From "tropical storm" to "category 4" in 24 hours?

[Freedomfried]

Whats going on? I lived many years in the Gulf area and I've never, ever heard of a storm intensifying that fast.



Is this normal?

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. It's the new normal

Surface temps in the Gulf are still around 88 degrees, that's what's going on.

[NaturalHigh]

2. It hit warmer water and picked up quickly.

I don't really know if this is normal or not. We don't get a lot of hurricanes in Oklahoma.

[brainshrub]

8. Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain

[NaturalHigh]

10. Lots of wind...

but fortunately, it doesn't bring 10-foot waves.

[brainshrub]

15. The lyrics to "Oklahoma" contradict you:

"And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain."

I'm sure a 10-foot wave of wheat can cause as much damage as a wave of water.

:silly:

[NaturalHigh]

17. I guess I never really thought of it that way.

But you probably have a point.:think:

[daninthemoon]

3. Extra warm gulf stream waters. Normal in the past? No. Now and

for the future? May be just the beginning. Luckily there's no such thing as global warming. Right?

[Zynx]

4. The Great Labor Day Hurricane back in 1935 went from TS to Cat 5

in 42 hours.

[benburch]

5. Global Warming.

But, no, that cannot be! That was just something we LIEberals made up to back good, honest Republicans!

[marmar]

6. But there's no such thing as global warming!!!

:sarcasm:

[Maru Kitteh]

7. How about two VERY MAJOR huricaines in the same season too?

When you hear about Andrew and Camille you don't hear about the other major hurricanes that hit the same season because while there were other minor hurricanes (by comparrison) those storms stood alone.

I don't think anything we're seeing this year is normal.

[jobycom]

24. There were four Cat 5s in two season in 1960-1.

Two each year. None hit land as a Cat 5, though. Neither did Katrina, and Rita isn't a 5 yet.

[Walt Starr]

27. But look at the tracks

Look at the tracks of the Category 4 and 5 storms those years.

1960

Hurricane Donna 29 AUG - 14 SEP



Hurricane Ethel 14-17 SEP



1961

Hurricane Betsy 2-12 SEP



Hurricane Carla 3-16 SEP



Hurricane Esther 10 - 27 SEP



Hurricane Hattie 27 OCT - 1 NOV



Compared to 2004:

Hurricane Dennis 5 - 13 JUL



Hurricane Emily 11-21 JUL



Hurricane Katrina 23 - 31 AUG



Hurricane Rita 19 - 21? SEP

[lonestarnot]

9. New 90 Degree Gulf Temps; I think scientist may call it Global Warming

or something to that effect.

[porphyrian]

13. But republicans say it isn't global warming...

...so we don't have to worry about it.

[maine_raptor]

11. Yup, Just goes to show how pissed off Mother Nature is at Bush

On edit: as of 10am EST now projected to hit Cat 5 status within 24 hrs.

[brainshrub]

12. Possibility: It isn't really a category 4 storm.

It's possible they are exaggerating the strength of the storm to redeem the Bush administration and take the peoples minds off the protest this weekend.

You'll have to excuse me, my tinfoil hat is on a tad tight this morning.

:tinfoilhat:

[karlrschneider]

16. Well, they probably would if they could but there are too many

other independent wx analysis outfits to confirm what NOAA says...

[Lochloosa]

19. You can bet this is a Cat 4 storm. Look at the classic comma shape

This is and will remain a Cat 4 - 5 storm. When you see the comma....run don't walk away from this one. Native Floridian that has seen plenty of these.

[Rude Horner]

21. I think it looks more like a fetus

This is obviously God's punishment for abortion.

:banghead:

Just in case some of you don't know what I'm talking about, there was some religious organization that said Katrina looked like a fetus, and that it was obviously punishment for New Orleans multiple abortion clinics.

[Eagle_Eye]

23. It is storm inflation

A category III in yesterday's wind speed is now a category IV in today's inflated wind speed. This is a noted result of the increased wind from the the blow hard republicans in Washington.

[Zynx]

26. That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard yet.

Seriously, for the good of your mind, let the tinfoil stuff go when it comes to natural disasters. That's nearly as obscene as when some people suggested that the Asian Tsunami was caused by an nuclear blast that set off an earthquake, which is impossible. If you don't believe it is a cat 4, go out there in a boat and measure the winds yourself.

[woodsprite]

28. That's what I was thinking when the Recon planes had equipment

failures and couldn't go out. I checked Bastardi on Accuweather right away and he said he expects it to get to at least a Cat 4, but he very much doubted it was there yet. He thinks something screwy is going on.

[barbaraann]

30. There are TEN Recon planes.

It seems highly implausible to me that they could not get a plane out.

[gasperc]

14. rather fucked ain't it

and it's the second cat4+ storm in the gulf in the SAME season. I need to google that, this could be a first!!!!!

and there is absolutely no relation to the warming of the gulf what so ever, this is a fluke, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, GLOBAL WARMING IS NOT TO BLAME, THIS IS LIBERAL HYSTERIA,

RIIIIIIIIGHT!

[Bob3]

18. When the Gulf is superheated like it is right now it can happen

The storm of 1900 that destroyed Galveston and killed anywhere from 8-12,000 people did the same thing - went from a minor storm to a category 4 in a very short time. That year as well the gulf was superheated from a very hot summer.

It's still hot in the gulf - temperatures well up into the 90's - lots of fuel out there for a hurricane to use.

And rita is still days away from landfall - it could get even worse.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

20. Yes, it has happened a number of times

especially in the Straights of Florida with the Gulf Stream. Many times they weaken back again.

Recall that hurricanes get their fuel, if you will, from the warmth of the water over which they pass.

[Walt Starr]

22. Here's the kicker, it hasn't even hit the warmest waters yet...

[lonestarnot]

25. So does that mean this could become a tiger10 ... with 5 being the highest

category... New cats at the nat'l weather service... lion 2 tiger 3 and elephant 25

[OneBlueSky]

29. the long-range implications of this trend could be devastating . . .

is it possible that the only solution will be to simply abandon the entire Gulf Coast? . . . if it's going to be hit repeatedly with Category 4 and 5 hurricanes, what's the use of rebuilding? . . .