Caribbean-On-Line » Caribbean Hurricanes » Hurricane Omar » Omar has rapidly intensified
October 14, 2008
Omar has rapidly intensified
This is not looking good for the Virgin Islands - the storm is now much more powerful than was forecast just this morning:
SATELLITE...RADAR...AND AIR FORCE RECON DATA INDICATE THAT OMAR HAS RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH MAXIMUM 850 MB FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS OBSERVED HAVE ONLY BEEN 63 KT...RELIABLE SFMR SURFACE WIND DATA HAVE BEEN AS HIGH 57-60 KT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CIRCULATION CENTER. THE LOWEST CENTRAL PRESSURE MEASURED BY A DROPSONDE WAS 986 MB...BUT THE SURFACE WIND WAS 46 KT. THEREFORE... THE PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE 982 MB AND THE INTENSITY HAS BEEN INCREASED TO A CONSERVATIVE 60 KT. OMAR CONTINUES TO GET BETTER ORGANIZED IN BOTH RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY...AND VERY COLD CLOUD TOPS OF -80C TO -87C PERSIST OVER AND NEAR THE CIRCULATION CENTER. ON THE LAST PASS THROUGH THE CENTER OF OMAR...THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED A 10-15 NMI DIAMETER EYE WAS FORMING. OUTFLOW ALSO CONTINUES TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND IN ALL QUADRANTS...EXCEPT TO THE NORTHWEST WHERE IT IS SLIGHTLY RESTRICTED.




My wife lives in Havana, Cuba. I am ALWAYS watching these posts.
Posted on October 14, 2008 10:17 PM
I am wishing all my Carribean friends, realatives and general comrades well, and hoping "lighting (hurricane)does not strike twice".
Good luck
Clynton Morris
Posted on October 15, 2008 1:39 AM
My wife and I are planned to arrive in St Thomas at 2;00 pm Sunday the 19th for her 50th birthday. Any suggestions?
We have been waiting a year for this trip. I hope it happens.
Thanks
Scot
Posted on October 15, 2008 6:38 AM