Looks like the NOAA hurricane hunter plane just passed through #Ida's eye again and found it even stronger: 145kt flight level, 131kt SFMR estimated surface winds.
If that holds, #Ida would now have winds equivalent to Laura (2020), Louisiana's strongest-ever hurricane landfall.
If that holds, #Ida would now have winds equivalent to Laura (2020), Louisiana's strongest-ever hurricane landfall.
This supports an increase in #Ida's sustained winds to 150mph, just 10mph below Category 5.
We'll wait for @NHC_Atlantic to confirm in about 30 minutes.
We'll wait for @NHC_Atlantic to confirm in about 30 minutes.
New dropsonde data from this NOAA hurricane hunter center pass inside #Ida show winds of 161kt about 1000 ft above the surface, and a central pressure of 936mb. That might be enough for an upgrade to Category 5.
NHC Update, 6am CT:
Hurricane #Ida's sustained winds are now 150mph — equivalent to last year's Hurricane Laura.
Hurricane #Ida's central pressure is now 935mb — 1mb stronger than Laura.
At this strength, Ida will be the strongest hurricane landfall in Louisiana history.
Hurricane #Ida's sustained winds are now 150mph — equivalent to last year's Hurricane Laura.
Hurricane #Ida's central pressure is now 935mb — 1mb stronger than Laura.
At this strength, Ida will be the strongest hurricane landfall in Louisiana history.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
