TYB
USAF C-130 Hurricane Hunter headed back out to make another run at Laura.Latest wind speeds have increased to 150 mph. Almost category 5 at this point. Top of the hour NOAA update attached. Animated gif with lightning data.
000
WTNT33 KNHC 262342
TCPAT3
BULLETIN
Hurricane Laura Intermediate Advisory Number 28A
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL132020
700 PM CDT Wed Aug 26 2020
…WINDS INCREASING AS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE LAURA TAKES AIM
AT THE NORTHWEST GULF COAST…
…CATASTROPHIC STORM SURGE, EXTREME WINDS, AND FLASH FLOODING
EXPECTED ALONG THE NORTHWEST GULF COAST TONIGHT…
SUMMARY OF 700 PM CDT…0000 UTC…INFORMATION
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LOCATION…28.4N 92.9W
ABOUT 120 MI…190 KM S OF LAKE CHARLES LOUISIANA
ABOUT 120 MI…190 KM SSE OF PORT ARTHUR TEXAS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…150 MPH…240 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NNW OR 330 DEGREES AT 15 MPH…24 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…940 MB…27.76 INCHES
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----–
At 700 PM CDT (0000 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Laura was located
near latitude 28.4 North, longitude 92.9 West. Laura is moving
toward the north-northwest near 15 mph (24 km/h). A turn toward the
north is expected overnight, and a northward motion should continue
on Thursday. A northeastward to east-northeastward motion is
expected Thursday night and Friday. On the forecast track, Laura
will approach the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts this
evening and move inland within that area tonight. The center of
Laura is forecast to move over northwestern Louisiana tomorrow,
across Arkansas Thursday night, and over the mid-Mississippi Valley
on Friday.
Reports from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the
maximum sustained winds have increased to near 150 mph (240 km/h)
with higher gusts. Laura is an extremely dangerous category 4
hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some
additional strengthening is possible tonight before Laura reaches
the northwest Gulf coast overnight. Rapid weakening is expected
after Laura moves inland.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from
the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205
miles (335 km). A sustained wind of 48 mph (78 km/h) was recently
reported at Cypremort Point, Louisiana, on Vermilion Bay.
The minimum central pressure estimated from NOAA Hurricane Hunter
aircraft observations is 940 mb (27.76 inches).
Moar at:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/262342.shtml