HWIND Aerosonde Plots/
Ophelia 16 Aug, 2005
TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA
DISCUSSION NUMBER 43
NWS TPC/NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 PM EDT FRI SEP 16 2005
OPHELIA HAS SOMEWHAT
RE-ORGANIZED DURING THE DAY...WITH THE CONVECTION MAKING OCCASIONAL
ATTEMPTS TO WRAP AROUND THE WEST SIDEOF THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER. NOAA AND AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE
HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THE CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS FALLEN TO 993 MB. THE NOAA PLANE MEASURED
73 KT AT 700 MB...AND A 59
KT SURFACE WIND OFF THE STEPPED FREQUENCY MICROWAVE RADIOMETER. HOWEVERÉTHE MAXIMUM WIND OBSERVED THUS FAR BY THE AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT AT
850 MB IS 59 KT. THERE IS ALSO A
REPORT OF 74 KT
AT 2500 FT FROM THE FIRST-EVER SUCCESSFUL AEROSONDE FLIGHT INTO THE CORE OF A
TROPICALCYCLONE. BASED ON ALL THIS
DATA...THE INITIAL INTENSITY ISINCREASED TO 55 KT.