8/13/04 NOW: Charley [Florida]

Is the tornadic threat higher than usual for a hurricane?

I know it's pretty routine to issue TOR watches as hurricanes come inland, and yes, hurricane spawned tornadoes are not an uncommon event. From my rudimentary understanding of SVR WX, I believe this is because hurricanes have a tendency to induce pretty decent amounts of helicity, and the warm, moist air they bring is great for supercells and very intense squalls.

Does anyone with a little more met. experience want to discuss this?
 
Here in North Carolina just this morning we had a tornado that touched down barely 30 miles north of where I live. The storms coming across NC last night and this morning were from remenants of Bonnie. Yesterday evening, all of Eastern NC was under a Tornado Watch and I guess it must have lasted through this morning. I was awakened briefly this morning around 4 by the storm that produced the tornado, and then one of my roommates said that the wind was blowing around trashcans and stuff in the neighborhood. I expect to pretty much be under a tornado watch for the rest of the weekend considering the areas I'll be traveling to. I'll be buying myself some film before I leave town also.
 
It looks like Charley is headed right for the point to the west of Charlotte Harbor, FL. This could prove very dangerous as the eastern portion of the eyewall (the area where the winds are the strongest) will be going right over the Bay there, which means those winds will be piling up water towards the back of the bay. If this occurs, there could be some truly tremendous storm surge flooding.
 
I wish I was in Florida with my camera right now. :)

BTW, what's wrong with the SPC storm reports page? It says no reports recieved. I'm sure that's incorrect... :lol:

About 22 TOR's have been issued today for this area...
 
It's starting to look like it's going to head straight across Florida, and I bet it hits the gulf stream.

I wonder what that area of pressure just west is going to do??
Has anybody gotten any updated info on whether it may help push Charley farther into the Atlantic??
 
No LSR's issued = Nothing on SPC.

"It's starting to look like it's going to head straight across Florida, and I bet it hits the gulf stream. "

It's almost going due north right now.

- Rob
 
It's starting to look like it's going to head straight across Florida, and I bet it hits the gulf stream.

It would take some pretty strange circumstances for that to happen - this thing is already under the influence of that TROF. Also, check out TPC's track - you would have to shift it pretty far east for Charlie to make it back out over open water.
 
From the direction it's traveling now, it doesn't look like Tampa is as much out of the woods as they thought just a few hours ago! Just wondering what direction it will take once the eye hits land? Anyone wanna venture a guess? If it continues north, look out Tampa!

EDIT: Looks like most of the radars websites are getting hit pretty hard right now... I have http://vortex.plymouth.edu/TBW.n0r_an.gif still working for me... And it's pretty quick loading!
 
Latest dropsonde now to 946mb with lowest winds at 128kt!

LOL not wanting to do a real play-by-play, but just heard report of 943mb surface pressure ... A quick scan of previous storms shows that this pressure (or even another 15mb lower) is pretty typical of Cat 4 storms. And actually, 943mb seems to be on the slightly-high side of center pressures from previous 145mph Cat 4s, not that that means too much, however...
 
Boy, this year's starting out to be quite a year for hurricanes. They sure are pulling some fast ones.

Wonder what storm #4's gonna do.

It would take some pretty strange circumstances for that to happen - this thing is already under the influence of that TROF. Also, check out TPC's track - you would have to shift it pretty far east for Charlie to make it back out over open water.

I see what you're saying. I can't even pull up the projection path of the storm right now. For some reason, I'm having a terrible time with pulling up any kind of weather on the internet, which is ridiculous b/c I'm having no trouble at all with getting onto ST.
But I think I understand what you're telling me is that it's pretty much going to stay a due course over the majority of Florida due to the trough not being able to push it further east yet, the trough may push it into SC and NC after the hurricane has passed through Florida??
You'll have to excuse me, I'm still trying to learn what I can with what little time I have here lately.
 
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