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.