3 a.m. Update: 125 mph, Idalia Nearly a Category Four Hurricane

Forward motin is accelerating. Nearly a category four now…

Lookk at the lightning in the eyewall…

Hurricane Idalia Tropical Cyclone Update
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL102023
400 AM EDT Wed Aug 30 2023

…CATASTROPHIC STORM SURGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS EXPECTED IN THE
FLORIDA BIG BEND REGION THIS MORNING WHEN IDALIA MOVES INLAND…
…4 AM POSITION UPDATE…

Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate
that Idalia continues to rapidly intensify. The maximum sustained
winds have increased to 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts.

Idalia’s pressure is dropping quickly. The estimated minimum
pressure indicated by dropsonde data from an Air Force Reserve
Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 941 mb (27.79 inches).

NOAA buoy 42036 recently reported sustained winds of 56 mph (90
km/h) and a wind gust to 82 mph (132 km/h) while Idalia’s western
eyewall moved just to the east of the buoy.

A C-MAN station on Cedar Key measured sustained tropical-storm-force
winds within the past hour, with a gust to 47 mph (76 km/h).

SUMMARY OF 400 AM EDT…0800 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…28.9N 84.1W
ABOUT 90 MI…145 KM WSW OF CEDAR KEY FLORIDA
ABOUT 60 MI…95 KM S OF TALLAHASSEE FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…125 MPH…205 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NNE OR 15 DEGREES AT 17 MPH…27 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…941 MB…27.79 INCHES

$$
Forecaster D. Zelinsky

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