Helene hit Florida's Gulf Coast last week

Yeah, I checked out other models. Euro doesn't show it. CMC shows some storm basically just following this one into the bend area but a bit weaker (maybe a Cat 2).

 

Getting 35 mph steady and 50 mph gusts in S Tampa

 

Shit just got real - Waffle House has closed Tallahassee locations....

Waffle Houses in Tallahassee, Crawfordville closed as Helene nears

 

400 PM EDT Thu Sep 26 2024

...HELENE ACCELERATING TOWARD THE FLORIDA BIG BEND...
...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS OCCURING ACROSS MOST OF THE WEST
COAST OF FLORIDA...

Data from an Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the
minimum pressure of Helene has decreased to 951 mb (28.08 inches).

A Weatherflow station at Egmont Channel at the entrance to Tampa Bay
recently measured a sustained wind of 54 mph (87 km/h) and a gust to
68 mph (109 km/h).

The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport recently measured a
sustained wind of 43 mph (69 km/h) and a gust to 63 mph (101 km/h).

SUMMARY OF 400 PM EDT...2000 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...27.3N 84.7W
ABOUT 145 MI...235 KM WSW OF TAMPA FLORIDA
ABOUT 165 MI...265 KM S OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 25 DEGREES AT 21 MPH...33 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...951 MB...28.08 INCHES

 

This is the latest radar from the interactive radar I use, it is cutting the SW part off, but you can see a pretty clear eye.

Interactive Radar

 

Thanks, Tilly. I worry about the wind. I've lived through many hurricanes during growing up in Florida, and there are few things more frightening than hearing the wind howling and objects flying through the air. I think the wind in our area is supposed to be around 50mph, which I assume is steady and doesn't count for higher gusts. (So much for beautiful fall foliage this year!) Roads down to the French Broad River are closed due to flooding. They say it's at record levels! No wonder: it's been raining NON-STOP for almost two days. The one positive: we have a well and won't have to worry about having water.

 

Someone asked earlier, high tide in Tampa Bay is around 1 AM

 

Pressure dropped 8 MB in the last hour. That’s bombing out territory, if it continues it is gonna get real real ugly fast.

 

My wife said, hey we should head to the mountains, the waterfalls will be cranking.

I was like, Uh ... no.

 

As a recovering whitewater kayaker, I can say with certainty that many paddlers in the SE are drooling RN

 

Some nice rivers in there for sure. Wife and I did a couple, but I lost a lot of my daredevil-ness after we had our daughter.

 

Bayshore Blvd

 

I wonder how much Russia paid him to post that.. jk

 

big picture look
https://www.americanwx.com/bb/uploa...humb.gif.a2da15b2b543c6df13022b195d8259dc.gif

 

stay safe, been reading Valdosta will get the eyewall.

 

I was just reading that the eye wall is fully closed and starting to clear up. Helene has 6 hrs before landfall to get even stronger.

 

500 PM EDT Thu Sep 26 2024

...HELENE IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND LARGE MAJOR HURRICANE...
...DAMAGING HURRICANE WINDS AND CATASTROPHIC STORM SURGE
EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE FLORIDA BIG BEND THIS EVENING...


SUMMARY OF 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...27.9N 84.6W
ABOUT 130 MI...205 KM W OF TAMPA FLORIDA
ABOUT 175 MI...280 KM S OF TALLAHASSEE FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH...205 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 25 DEGREES AT 23 MPH...37 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...951 MB...28.09 INCHES

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 310 miles
(500 km). A weather station at Venice Municipal Airport recently
reported a sustained wind of 46 mph (74 km/h) with a gust of 69 mph
(111 km/h). Another observation near Venice Beach reported a
sustained wind of 51 mph (82 km/h) with a gust to 66 mph (106
km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure based on data from the Air
Force Hurricane Hunters is 951 mb (28.09 inches).

 

All of you stay safe, including our MAGA folks, whose nonsense I'd miss. Seriously, take care.