Messages

3226

Forecasting / Re: Ask The Weather Expert!

« on: August 23, 2011, 04:14:50 PM »

I have another question pertaining to hurricanes. I've also heard that strong hurricanes, let's say Cat. 3 and above have a tendency to create their own environments conductive for them to stay healthy and can also deter away from their projected paths. I think Katrina was an example of this where instead of making a sharp turn north into the FL panhandle as projected, it continued west and turned north towards LA/MS. If that's true could the same be said for Irene as a possibility?

EDIT: Oh and there's one more thing, I've also heard that strong hurricanes can pump heights of ridges to their north which in result can force said hurricane to go more west. Is that true also?

Yes, everything you said is true.  If a hurricane is strong enough and the background conditions surrounding it are right, a hurricane will build its own upper-level ridge due to all the warm air being pumped upward.  However, you have to consider the wind shear and the presence of any upper-level troughs nearby as they will obviously compete against this process.

Thank you Patrick.

3227

General Discussion / Re: Earthquake Rattles East Coast/Mid-Atlantic

« on: August 23, 2011, 03:20:23 PM »

Considering how widespread this was felt, do all the cities along the East Coast/OH Valley that felt it sit along the same fault line?

3228

General Discussion / Re: Earthquake Rattles East Coast/Mid-Atlantic

« on: August 23, 2011, 02:45:07 PM »

It's quite remarkable how quickly Hurricane Irene took a back burner to the earthquake on TWC. They even switched to a video feed of MSNBC! Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I found it to be kinda funny.

3229

Local Forecast / Re: Custom photo background on WS 3000

« on: August 23, 2011, 02:29:20 PM »

Hmm, interesting info. I always assumed custom backgrounds were used on both cable/satellite feeds.

3230

General Discussion / Re: Earthquake Rattles East Coast/Mid-Atlantic

« on: August 23, 2011, 02:14:46 PM »

Reports in NC that folks felt some shaking there also.

EDIT: Jeff Morrow said reports that buildings were shaking in Downtown Atlanta also. WTH? I didn't feel anything.

Chicago also reported some shaking, seriously the heck kind of earthquake was that?! Very strange...

3231

Hurricane Central / Re: Hurricane Irene

« on: August 23, 2011, 01:06:29 PM »

Peek -A- Boo, Eye See You!

Eye starting to become visible on visible satellite.

EDIT: Also, Mandatory Evacuation will go into effect on Wednesday at 5am EDT for Ocracoke Island, NC.

3232

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: August 23, 2011, 12:10:51 PM »

Comcast updated their guides for Irene Coverage thoroughout this week up to Friday:

Day Planner: 11am to 3pm

Day Planner: 3pm to 7pm

Weather Center: 7pm to 10pm

Weather Center: 10pm to 1am

Weather Center: 1am to 3am

First Outlook: 3am to 6am

Yep, same schedule I'm seeing too. Well Crystal did say last night they would be on 24/7 all this week into the weekend so they probably figured they would change the schedule to reflect that.

3233

Hurricane Central / Re: Hurricane Irene

« on: August 23, 2011, 11:56:00 AM »

Irene is suffering from some dry air on the SE side and also there is moderate to high wind shear to it's E and NE inhibiting any rapid development.

3234

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: August 23, 2011, 11:51:22 AM »

For a Cat 2, Ike has caused a tremendous amount of damage in Texas

It's barometric pressure was comparable to a Cat 4. Hurricane. Had it not of gone over Cuba it very well could have been a Cat. 4 as far as winds at landfall.

3235

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: August 23, 2011, 11:45:24 AM »

6 years, huh? I thought Ike in 08 was the last major hit

Ike was a Category 2, a major hurricane is a Cat. 3 and above, but it was the last landfalling hurricane in 2008. I think the last major hurricane was either Rita or Wilma, I'll have to check on that.

EDIT: It was Wilma.

3236

Hurricane Central / Re: Hurricane Irene

« on: August 23, 2011, 11:03:41 AM »

Irene was traveling west for a period of time last night before moving WNW again in the last frames here. I'm assuming NHC took it as a wobble, but any more west wobbles like that will only allow Irene to move further west in it's track coming towards the SE coast. My thinking is a SC/NC hit, yesterday I said SC/GA, but I still don't really want to rule extreme east coast of GA out right now either.

In other words, my confidence is low.

3237

Forecasting / Re: Ask The Weather Expert!

« on: August 23, 2011, 10:25:16 AM »

I have another question pertaining to hurricanes. I've also heard that strong hurricanes, let's say Cat. 3 and above have a tendency to create their own environments conductive for them to stay healthy and can also deter away from their projected paths. I think Katrina was an example of this where instead of making a sharp turn north into the FL panhandle as projected, it continued west and turned north towards LA/MS. If that's true could the same be said for Irene as a possibility?

EDIT: Oh and there's one more thing, I've also heard that strong hurricanes can pump heights of ridges to their north which in result can force said hurricane to go more west. Is that true also?

3238

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: August 23, 2011, 10:12:09 AM »

First possible landfall of a hurricane in two seasons?  Yeah, it makes sense that they are making a huge deal.  I mean, really, it is.  I was tuned in last night, and Kim Cunningham kept repeating that they aren't trying to scare, just prepare.  Unfortunately, I think that does get people scared or worried, but I know that's not what TWC intends to do.

First possible major in 6 years! That's a long break, my concern is there are folks who think automatically this will pull an "Earl" or "Igor" on us a be a miss and that would be a terrible misconception to make. For one thing the pattern is not the same as August 2010 when we had persistent troughs works as "brick walls" to block hurricanes from hitting the East Coast. 

3239

Hurricane Central / Re: Hurricane Irene

« on: August 23, 2011, 09:59:07 AM »

i still don't trust the NHC's forecast, first they say Florida, then GA/SC, and now they say NC.

By Thursday we should find out the true path of Irene.

How is that they're fault that the models have been on a east trend the past day or two? When there's enough spread among models they usually take the middle road of them to determine a track.They're not going to make wild shifts in different directions just because models say so, it makes them seem...UGH I can't think of the right word to use, but hopefully you understand what I mean. That's also the reason they were slow on increasing wind speeds to what they are now. I read this morning that they were probably being "generous" on Irene being 100mph, they suspect it's stronger than that, but because it's still so close to Hispaniola, it's proximity is interfering with it's development some which is why we haven't seen an "eye" yet.

3240

Hurricane Central / Re: Hurricane Irene

« on: August 22, 2011, 09:31:41 PM »

Here's a microwave image of Irene's eye. The northside is strong, the southside still has some work to do in order for that eye to come out, it's almost there.