Rita Recon Reports

[drezee]

Storm RITA: Observed By AF #307
Storm #18 in Atlantic Ocean1
Maximum Flight Level Winds Were 159KT (182.9mph 294.5km/h) In NE Quadrant At 09:16:30 Z
Estimated Max Surface Winds 143.1KT (164.6mph 265.0km/h) *
Misc Remarks: CCASIONAL LIGHTNING STADIUM EFFECT -- TOP OF WESTERN EYEWALL BRIGHTENING AS SUN RISES EYE IS CLOUD FILLED BELOW FLIGHT LEVEL
Date/Time of Recon Report: Thursday, September 22, 2005 7:10:00 AM (Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:10:00 UTC)
Position of the center: 25° 07' N 088° 12' W (25.1°N 88.2°W)
Minimum Height Measured At Standard Level Of 700mb: 2287m (Normal: 3011)
Surface Winds Were: Not Estimated
No Bearing From Center To Estimated Surface Winds Was Measured
Maximum Flight Level Winds Near Center Were 133KT (152.95mph 246.3km/h) From 040°
Maximum Flight Level Winds Were Measured 009nm (10.4 miles) From Center At Bearing 304°
Minimum pressure: 907mb (26.78in)
Eye Wall Was Characterized As Being: CLOSED WALL
Eye Form Was Characterized As Being Elliptical , E03/20/16
Center Fix Established Using: Penetration Radar Wind Pressure Temperature
Center Fix Established At Level(s): 700mb
Navigational Accuracy Measured At 0.03nm
Meteorological Accuracy Measured At 1nm
* = Estimated Surface Winds are assumed 90% of Max Flight Level Winds

[cycloneye]

URNT12 KNHC 221127
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 22/11:10:10Z
B. 25 deg 07 min N
088 deg 12 min W
C. 700 mb 2287 m
D. NA kt
E. NA deg nm
F. 040 deg 133 kt
G. 304 deg 009 nm
H. 907 mb
I. 11 C/ 3062 m
J. 27 C/ 3064 m
K. 5 C/ NA
L. CLOSED WALL
M. E03/20/16
N. 12345/ 7
O. 0.03 / 1 nm
P. AF307 1618A RITA OB 23
MAX FL WIND 159 KT NE QUAD 09:16:30 Z
OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING
STADIUM EFFECT -- TOP OF WESTERN EYEWALL BRIGHTENING AS SUN RISES
EYE IS CLOUD FILLED BELOW FLIGHT LEVEL

[drezee]

484
SXXX50 KNHC 221126
AF307 1618A RITA HDOB 52 KNHC
1115. 2516N 08811W 03071 5532 100 135 108 108 145 02586 0000000100
1116 2518N 08811W 03045 5464 096 143 088 088 147 02627 0000000100
1116. 2519N 08811W 03070 5411 099 137 090 090 141 02707 0000000100
1117 2520N 08811W 03058 5367 099 129 096 096 133 02740 0000000100
1117. 2522N 08811W 03064 5325 099 125 100 100 126 02786 0000000000
1118 2524N 08811W 03063 5291 101 119 112 112 121 02819 0000000000
1118. 2525N 08811W 03061 5260 102 114 102 102 116 02849 0000000000
1119 2527N 08811W 03060 5236 101 108 108 108 109 02871 0000000000
1119. 2529N 08811W 03062 5213 100 104 116 112 106 02896 0000000000
1120 2530N 08811W 03062 5196 100 100 110 106 101 02913 0000000000
1120. 2532N 08811W 03061 5181 100 095 116 110 096 02927 0000000000
1121 2534N 08811W 03060 5168 100 091 118 110 092 02939 0000000000
1121. 2535N 08811W 03066 5157 101 089 102 102 091 02956 0000000000
1122 2537N 08811W 03065 5144 107 099 090 090 103 02968 0000000000
1122. 2539N 08811W 03056 5131 105 098 086 086 099 02972 0000000100
1123 2541N 08811W 03059 5115 096 102 080 080 103 02992 0000000100
1123. 2542N 08811W 03062 5104 098 098 082 082 101 03006 0000000000
1124 2544N 08811W 03057 5094 096 091 088 088 093 03010 0000000000
1124. 2546N 08811W 03063 5088 097 093 094 094 095 03023 0000000000
1125 2547N 08811W 03064 5079 100 094 088 088 095 03033 0000000000

[cycloneye]

646
URNT11 KNHC 221152
97779 11464 50270 88210 30600 09049 10098 /3091
41060
RMK AF307 1618A RITA OB 26
LAST REPORT




Mission over.The next one will be early this afternoon around 1 PM.

[jpigott]

I wonder if there will be any reanalysis of Rita after this is all said and done with regarding her strength during the overnight hours of 9/21-22. Early last evening (bwtn 7-8) Rita had somewhere bwtn an 897-899mb pressure reading, she maintained that intensity until around 3 or 4 AM. In the meantime there was no recon out there. I wonder if Rita got any closer to the 35' Labor Day cane mark of 892mb during the middle of the night

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221330
NOAA3 1818A RITA
132030 2753 08217 7603 +0334 123027 +137 +102 125027 999 999
132100 2753 08219 7967 +0354 125027 +129 +093 125027 999 999
132130 2753 08222 8301 +0345 120025 +120 +083 124026 999 999
132200 2753 08224 8680 +0433 118023 +118 +044 121024 089 000
132230 2753 08227 8954 +0455 123023 +117 +035 121024 050 000
132300 2753 08229 9355 +0467 124023 +107 +037 124024 999 999
132330 2753 08232 9750 +0493 123024 +096 +029 122025 999 999
132400 2752 08234 10276 +0524 125025 +085 +023 124025 055 000
132430 2752 08237 10735 +0519 123022 +075 +031 126024 999 999
132500 2751 08239 11003 +0523 114021 +071 +031 112021 999 999
132530 2750 08241 11310 +0532 107022 +063 +018 107023 999 999
132600 2749 08244 11717 +0559 112020 +057 +015 105021 999 999
132630 2749 08246 11995 +0583 123020 +050 +022 125021 113 000
132700 2749 08248 12054 +0603 126021 +050 +023 126022 089 000
132730 2748 08251 12293 +0631 136019 +047 +020 130020 020 001
132800 2748 08254 12898 +0666 154019 +031 +016 160020 012 002
132830 2748 08256 13330 +0692 161021 +019 +013 163022 014 002
132900 2748 08259 13602 +0703 166021 +014 +009 166023 012 004
132930 2748 08301 13841 +0713 170020 +012 +004 170020 016 004
133000 2748 08304 13883 +0715 163022 +009 -001 160022 016 004

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221340
NOAA3 1818A RITA
133030 2748 08306 13990 +0717 170025 +009 -001 170025 999 999
133100 2747 08308 13956 +0708 171023 +012 +002 172024 014 005
133130 2745 08310 14029 +0709 171022 +012 +000 171022 016 004
133200 2744 08311 14014 +0705 171024 +012 +000 169026 015 005
133230 2742 08313 14011 +0702 167027 +013 -001 166027 017 004
133300 2740 08315 14008 +0699 167027 +010 -002 168027 018 005
133330 2739 08316 14012 +0699 169028 +011 +001 168028 021 005
133400 2737 08318 14011 +0698 170027 +011 +002 169028 023 007
133430 2735 08319 14011 +0698 167028 +012 +003 168029 022 006
133500 2734 08321 14001 +0697 167028 +013 +003 167028 022 004
133530 2734 08324 14008 +0695 166027 +013 +001 166027 021 005
133600 2733 08326 14008 +0695 165027 +012 +001 164028 022 005
133630 2732 08329 14005 +0694 162029 +013 +001 163029 021 005
133700 2731 08331 14003 +0692 161028 +013 +006 163029 022 005
133730 2731 08333 14002 +0694 156028 +012 +007 156028 023 005
133800 2730 08336 13997 +0693 157028 +014 +010 157028 023 006
133830 2729 08338 13766 +0682 155029 +016 +016 154030 022 005
133900 2728 08341 13421 +0663 152029 +020 +019 152030 023 006
133930 2728 08343 13090 +0643 151029 +030 +024 151029 024 005
134000 2727 08346 12769 +0624 149029 +035 +026 149030 023 005

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221350
NOAA3 1818A RITA
134030 2726 08348 12608 +0612 150031 +040 +028 151031 023 005
134100 2725 08350 12597 +0608 152031 +043 +030 152031 023 005
134130 2725 08352 12526 +0610 149030 +040 +031 150031 022 006
134200 2724 08355 12510 +0605 153030 +039 +030 155031 023 006
134230 2723 08357 12508 +0602 154032 +038 +030 152034 024 006
134300 2723 08359 12497 +0597 150033 +037 +030 151034 023 005
134330 2722 08401 12499 +0595 152029 +040 +029 154029 023 006
134400 2721 08404 12508 +0589 154029 +039 +030 153029 023 005
134430 2720 08406 12503 +0591 155031 +039 +031 155033 022 006
134500 2720 08408 12505 +0589 153036 +041 +030 153037 022 005
134530 2719 08410 12506 +0585 152038 +041 +031 152038 022 005
134600 2718 08413 12505 +0584 152038 +040 +032 151039 021 005
134630 2718 08415 12508 +0579 155041 +042 +033 155042 023 005
134700 2717 08417 12509 +0578 154043 +042 +036 153043 022 005
134730 2716 08420 12508 +0576 155043 +043 +037 158043 023 005
134800 2716 08422 12510 +0577 161044 +048 +035 163044 023 005
134830 2715 08424 12502 +0576 164047 +050 +029 164050 024 003
134900 2714 08427 12502 +0575 161050 +045 +032 159052 023 003
134930 2714 08429 12501 +0571 161049 +047 +026 161052 023 004
135000 2713 08431 12499 +0571 159045 +049 +032 160045 025 004

[x-y-no]

Is this NOAA flight the one Derek is on?

[cycloneye]

Is this NOAA flight the one Derek is on?

I remember him saying he was going in a NOAA3 plane so yes this may be the one.

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221400
NOAA3 1818A RITA
135030 2712 08434 12496 +0571 152043 +051 +033 150044 024 004
135100 2712 08436 12497 +0569 149045 +052 +031 148046 025 004
135130 2711 08438 12496 +0567 148044 +052 +033 148044 024 004
135200 2710 08440 12498 +0565 143043 +051 +035 143044 024 004
135230 2710 08443 12498 +0563 142045 +052 +035 142046 024 004
135300 2709 08445 12501 +0560 140047 +050 +035 140048 024 004
135330 2708 08447 12497 +0559 134046 +046 +042 138047 023 004
135400 2708 08450 12502 +0555 146053 +047 +034 147057 022 005
135430 2707 08452 12500 +0553 146055 +049 +033 148057 025 005
135500 2706 08454 12491 +0551 140051 +050 +044 141053 025 005
135530 2705 08457 12494 +0546 136050 +049 +049 135051 025 005
135600 2705 08459 12504 +0545 137045 +046 +046 137046 027 005
135630 2704 08501 12510 +0539 142044 +046 +045 144044 028 007
135700 2703 08504 12503 +0537 145047 +042 +042 146049 028 008
135730 2703 08506 12502 +0533 149048 +042 +037 150049 027 006
135800 2702 08508 12507 +0533 151052 +045 +032 150054 029 006
135830 2701 08511 12497 +0534 146055 +046 +038 144056 031 007
135900 2700 08513 12493 +0530 142063 +048 +036 142064 032 007
135930 2700 08516 12492 +0526 140061 +043 +037 141063 033 007
140000 2659 08518 12493 +0527 137062 +040 +038 137062 035 006

[SouthernWx]

I wonder if there will be any reanalysis of Rita after this is all said and done with regarding her strength during the overnight hours of 9/21-22. Early last evening (bwtn 7-8) Rita had somewhere bwtn an 897-899mb pressure reading, she maintained that intensity until around 3 or 4 AM. In the meantime there was no recon out there. I wonder if Rita got any closer to the 35' Labor Day cane mark of 892mb during the middle of the night

I feel quite confident that between recon vortex fixes yesterday evening that the central pressure bottomed out around 895 mb.....based on a careful examination of IR and Dvorak satellite imagery. If I were the one at NHC charged with assigning an "official" peak intensity, I'd list Rita as 895 mb and 155 kts.

FYI: please keep in mind.....we didn't have aircraft in several other extreme hurricanes at peak intensity. In 1969, only 3 vortex fixes of hurricane Camille were obtained during the entire time it traversed the Gulf of Mexico. I personally believe both hurricane Isabel (2003) and Gilbert (1988) were even more intense than their measured minimum central pressure....IMO it's likely Gilbert maxed out between 880-885 mb mb; Camille likely went below 900 mb (and IMO Isabel was in the 905-910 range the day BEFORE recon was sent in).

Perry W.

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221410
NOAA3 1818A RITA
140030 2658 08520 12492 +0520 138064 +039 +036 137065 035 005
140100 2657 08523 12501 +0517 145060 +044 +042 144062 036 005
140130 2657 08525 12492 +0515 146052 +048 +047 147054 031 006
140200 2656 08527 12491 +0516 143046 +051 +048 143047 032 006
140230 2655 08530 12489 +0519 140047 +053 +046 140047 034 007
140300 2654 08532 12489 +0516 141050 +049 +047 144054 038 010
140330 2654 08534 12501 +0503 147059 +041 +041 147060 041 012
140400 2653 08537 12511 +0491 146061 +038 +038 146064 037 017
140430 2652 08539 12494 +0494 145042 +058 +058 140047 029 021
140500 2651 08541 12521 +0496 143045 +057 +057 134046 012 030
140530 2651 08544 12552 +0503 135044 +055 +052 137045 038 006
140600 2650 08546 12559 +0502 142047 +056 +052 146051 037 005
140630 2649 08548 12559 +0498 147055 +053 +053 146056 038 007
140700 2649 08551 12549 +0496 144055 +051 +051 145056 039 005
140730 2648 08553 12547 +0493 144054 +051 +051 143055 040 004
140800 2647 08555 12543 +0490 145050 +054 +053 144052 041 005
140830 2646 08558 12538 +0482 149049 +059 +054 149049 040 006
140900 2646 08600 12534 +0479 151047 +060 +054 155048 036 011
140930 2645 08602 12537 +0487 140042 +055 +054 139043 035 007
141000 2644 08605 12547 +0484 144047 +056 +056 145049 032 004

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221430
NOAA3 1818A RITA
142030 2630 08657 11916 +0285 150078 +077 +077 150080 050 017
142100 2629 08659 11550 +0250 154066 +085 +085 150069 050 018
142130 2629 08702 11204 +0230 152064 +094 +094 155065 049 018
142200 2629 08704 10785 +0208 146058 +101 +101 149060 049 020
142230 2628 08707 10261 +0179 143062 +106 +106 140062 053 020
142300 2628 08709 10018 +0153 140069 +108 +108 139070 053 019
142330 2627 08712 9959 +0139 134059 +109 +109 133062 053 018
142400 2627 08714 9962 +0132 135061 +110 +110 137067 054 018
142430 2626 08717 9969 +0125 137066 +110 +110 137067 052 017
142500 2626 08719 9942 +0118 143068 +111 +111 144071 053 017
142530 2626 08722 9966 +0109 141071 +105 +105 143072 042 025
142600 2625 08724 9966 +0120 138077 +104 +104 137079 048 013
142630 2624 08726 9954 +0113 139073 +109 +109 141074 045 010
142700 2622 08727 9952 +0104 139066 +114 +113 137068 046 009
142730 2621 08729 9961 +0095 143062 +111 +108 142065 048 010
142800 2619 08730 9967 +0085 139058 +111 +111 140060 053 011
142830 2618 08732 9962 +0075 137060 +110 +110 133062 052 013
142900 2617 08733 9968 +0067 134060 +112 +112 133063 046 013
142930 2615 08735 9961 +0062 138063 +111 +111 136065 042 006
143000 2614 08737 9959 +0049 138068 +113 +112 141071 043 009

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221430
NOAA3 1818A RITA
142030 2630 08657 11916 +0285 150078 +077 +077 150080 050 017
142100 2629 08659 11550 +0250 154066 +085 +085 150069 050 018
142130 2629 08702 11204 +0230 152064 +094 +094 155065 049 018
142200 2629 08704 10785 +0208 146058 +101 +101 149060 049 020
142230 2628 08707 10261 +0179 143062 +106 +106 140062 053 020
142300 2628 08709 10018 +0153 140069 +108 +108 139070 053 019
142330 2627 08712 9959 +0139 134059 +109 +109 133062 053 018
142400 2627 08714 9962 +0132 135061 +110 +110 137067 054 018
142430 2626 08717 9969 +0125 137066 +110 +110 137067 052 017
142500 2626 08719 9942 +0118 143068 +111 +111 144071 053 017
142530 2626 08722 9966 +0109 141071 +105 +105 143072 042 025
142600 2625 08724 9966 +0120 138077 +104 +104 137079 048 013
142630 2624 08726 9954 +0113 139073 +109 +109 141074 045 010
142700 2622 08727 9952 +0104 139066 +114 +113 137068 046 009
142730 2621 08729 9961 +0095 143062 +111 +108 142065 048 010
142800 2619 08730 9967 +0085 139058 +111 +111 140060 053 011
142830 2618 08732 9962 +0075 137060 +110 +110 133062 052 013
142900 2617 08733 9968 +0067 134060 +112 +112 133063 046 013
142930 2615 08735 9961 +0062 138063 +111 +111 136065 042 006
143000 2614 08737 9959 +0049 138068 +113 +112 141071 043 009

[jpigott]

I wonder if there will be any reanalysis of Rita after this is all said and done with regarding her strength during the overnight hours of 9/21-22. Early last evening (bwtn 7-8) Rita had somewhere bwtn an 897-899mb pressure reading, she maintained that intensity until around 3 or 4 AM. In the meantime there was no recon out there. I wonder if Rita got any closer to the 35' Labor Day cane mark of 892mb during the middle of the night

I feel quite confident that between recon vortex fixes yesterday evening that the central pressure bottomed out around 895 mb.....based on a careful examination of IR and Dvorak satellite imagery. If I were the one at NHC charged with assigning an "official" peak intensity, I'd list Rita as 895 mb and 155 kts.

FYI: please keep in mind.....we didn't have aircraft in several other extreme hurricanes at peak intensity. In 1969, only 3 vortex fixes of hurricane Camille were obtained during the entire time it traversed the Gulf of Mexico. I personally believe both hurricane Isabel (2003) and Gilbert (1988) were even more intense than their measured minimum central pressure....IMO it's likely Gilbert maxed out between 880-885 mb mb; Camille likely went below 900 mb (and IMO Isabel was in the 905-910 range the day BEFORE recon was sent in).

Perry W.

Thanks Perry, i know those recon guys are working hard, its just you don't get to see a sub 900mb cane in the atlantic basin everyday. What are your thoughts regarding a possible ERWC with some intensification thereafter

[feederband]

On these NOAA flights are we still looking at the second colum for wind speeds ?

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221440
NOAA3 1818A RITA
143030 2612 08738 9990 +0041 136074 +117 +109 137075 043 009
143100 2611 08740 9994 +0031 137078 +119 +102 137078 042 004
143130 2610 08742 9988 +0020 133078 +119 +104 133078 042 003
143200 2608 08743 9994 +0007 132076 +117 +102 133077 042 003
143230 2607 08745 10000 -0008 130073 +115 +101 131073 043 005
143300 2605 08746 10002 -0026 130073 +116 +100 130074 042 005
143330 2604 08748 10001 -0045 130074 +120 +096 130075 043 003
143400 2602 08749 9999 -0059 129072 +116 +100 129073 046 004
143430 2601 08751 10003 -0073 130072 +116 +108 129073 051 003
143500 2559 08753 9998 -0092 130080 +114 +112 131080 051 005
143530 2558 08754 9991 -0113 128080 +118 +106 128081 054 004
143600 2557 08756 10000 -0130 128079 +120 +100 129080 055 005
143630 2555 08758 9997 -0153 127083 +125 +096 126083 054 008
143700 2554 08800 9993 -0179 125085 +125 +099 125085 055 008
143730 2552 08801 9998 -0208 127085 +120 +117 127086 055 005
143800 2551 08803 10002 -0239 124084 +119 +117 125085 060 006
143830 2549 08805 10011 -0269 125087 +118 +118 129088 061 010
143900 2548 08807 9996 -0302 126089 +133 +114 125090 060 006
143930 2547 08808 10004 -0340 124092 +131 +113 124095 063 005
144000 2545 08810 10013 -0384 124094 +123 +121 124094 067 009


Yes Feeder.

[cycloneye]

URNT40 KWBC 221450
NOAA3 1818A RITA
144030 2544 08812 9988 -0431 122098 +117 +117 121098 066 015
144100 2542 08814 10034 -0490 129101 +122 +122 123103 070 026
144130 2541 08815 10078 -0534 130097 +126 +124 127099 074 016
144200 2539 08817 10031 -0592 128102 +132 +122 127103 074 010
144230 2538 08818 10049 -0655 129101 +129 +127 128103 075 014
144300 2537 08820 10067 -0720 129101 +127 +126 130101 077 011
144330 2535 08822 10044 -0800 128100 +131 +130 128101 077 005
144400 2534 08823 10037 -0880 128102 +132 +131 128104 079 005
144430 2532 08825 10025 -0984 127108 +135 +130 127110 082 006
144500 2531 08827 10040 -1108 126116 +140 +118 125119 082 002
144530 2530 08828 10025 -1275 123125 +142 +125 121128 086 012
144600 2528 08830 10053 -1496 121130 +133 +133 120132 088 035
144630 2527 08832 10035 -1749 119120 +150 +150 119130 106 019
144700 2525 08834 10015 -1970 116091 +173 +167 117101 095 001
144730 2523 08835 10018 -2108 108057 +204 +155 111067 060 002
144800 2521 08836 10021 -2184 114036 +220 +144 109042 028 003
144830 2520 08837 10021 -2223 121020 +217 +137 122026 013 003
144900 2518 08838 10029 -2233 203002 +181 +163 120009 010 003
144930 2516 08839 10026 -2205 309020 +179 +167 313029 013 004
145000 2515 08841 10033 -2127 311046 +173 +168 312052 032 003



Vortex Message comming.

[tracyswfla]