I have been doing some very casual calculations on the speed of movement, not the winds, but the 'traveling' speed across the water. Since the first 22 hours to the last 24 hours the hurricane has increased its westward movement by 0.63 miles per hour and it has lost speed northward by 5 mph.
August 25, 2011
1530.13 z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite
Six hours later is below.
1530.13 z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite
Six hours later is below.
In both these pictures above there is considerable water vapor available to it from the equatorial latitudes. That water vapor CAN fuel higher velocities. If one notices there is considerably more water vapor 'on the move' in the direction of the hurricane than six hours before. It just has to be watched for trajectory and velocity.
To the right is the current weather satellite over Virginia. It is unrelated to the hurricane EXCEPT that it has consolidated in the last six hours.
This consolidation can be noted in the two GOES East satellite above. It was diffuse in the 1530 satellite and currently is consolidated. The fronts involved with this consolidation do not seem to be strong enough to resist the velocity of the hurricane moving inland.
The potential is that with additional water vapor available from the equator and a stronger movement westward it may prove to be a significantly higher velocity than might be expected otherwise. I haven't noted any oscillation with the velocity either. That would mean to me there is little counter effects from surrounding systems on this hurricane.
The outer bands are already covering Florida and it is noteworthy that these clouds and not the eye of the hurricane is where the heavy rains START. While the eye is where the highest velocity winds are it is not where the rain starts. There will be heavy rainfall at the periphery of this storm as the denser clouds move in.
The storm is worrisome to me. It is strong and has the potential to be stronger as it approaches land and not weaker if that water vapor becomes incorporated into it. The storm is already 800 miles across with the densest clouds having a radius of 250 miles from the eye. If there is more water vapor added to this system the diameter could increase and the radius expand as well. I would expect to see an increase in the diameter first.
The potential is that with additional water vapor available from the equator and a stronger movement westward it may prove to be a significantly higher velocity than might be expected otherwise. I haven't noted any oscillation with the velocity either. That would mean to me there is little counter effects from surrounding systems on this hurricane.
The outer bands are already covering Florida and it is noteworthy that these clouds and not the eye of the hurricane is where the heavy rains START. While the eye is where the highest velocity winds are it is not where the rain starts. There will be heavy rainfall at the periphery of this storm as the denser clouds move in.
The storm is worrisome to me. It is strong and has the potential to be stronger as it approaches land and not weaker if that water vapor becomes incorporated into it. The storm is already 800 miles across with the densest clouds having a radius of 250 miles from the eye. If there is more water vapor added to this system the diameter could increase and the radius expand as well. I would expect to see an increase in the diameter first.
Hurricane Irene "Looking Bad" for U.S.—Moon May Make It Worse (click title to entry - thank you)
Unusually high tides and potentially unprepared towns might spell disaster.
Willie Drye in Plymouth, North Carolina
Published August 25, 2011
The exact times, places, and intensities of Hurricane Irene's predicted U.S. landfalls are still ripe for revision, but according to meteorologist Keith Blackwell, at least one thing is certain: "It's looking bad." And the moon is at least partly to blame for that cloudy outlook.
Current forecasts suggest Irene will likely make landfall as a major hurricane onNorth Carolina's Outer Banks barrier islands this weekend, bringing damaging winds and serious flooding to coasts from North Carolina to New England.
Hurricane Irene's center is "likely to go through the Outer Banks and rake the coast all the way up—Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey—all the way up to New England," said Blackwell, of the University of South Alabama's Coastal Weather Research Center.
"Long Island looks like it's really going to be in trouble."…
The other tropical system in the Atlantic is also pushing northeast. I believe that is what is somewhat stalling Hurricane Irene in a stronger westward movement vs northward.
Good luck.
The other tropical system in the Atlantic is also pushing northeast. I believe that is what is somewhat stalling Hurricane Irene in a stronger westward movement vs northward.
Good luck.
