Wilma becomes strongest hurricane ever recorded in Atlantic

[penguinz]

I thought I had seen everything this hurricane season, but I was wrong. WOW! ... Between 5:00pm EDT and 5:00am EDT Wilma's pressure dropped from 970 mb to 884 mb and her winds increased from 80 mph to 175 mph. This rate of strengthening in incredible. A strengthening of 86 mb in 12 hours is absolutely amazing. Even a 1 mb/hr strengthening is quick. We saw a strengthening of 7.2 mb/hr. Wilma has a very small eye that is fluctuating between 2 nm and 4 nm across.

Wilma is currently the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. Yes, ever. To give you some points of reference: Katrina reached 902 mb, Rita bottomed out at 897 mb, and both Mitch and Camille measured 905 mb. Even this estimate of Wilma could be conservative.
NHC states:

THE METEOROLOGIST ON BOARD THE PLANE RELIED AN
EXTRAPOLATED 881 MB PRESSURE AND MEASURED 884 MB WITH A DROPSONDE.

And they continue:

WILMA IS NEAR ITS MAXIMUM
POTENTIAL INTENSITY AND FURTHER STRENGTHENING IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
MOST LIKELY...THE SMALL EYE WILL COLLAPSE FOLLOWED BY SLIGHT
WEAKENING OR SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY

This seems obvious to me. I don't see how Wilma could get much stronger (it already is the strongest hurricane ever recorded). This is the first time on record that three Category 5 hurricanes formed in the same year. Previously both 1960 and 1961 had two Category 5 hurricanes. In a single year we have now seen the 1st, 4th, and 6th strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic.

Those of you in Southern Florida should begin planning now. Please be prepared for a hurricane landfall as early as Saturday. Wilma is very serious storm. Wilma clearly has her sights set on passing through the Yucatan Channel and heading directly at Southern Florida. This is no longer a joking matter. We have yet another catastrophic hurricane at hand.

Some of you may have noticed us tinkering around overnight. This morning we are releasing our new StormTrack model charts. Below is the first public release of our model charts that are now integrated with Google Maps. From now on, simply click on the map and you will be brought to the full control panel in a new window. You can move the map around, select your desired models, and zoom right in on your area of interest. Watch for more improvements in the coming days.

http://www.thestormtrack.com/

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I agree with Phil.

There's no way they can play this game in Miami. Mandatory evac would likely start tomorrow and the city could be without power until early next week.

So, that would mess up the coaches' headsets, right?

[greg63]

Originally Posted by Phobia

This is absolutely astounding. The game is so minute on the grand scale but I don't see how there's any way they play it early or delay it a day. This game demands a change of venue and they better announce that change today or they'll never be able to get tickets, officials, accomadations, and concessions ready in time.

I agree, the term "astounding" is understating it but I can't think of anything else to describe it. People need to start getting out of the projected path now.

[KChiefs1]

So the smaller the hole the stronger it is?

[keg in kc]

Insanity.

[SCChief]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

So the smaller the hole the stronger it is?

Typically a smaller eye means a more intense system. You can liken it to an ice skater doing a spin... the tighter he/she brings their arms in, the faster they spin. Hurricanes work off basically the same principal.

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

So, that would mess up the coaches' headsets, right?

Thanks for the laugh I needed that.