James88
Weather Master
Reged:
Posts: 576
Loc: Gloucestershire, England, UK
|
|
I was looking at some past archives when I came across Hurricane Anita in 1977 - a hurricane that in 18 hours exploded from Category 2 strength to a 150kt Category 5. Has there ever been a faster instance of intensification in the Atlantic basin?
What are the conditions needed to favour such explosive development?
Thanks!
|
LI Phil
User
Reged:
Posts: 2637
Loc: Long Island (40.7N 73.6W)
|
|
This might be close:
"Hurricane Keith underwent one of the fastest intensification processes on record in the Atlantic. It strengthened from a strong tropical storm (70 mph) to a major category four hurricane (140 mph) in only 24 hours" (Keith was in 2000).
LI Phil
--------------------
2005 Forecast: 14/7/4
BUCKLE UP!
"If your topic ain't tropic, your post will be toast"
|
James88
Weather Master
Reged:
Posts: 576
Loc: Gloucestershire, England, UK
|
|
It's lucky for the people involved that this sort of intensification doesn't happen really often. Although when it does these storms seem to weaken rapidly not long after. There are plenty of cases of storms exploding and then quickly weakening just prior to landfall. I suppose the sheer energy needed to maintain such great intensity is just too difficult to maintain.
|
troy2
Storm Tracker
Reged:
Posts: 227
Loc: cocoa beach
|
|
Mitch in 98 had a similar strengthening period, but not as quick..
|
Rob_M
Weather Hobbyist
Reged:
Posts: 60
Loc: Cary, NC
|
|
Supertyphoon Forrest in 1983 in the WPAC holds the record for the quickest intensifying tropical system. Winds increased from 75mph (weak category 1) to 173mph (category 5) in just 24 hours. And the minimum pressure deepened from 976mb to 876mb in LESS than 24 hours...yikes...
HRD FAQ: Which tropical cyclone intensified the fastest?
--------------------
Rob Mann
IndependentWx.Com
|
LI Phil
User
Reged:
Posts: 2637
Loc: Long Island (40.7N 73.6W)
|
|
Rob
Thanks for the info on Forrest. Do you know what storm holds the record in the Atl. basin?
Never Mind. I just clicked on the link. Twas Gilbert (probably no surprise there).
Cheers,
LI Phil
--------------------
2005 Forecast: 14/7/4
BUCKLE UP!
"If your topic ain't tropic, your post will be toast"
Edited by LI Phil (Wed Jun 09 2004 04:47 PM)
|
James88
Weather Master
Reged:
Posts: 576
Loc: Gloucestershire, England, UK
|
|
It's lucky that intensification on that kind of a scale doesn't occur very often. A storm like that heading in your direction doesn't even bear thinking about. 
|
hurricane_run
Storm Tracker
Reged:
Posts: 366
Loc: USA
|
|
Yeah. If it was a weak hurricane coing to shre then intensfied that quickly major problems.
|
meranto
Verified CFHC User
Reged:
Posts: 12
Loc: Ridderkerk, Netherlands (51.52...
|
|
I found a cyclone in the South Pacific that underwent an extreme intensification. Since there is very little information about South Pacific cyclones, and even less about Indian Ocean cyclones, I think this might be somehow overlooked.
Cyclone Zoe
This girl went up from 95 kts to 155 kts in just 6 hours. Since there are no pressure readings about this one, we have to settle for the increase in wind, which equals 10 kts per hour.
Compared to the -favorite Forrest, which went up 30 kts in 6 hours and a total of 85 kts in 24 hours, this will result in the following table:
Code:
Cyclone Rate
-----------------------------------------------------------
Forrest 5 kts/h (6 hours) / 3.54 kts/h (24 hours)
Zoe 10 kts/h
I think that if one could estimate the pressures that usually match these windspeeds that a much more impressive pressure drop will be found at Zoe than any other storm listed.
I can also not examine the accuracy of these readings, but seeing the pictures of the completely demolished, trashed, ravaged and flattened island of Tikopia one can only conclude that a very powerfull (cat 5) storm hit this island 6 hours after the 95 kts estimate.
|
essan
Registered User
Reged:
Posts: 3
|
|
Wow, a lot of information. 
--------------------
Canadian Sight- Weather & Photography
forums.canadiansight.com
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
