Hugh
(Senior Storm Chaser)
Mon Sep 19 2005 07:30 PM
Re: Rita interfacing with the Cuban Coast?

Quote:

She's not over Cuba. Both Radar and IR don't show that:
http://flhurricane.com/imageanimator.php?7
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/float-ir4-loop.html
She's forcast to thread the needle between Cuba and Florida, and that's, unfortunately, what she looks to be doing.
However, her center did drift south...just no where near far enough to make Cuba a factor yet:
http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/omd/ops/weather/vortex.html




Unfortunately you're probably right, but... based upon the current motion, Rita MIGHT "clip" the north coast of Cuba. It's extremely hard to tell the movement on that radar loop - sometimes I stare and say it's south of west, sometimes I stare and say it's WNW or NW. Overall I'd say it's going to come closer to the Florida mainland than to the coast of Cuba.

Even if that's not the case, that area of Cuba isn't exactly going to weaken a hurricane.



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