At 08:01 GMT (3:01 a.m. CDT) on October 19, 2005, Air Force Hurricane Hunters measured a central pressure of 884 millibars in Hurricane Wilma.
But the surface pressure when the dropsonde hit the ocean was still 23 knots, so meteorologists know that the device did not find the true center. So, the observation was adjusted to 882 millibars, which is the lowest barometric reading ever observed in an Atlantic Hurricane.
Since the hurricane was intensifying at the time, it is likely that the pressure was even lower.
URNT12 KNHC 190835
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 19/08:00:30Z
B. 17 deg 03 min N
082 deg 20 min W
C. 700 mb 2082 m
D. NA kt
E. NA deg nm
F. 320 deg 166 kt
G. 221 deg 003 nm
H. 884 mb
I. 10 C/ 3073 m
J. 24 C/ 3043 m
K. 10 C/ NA
L. CLOSED
M. C4
N. 12345/ 7
O. 0.02 / 1 nm
P. AF308 0724A WILMA OB 16
MAX FL WIND 168 KT SE QUAD 06:10:20 Z
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