Major Hurricane Helene

[cardinalland]

Hurricane Helene's center is approx. 100 miles from Clearwater right now. It will likely get as close as 90 miles away before it begins gaining distance as it moves toward the Panhandle.

[Doc Jon]

Wow, core lightning starting to ramp up.

 

Impressive.

[wthrmn654]

Buoy nearing the eye pressure is now dropping fast,  -0.35 inches  currently at 985.4mb sustained windabout 40 knots gusts nearly 60 knots.  Wave height close to 20 feet now. 

[clskinsfan]

Prayers for the Big Bend. This is a Horrific beast coming. 

 

[CoastalWx]

Really would like to see that eyewall close though.

[Sn0waddict]

https://www.facebook.com/share/aMC7VGCgby8Uxx7F/?mibextid=WC7FNe Taylor County is asking those who didn’t evacuate to write their name/DOB etc in permanent marker on their leg so they can identified. Scary stuff.

[Hotair]

Buoy off Florida recording 31 foot waves near Helene

[clskinsfan]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:29 PM, CoastalWx said:

Really would like to see that eyewall close though.

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It's not closed? 

[andyhb]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:29 PM, CoastalWx said:

Really would like to see that eyewall close though.

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Yeah the western part is definitely weak and still feeling some of the dry air.

[Radtechwxman]

On radar it has opened in sw quadrant again. But satellite presentation continues to improve 

[MUWX]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:33 PM, clskinsfan said:

It's not closed? 

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If it is, it barely is. The west side is very weak. 

[Wannabehippie]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:34 PM, andyhb said:

Yeah the western part is definitely weak and still feeling some of the dry air.

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The eastern eye looks like is still open. Might still close off considering how fast it is developing.

https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/68232b05-58d2-48b2-a3f4-c5ccb096a451

 

 

[BoulderWX]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:35 PM, Radtechwxman said:

On radar it has opened in sw quadrant again. But satellite presentation continues to improve 

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Yup

[Doc Jon]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:35 PM, Radtechwxman said:

On radar it has opened in sw quadrant again. But satellite presentation continues to improve 

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Radar shadow?  Given the amount of lightning in the core, there has to be a tremendous amount of hail in there screwing up the radar reflectivity.

[CoastalWx]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:39 PM, Doc Jon said:

Radar shadow?  Given the amount of lightning in the core, there has to be a tremendous amount of hail in there screwing up the radar reflectivity.

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It’s shown on two different radars. 

[wthrmn654]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:31 PM, Hotair said:

Buoy off Florida recording 31 foot waves near Helene

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31? Which buoy is that by chance the one that's less then 31 miles away is showing 20 feet now

[CTWeatherFreak]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:42 PM, CoastalWx said:

It’s shown on two different radars. 

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do warm core systems even produce hail?

[Prospero]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:25 PM, cardinalland said:

Hurricane Helene's center is approx. 100 miles from Clearwater right now. It will likely get as close as 90 miles away before it begins gaining distance as it moves toward the Panhandle.

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Already solid TS force winds at Surfside Condos on Clearwater Beach and still not the strongest they will see.

https://www.sailflow.com/map#27.962,-82.745,13,1,!172594,7

[CCHurricane]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:44 PM, wthrmn654 said:

31? Which buoy is that by chance the one that's less then 31 miles away is showing 20 feet now

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https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42036

Approx Buoy Location in YELLOW

[hlcater]

Was thinking it's either attenuation or subsidence caused by strong eyewall convection that caused the opening. Could even be both. In any case IR continues to improve on a rapid pace.

 

Should have recon data within the next 30 min.

[wthrmn654]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:49 PM, CCHurricane said:

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42036

 

Approx Buoy Location in YELLOW

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I assumed that, but I only see 20 foot seas so maybe I'm missing something

[wthrmn654]

As of 09/26/2024 17:00 EDT, water levels along the Florida Gulf Coast are elevated and continuing to rise as Hurricane Helene approaches. 

 

Below is a breakdown of water level observations above normal tide levels by region:

 

Pensacola, FL to Apalachicola, FL.... 1.6 to 3.5 feet

Apalachicola, FL to Tampa Bay, FL....3.5 to 3.9 feet

Tampa Bay, FL to Key West, FL......1.6 to 3.7 feet

Winds along the south and southeastern Florida coast from Key West to Lake Worth Pier presently range between 25 and 35 knots with gusts to 40 knots. Winds from Key West to Cedar Key range between 25 and 40 knots with gusts to 50 knots. Winds along the Florida Panhandle from Pensacola to Apalachicola range between 10 and 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. 

[NorthHillsWx]

Here’s the rapid intensification phase… as it pulls into land. She’s a beaut on satellite 

[Amped]

18z GFS  is about half a county west of 12z. The eye still goes straight over Perry more or less.

[Floydbuster]

 

[wxeyeNH]

AS of around 5:40pm we have a near perfect circular CDO around the eye with overshooting tops in the eye wall.  This is  bombing out at the worst time.  Recon will be in the eye in the next 10 minutes and I bet they find a 945mb storm.  

Also I would like to add that if you do not have any scientifically useful information please don't post.  Read more and post less so this thread doesn't get clogged with useless info.

 

[mob1]

Flight level winds now 97 knots in the western side of Helene as recon approaches the eye, that's a marked increase from precious recon missions and shows that the storm is a bit more symmetrical now. 

[ma blizzard]

looks like ~947 mb on latest recon! 

[wthrmn654]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:56 PM, ma blizzard said:

looks like ~947 mb on latest recon! 

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946ish too! It flew east and it was going down

[Doc Jon]

  On 9/26/2024 at 9:57 PM, wthrmn654 said:

946ish too! It flew east and it was going down

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Eye cleared out too.