going to a shelter.

SE ESPERA QUE FELIX PUEDA PRODUCIR DE 5 A 10 PULGADAS DE LLUVIA A
TRAVES DEL NORTE DE NICARAGUA Y GRAN PARTE DE HONDURAS...CON
CANTIDADES AISLADAS POSIBLES DE 20 PULGADAS. ESTAS LLUVIAS PUDIERAN
PRODUCIR INUNDACIONES REPENTINAS Y DESLIZAMIENTOS DE LODO QUE
AMENAZAN VIDAS Y PROPIEDADES.

Huracan FELIX Aviso Publico


charlottefl
(Weather Hobbyist)
Tue Sep 04 2007 06:36 AM
Re: Landfall

I recently traveled to Guatemala. And I saw in person where a mudslide had traveled down a mountain side and wiped out a village of 1,500 people
in 2005 after Hurricane Stan. I hope that they have improved their warning systems and that the people listen. Words cannot describe how terrible
it was to see what had happened there. Even though Felix is moving fast it has the potential to cause catastrophic damage in isolated areas from
flooding and mudslides.


danielwAdministrator
(Moderator)
Tue Sep 04 2007 06:45 AM
Re: Landfall

It appears that the High thin cirrus outflow is improving to the north of Felix. This close to landfall, I'm not sure what that could change.
The outflow tells me that this storm is intact vertically. Outflow stretches from the SW tip of Cuba to the middle of Cuba. I'm estimating that to be about 6 degrees from Felix center. Better than a 350 mile radius. That's a big exhaust fan!

http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/GOES06152007247ClSMXP.jpg

Enhanced IR of the above area


ShanaTX
(Storm Tracker)
Tue Sep 04 2007 07:29 AM
Re: Landfall

What is concerning me about Felix is that although tourists on outlying islands seem to be airlifted out of the way, the poorest residents of the mainland area expected to bear the brunt of Felix are just told 'do your best to get out - we can't help'

From AP reports (news.yahoo.com)

Quote:

A storm surge of more than 18 feet above normal tides could devastate Indian communities along the Miskito Coast, a swampy, isolated region straddling the Honduras-Nicaragua border where thousands live in wooden shacks, get around on canoes and subsist on fish, beans, rice, cassava and plantains.

"There's nowhere to go here," said teacher Sodeida Rodriguez, 26, who was hunkering down in a concrete shelter.

The only path to safety is up rivers and across lakes that are too shallow for regular boats, but many lack gasoline for long journeys. Provincial health official Efrain Burgos said shelters were being prepared, and medicine and sanitation kits were being brought in, but that 18,000 people must find their own way to higher ground.

"We're asking the people who are on the coasts to find a way to safer areas, because we don't have the capability to transport so many people," he said. "The houses are made of wood. They're going to be completely swept away. They're not safe."




Another thing I noticed in the article is this ... and I was surprised more wasn't being made of it ...

Quote:

If Felix regains Category 5 winds before striking land, it would be the first time in recorded history that two such killer storms have made landfall in the same season, hurricane specialist Jamie Rhome said in Miami.





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