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Maria weakened some overnight but remains a powerful CAT 4 hurricane which just made landfall in Puerto Rico at 155MPH.

Hurricane Maria Tropical Cyclone Update
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL152017
635 AM AST Wed Sep 20 2017

...MARIA MAKES LANDFALL NEAR YABUCOA PUERTO RICO...

Geostationary satellite images and surface observations indicate
that the center of Hurricane Maria made landfall near Yabucoa,
Puerto Rico, around 615 AM AST.

A sustained wind 60 mph (96 km/h) with a wind gust to 113 mph (182
km/h) was recently reported at Yabucoa Harbor, Puerto Rico.

A National Ocean Service tide gauge at Yabucoa Harbor, Puerto Rico,
recently reported a water level of 4.3 ft above Mean Higher High
Water (MHHW).

SUMMARY OF 635 AM AST...1035 UTC...INFORMATION
---------------------------------------------------
LOCATION...18.0N 65.8W
ABOUT 20 MI...35 KM WSW OF VIEQUES
ABOUT 35 MI...55 KM SE OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...155 MPH...250 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...917 MB...27.08 INCHES

Katdaddy wrote:Maria weakened some overnight but remains a powerful CAT 4 hurricane which just made landfall in Puerto Rico at 155MPH.

Hurricane Maria Tropical Cyclone Update
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL152017
635 AM AST Wed Sep 20 2017

...MARIA MAKES LANDFALL NEAR YABUCOA PUERTO RICO...

Geostationary satellite images and surface observations indicate
that the center of Hurricane Maria made landfall near Yabucoa,
Puerto Rico, around 615 AM AST.

A sustained wind 60 mph (96 km/h) with a wind gust to 113 mph (182
km/h) was recently reported at Yabucoa Harbor, Puerto Rico.

A National Ocean Service tide gauge at Yabucoa Harbor, Puerto Rico,
recently reported a water level of 4.3 ft above Mean Higher High
Water (MHHW).

SUMMARY OF 635 AM AST...1035 UTC...INFORMATION
---------------------------------------------------
LOCATION...18.0N 65.8W
ABOUT 20 MI...35 KM WSW OF VIEQUES
ABOUT 35 MI...55 KM SE OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...155 MPH...250 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...917 MB...27.08 INCHES

The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico since 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. It is also one of America's deadliest hurricanes.

Deadliest American Disasters
1.) 1900 Galveston Hurricane Of 12,000
2.) San Francisco Earthquake 6,000
3.) 9/11 3,000
4.) 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane At Least 2,800 (More Than 4,000 Total)
5.) Pearl Harbor 2,467
6.) Johnstown Flood 2,209
7.) 1893 Cheniere Caminada Hurricane 2,000
8.) Hurricane Katrina 1,836
9.) Sultana 1,700
10.) Peshtigo Fire 2,500

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_d ... death_toll

Thursday morning briefing from Jeff:

Maria made landfall on the island of Puerto Rico this morning as a 155mph category 4 hurricane making it the strongest hurricane to strike the inland since 1932.

100% of the island is currently without power and nearly every cell phone tower was destroyed. Both NWS NEXRAD radars were lost during the storm and San Juan went directly through the N/NE eyewall of Maria. Sketchy data platforms indicate winds gusts were frequent of 120-130mph across much of the island yielding incredible damage. Additionally, 20-25 inches of rainfall has resulted in catastrophic debris flows down mountain sides. It is estimated that the island will be without power for 4-6 months as the entire network has been destroyed.

There has been almost no communication with nearby islands and the island of St Croix which also took a direct hit of the NE eyewall….and as with Dominica a few days ago and Barbuda with Irma…this is usually indicative of severe damage.

Discussion:

Maria is moving away from Puerto Rico and has weakened to a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110mph.

Overall track guidance remains in good agreement with Maria turning NNW and N over the SW Atlantic as tropical storm Jose off the NE US coast continues to produce a break in the sub-tropical ridge over the central Atlantic and a building ridge over the NE US/SE Canada. One concern is the potential for Jose to weaken faster and the high latitude ridging over the NE US building across the NW Atlantic which would effectively block Maria’s potential escape path offshore of the US east coast. At this time, this appears to be only a small potential, but something to watch in the coming days, as any building high pressure to the N of the hurricane would turn it back toward the NW and toward the US east coast.

Maria weakened while crossing the mountains of Puerto Rico and the tight inner core was significantly disrupted. Since departing the island the wind field has greatly expanded…a typical function of a landfall hurricane that suffers a disruption of its inner core. While conditions remain favorable for intensification, it is yet to be determine if the inner core of Maria will solidify again. Many times once intense hurricanes suffer an expanded wind field it is difficult to regain an intense inner core. Most of the model guidance shows Maria peaking again near high end category 3 intensity and then gradually weakening while becoming much larger over the western Atlantic.

WSR-88D Radar Outage Notification / Free Text Message
Issued by NWS San Juan, PR.

Current Version | Previous Version | Text Only | Print | Product List | Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3
000
NOUS62 TJSJ 251947
FTMJUA

MESSAGE DATE: SEP 25 2017 19:47:00

TJUA (NEXRAD IN CAYEY, PR) WAS ABUSED BY MARIA. AS A RESULT THE
RADOME DIVORCED THE TOWER AND RAN AWAY WITH ONE DEPENDENT, THE
ANTENNA. RECONCILIATION WILL HOPEFULLY BE COMPLETED IN 3 TO 6
MONTHS. MARIA FLED THE SCENE HEADING NORTHWEST. SHE IS CONSIDERED
ARMED AND DANGEROUS--DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPREHEND.

Disconnected by Disaster—Photos From a Battered Puerto Rico
https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/photo/540975/

Horrifying.

Ptarmigan wrote:Disconnected by Disaster—Photos From a Battered Puerto Rico
https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/photo/540975/

Horrifying.

Heartbreaking.