[NautiNurse]

667
URNT12 KNHC 211808
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 21/17:53:20Z
B. 24 deg 17 min N
086 deg 10 min W
C. 700 mb 2400 m
D. 110 kt
E. 277 deg 005 nm
F. 016 deg 153 kt
G. 287 deg 007 nm
H. 920 mb
I. 9 C/ 3040 m
J. 26 C/ 3050 m
K. 3 C/ NA
L. CLOSED
M. C20
N. 12345/ 7
O. 0.02 / 1 nm
P. AF300 1418A RITA OB 05
MAX FL WIND 153 KT W QUAD 17:51:30 Z

[Knitting A Conundrum]

And that's the west quadrant, which would not have the strongest winds...153 kt on the weaker side at Flight level...

[MikefromOhio]

why did they say 150 MPH when its obviously 153 KNOTS?

[Moose4]

Holy crap. This thing is redefining "explosive intensification." The winds are finally catching up to the bottom dropping out of the pressure.

152 knots = 175 mph at flight level, so yeah, 150 mph MINIMUM at ground level makes sense. She'll make Cat 5 by nightfall, and hold it for a little while before weakening closer into shore.

Katrina's younger sister, but not "little" sister.

}:-)4

[steveegg]

Changes from the previous Vortex Data Message with an eye fix 49 minutes prior:

- Position 5 minutes north and 14 minutes west
- Pressure down 3 mb to 920 mb
- Max flight-level wind up 11 knots to 153 knots and in a different quad (previous was in the NE quad, this one is in the W quad)
- Eyewall 20 nm wide (stadium eyewall no longer noted)