Hurricane Category 4 Hurricane Helene

[Clancy]

Special advisory text from NHC.

941
WTNT64 KNHC 261825
TCUAT4

Hurricane Helene Tropical Cyclone Update
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092024
225 PM EDT Thu Sep 26 2024

...AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND HELENE A MAJOR HURRICANE...

The Air Force Hurricane Hunters found that the maximum sustained
winds have increased to near 120 mph (195 km/h). This makes
Helene a dangerous category 3 major hurricane. Additional
strengthening is expected before Helene makes landfall in the
Florida Big Bend this evening.

SUMMARY OF 225 PM EDT...1825 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...26.7N 84.9W
ABOUT 170 MI...280 KM WSW OF TAMPA FLORIDA
ABOUT 205 MI...335 KM S OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 25 DEGREES AT 16 MPH...26 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...959 MB...28.32 INCHES

$$
Forecaster Cangialosi/Berg/Brown

 

[Clancy]

Cluster of tropical supercells in southern Georgia with four individual TORs.

 

[Blountwolf]

Complex interaction beginning.

 

[MichelleH]

Updated the title.

 

[Clancy]

Helene has undergone a hauntingly beautiful evolution over the past several hours.

 

[slenker]

Complex interaction beginning.

View attachment 30292

Truly a titanic storm. Is this bigger than Ian?

 

[Blountwolf]

Truly a titanic storm. Is this bigger than Ian?

Ian was huge - not sure that big. EDIT: Yikes, I stand corrected - bigger than Ian.

 

[wx_guy]

Truly a titanic storm. Is this bigger than Ian?

In one of the advisories close to landfall, Ian's radii of tropical storm force winds are: 34 KT.......120NE 140SE 100SW 150NW

Here's Helene's forecasted radii at 0z tonight: 34 KT...270NE 270SE 120SW 120NW.

 

[Clancy]

FFC has a weather video briefing out on Helene.

 

[TornadoFan]

Lightning really picking up in the eye.

 

[Clancy]

Lightning really picking up in the eye.

Yep. Some mesovorts too.

 

[TornadoFan]

Wow, pressure in the center is now down to 951.

 

[TornadoFan]

 

[Blountwolf]

 

[Taylor Campbell]

Strong tornadic supercells just off the coast near Tampa.

 

[TornadoFan]

Pretty morbid, but the Sheriff's office in Taylor County, Florida is asking anybody who stayed behind to write identifying information on their arms.

 

[wx_guy]

At this point, the models are pretty much done. The radar and recon and surface observations are the way to go now.

 

[TornadoFan]

 

[Clancy]

NHC confirms that impressive pressure drop.

 

[wx_guy]

NHC confirms that impressive pressure drop.

Here in St. Petersburg, I can confirm! Very gusty winds ongoing.