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83 comments on Rita Old Comment Thread 1 (Rita graphic now moved up closer to the top)

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MikeCapone on September 21, 2005 - 1:33pm Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
Holy crap, it's HUGE!

I wonder, what's the size difference with Katrina when it was around the same location?

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Prof. Goose on September 21, 2005 - 1:34pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Rita is actually a little smaller right now.  But her windfield is definitely growing, even in that hour that is lapsed.
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The Interloafer on September 21, 2005 - 2:48pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
That's interesting, because Katrina had to overcome a land passage over southern Florida, while Rita just sailed clear through the Straights of Florida. Maybe that means that the GOM waters have cooled a bit.
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fatbear on September 21, 2005 - 3:15pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Maybe that means that the GOM waters have cooled a bit.

There has been some comment that Katrina riled up the GOMEX waters to such an extent that the very deep cool water has been drawn to the surface and might have moderated surface energy avails.

I'm no scientist, so who knows what to believe....

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Ben on September 21, 2005 - 3:22pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I'm not a scientist, either, but there is more that affects a hurricane's size and strength than just water temperature.  I'm sure there are several other variables that have changed between these two storms.

That said, water temps are still really high all across the gulf, which is why both these storms are able to gain so much strength (compared to, say, Ophelia)

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fatbear on September 21, 2005 - 4:14pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Here's an interesting map from the NHC - it shows water surface temperature anomalies - notice that the Upper East quadrant of GOMEX is cooler than normal, obviously caused by the eastern wind wall of Katrina - the rest of GOMEX seems to be at expected or slightly warmer temps

(presumably the warm water up near Nova Scotia is the result of Ophelia's rain, as the map is 4 days old)

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Ben on September 21, 2005 - 4:19pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Here's a map from the Navy from yesterday, just for comparison.
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wadosy on September 21, 2005 - 9:04pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
you know that the deathwish christians are gonna be expecting to be sucked out of their socks pretty quick if they spot that little cross-shaped patch of hot water, don't you?

it's south at about 40W lat.

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mw on September 21, 2005 - 7:01pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
...RITA BECOMES THE FIFTH MOST INTENSE HURRICANE ON RECORD...

DROPSONDE DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT AT 416 PM CDT...2116Z...INDICATED THE CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS FALLEN TO 904 MB...OR 26.69 INCHES. THIS MAKES RITA THE FIFTH MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN.

RITA CURRENTLY RANKS BEHIND HURRICANE GILBERT IN 1988 WITH 888
MB...THE 1935 LABOR DAY HURRICANE WITH 892 MB...HURRICANE ALLEN IN 1980 WITH 899 MB...AND HURRICANE KATRINA LAST MONTH WITH 902 MB.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT3+shtml/212146.shtml

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mw on September 21, 2005 - 8:21pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
...RITA BECOMES THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE ON RECORD...

THE CENTRAL PRESSURE IS PROBABLY AT LEAST AS LOW AS 898 MB...AND PERHAPS EVEN LOWER. FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES... A PRESSURE OF 898 MB IS ASSUMED... WHICH NOW MAKES RITA THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN. SOME ADDITIONAL DEEPENING AND INTENSIFICATION IS POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO.

RITA CURRENTLY RANKS BEHIND HURRICANE GILBERT IN 1988 WITH 888 MB AND THE 1935 LABOR DAY HURRICANE WITH 892 MB.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT3+shtml/212351.shtml

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83 comments on Rita Old Comment Thread 1 (Rita graphic now moved up closer to the top)

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