I sat down at the computer when I woke up this morning, and glanced at the Google Earth display of the recon flight that was monitoring Paloma. A 939 millibar central pressure really caught my eye. It had been 964 millibars when I went to bed.
The plane found a 154 mph flight level wind. This corresponds to about 140 mph at the surface.
This is from the decoder at tropicalatlantic.com
Product: Air Force Vortex Message (URNT12 KNHC)
Transmitted: 8th day of the month at 11:44Z
Aircraft: Air Force Aircraft (Last 3 digits of the tail number are 302)
Storm Number & Year: 17L in 2008
Storm Name: Paloma (in the North Atlantic basin)
Mission Number: 6
Observation Number: 25
A. Time of Center Fix: 8th day of the month at 11:11:50Z
B. Center Fix Coordinates: 19°36’N 79°49’W (19.6N 79.8167W)
B. Center Fix Location: 104 miles (168 km) to the E (79°) from George Town, Cayman Islands (GBR).
C. Minimum Height at Standard Level: 2,636m (8,648ft) at an unspecified standard level
D. Estimated (by SFMR or visually) Maximum Surface Wind: 128kts (~ 147.3mph)
E. Location of the Estimated Maximum Surface Wind: 7 nautical miles (8 statute miles) to the WSW (240°) of center fix
F. Maximum Flight Level Wind Inbound: From 344° at 112kts (From the NNW at ~ 128.9mph)
G. Location of Maximum Flight Level Wind Inbound: 9 nautical miles (10 statute miles) to the WSW (244°) of center fix
H. Minimum Sea Level Pressure: 939mb (27.73 inHg) – Extrapolated
I. Maximum Flight Level Temp & Pressure Altitude Outside Eye: 7°C (45°F) at a pressure alt. of 3,049m (10,003ft)
J. Maximum Flight Level Temp & Pressure Altitude Inside Eye: 22°C (72°F) at a pressure alt. of 3,047m (9,997ft)
K. Dewpoint Temp (collected at same location as temp inside eye): 12°C (54°F)
K. Sea Surface Temp (collected at same location as temp inside eye): Not Available
L. Eye Character: Closed Wall
M. Eye Shape: Concentric (has an inner and outer eye)
M. Inner Eye Diameter: 18 nautical miles (21 statute miles)
M. Outer Eye Diameter: 32 nautical miles (37 statute miles)
N. Fix Determined By: Penetration, Radar, Wind, Pressure and Temperature
N. Fix Level: 700mb
O. Navigation Fix Accuracy: 0.02 nautical miles
O. Meteorological Accuracy: 2 nautical miles
Remarks Section:
Maximum Flight Level Wind: 134kts (~ 154.2mph) in the northwest quadrant at 9:35:30Z
Sea Level Pressure Extrapolation From: 700mb
WTNT32 KNHC 081148
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
HURRICANE PALOMA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 12A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL172008
700 AM EST SAT NOV 08 2008
…EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PALOMA STRENGTHENS A LITTLE MORE…
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION.
A HURRICANE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF
SANCTI SPIRITUS… CIEGO DE AVILA…CAMAGUEY AND LAS TUNAS. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE
CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES
OF HOLGUIN AND SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS…
INCLUDING CAT ISLAND…THE EXUMAS…LONG ISLAND…RUM CAY…AND SAN
SALVADOR. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS.
INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN CUBA…JAMAICA…AND THE BAHAMAS SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF PALOMA.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 700 AM EST…1200Z…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE PALOMA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 19.7 NORTH…LONGITUDE 79.6 WEST OR JUST SOUTHEAST OF
CAYMAN BRAC. THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT 110 MILES…175 KM…
EAST-NORTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN AND ABOUT 165 MILES…265 KM…
SOUTHWEST OF CAMAGUEY CUBA.
PALOMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MPH…13 KM/HR…AND
THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST
TRACK…THE CENTER OF PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE AWAY FROM LITTLE
CAYMAN AND CAYMAN BRAC THIS MORNING…AND BE APPROACHING THE COAST
OF CENTRAL CUBA LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY SUNDAY.
REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE
THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 140 MPH…225
KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. PALOMA IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE THIS MORNING…WITH WEAKENING
EXPECTED LATER TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES…45 KM…FROM
THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115
MILES…185 KM.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE EXTRAPOLATED FROM RECENT HURRICANE
HUNTER DATA IS 943 MB…27.85 INCHES.
STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS…
ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES…IS EXPECTED
NEAR THE CENTER OF PALOMA IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. STORM SURGE
FLOODING OF 15 TO 20 FEET IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE
THE CENTER OF PALOMA MAKES LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF CUBA.
PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO
10 INCHES OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AS WELL AS CENTRAL AND EASTERN
CUBA…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM TOTALS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE
RAINS MAY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES.
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS
JAMAICA.
REPEATING THE 700 AM EST POSITION…19.7 N…79.6 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD…NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…140 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…943 MB.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 1000 AM EST.
$$
FORECASTER BEVEN
