Major Hurricane Helene

[dseagull]

Just now, csnavywx said:

I have >100 strikes a minute (426 strikes in last 3 min, 317 in 3-5m bin).

As I posted earlier, I absolutely cannot wait to overlay strikes with this storm compared to Michael and other gulf storms with GIS software.  The spacial data for comparison is incredibly interesting when you import other data. 

[Doc Jon]

Lightning is insane!

[wthrmn654]

Ne eyewall drop sonde had 110 knots at 150M  a little while ago jeez

[Hotair]

First fatality due to Helene being reported.  Sign falls onto Car

 

[csnavywx]

2 minutes ago, csnavywx said:

Still spiking, 500+ strikes in last 3m.

650. Peak? Last 10m have been insane. 2200 total.

[NavarreDon]

Navarre is currently 190 miles west of the center and my pressure is down 998.65!


.

[DDweatherman]

Velocities up to 170mph in the NNE part of the eye wall courtesy of TLH radar…

[SchaumburgStormer]

East side of TLH may be staring down an extended eyewall visit 

[40/70 Benchmark]

Old school like a kid again with TWC on in the background...their coverage is watchable again.

[USCG RS]

At this point, when Helene makes LF, it will still be strengthening. Like Michael appeared to do, we may actually see this storm strengthening over the first interactions with land as well. 

[jm1220]

1 minute ago, USCG RS said:

At this point, when Helene makes LF, it will still be strengthening. Like Michael appeared to do, we may actually see this storm strengthening over the first interactions with land as well. 

The land it’s coming into is swamp, so it won’t weaken much if at all before it reaches I-10. 

[40/70 Benchmark]

Up to 6.3' in Clearwater Beach

[Normandy]

Cannot rule out a brush with cat 5 intensity.  Like I said yesterday generational hurricane.  Radar Velocities and lighting are insane

[dan11295]

Farther inland, cities like Valdosta could get a pretty good hit also.

[wthrmn654]

[40/70 Benchmark]

Just now, dan11295 said:

Farther inland, cities like Valdosta could get a pretty good hit also.

Like cat 2

[dseagull]

1 minute ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

East side of TLH may be staring down an extended eyewall visit 

If the NNW wobbles come to fruition and persist, the NHC may have their forecast and very early thoughts verify amazingly precisely, in regard to interaction with the surrounding environment.  

[pazzo83]

Just now, dseagull said:

If the NNW wobbles come to fruition and persist, the NHC may have their forecast and very early thoughts verify amazingly precisely, in regard to interaction with the surrounding environment.  

i hope folks can appreciate this afterwards.  just incredible work.

[SnowGoose69]

Just now, dan11295 said:

Farther inland, cities like Valdosta could get a pretty good hit also.

 If it does not turn N soon they could be on the N or NNW side so even they may be west of center.  

[csnavywx]

Back down to closer to 250 strikes/3m. One of the most insane spikes of hurricane lightning eyewall activity I've seen though.

[bdgwx]

Helene surges are now breaking Idalia's records in Tampa Bay.

[andyhb]

Might be the best the eyewall has looked from the Tampa radar in terms of closure.

[MarkO]

Storm surge hitting Cedar Key. 5' and rising

[SchaumburgStormer]

1 minute ago, csnavywx said:

Back down to closer to 250 strikes/3m. One of the most insane spikes of hurricane lightning eyewall activity I've seen though.

Be interesting to see if recon can get back over there before LF 

[hazwoper]

Clear west jog now.  Tallahassee might be in trouble 

[mob1]

3 minutes ago, SnowGoose69 said:

 If it does not turn N soon they could be on the N or NNW side so even they may be west of center.  

Looks to be headed due north now

[kvegas-wx]

The old gal is PISSED!!  Power outages rapidly increasing inland and will be in the millions shortly.  Over 600,000 now.  Line crews will be busy for MONTHS after Helene gets done.  Disaster response crews are stretched very, very thin on this one.

[40/70 Benchmark]

7 minutes ago, 40/70 Benchmark said:

Up to 6.3' in Clearwater Beach

 

1 minute ago, MarkO said:

Storm surge hitting Cedar Key. 5' and rising

 

[jm1220]

3 minutes ago, SnowGoose69 said:

 If it does not turn N soon they could be on the N or NNW side so even they may be west of center.  

If you overlay the W eye wall and Tallahassee it’s due south of them, and looks like the eye is headed due N now. It’ll be really close. 

[SnowGoose69]

1 minute ago, mob1 said:

Looks to be headed due north now

I believe its trying to move more towards the open water vs keep heading NNE into the land closer to it, you can see some tightening too as a result, echoes have really ramped up last 20 mins