supercane4867 wrote:Dropsonde data may still supports 65kt hurricane intensity
Level Wind Direction Wind Speed
996mb (Surface) 105° (from the ESE) 64 knots (74 mph)
993mb 105° (from the ESE) 63 knots (72 mph)
987mb 115° (from the ESE) 74 knots (85 mph)
973mb 120° (from the ESE) 80 knots (92 mph)
931mb 130° (from the SE) 73 knots (84 mph)
924mb 125° (from the SE) 77 knots (89 mph)
917mb 125° (from the SE) 73 knots (84 mph)
875mb 125° (from the SE) 81 knots (93 mph)
850mb 130° (from the SE) 79 knots (91 mph)
697mb 145° (from the SE) 49 knots (56 mph)
Mean Boundary Level Wind: 75 knots (86 mph)
Those are still very strong winds just off the surface. 973mb off of 996mb surface is only about 500 feet up. 875 mb is 4500 feet up. So even at strong TS/minimal hurricane strength, a lot of towns could still get 85-95 mph winds. Wow.
If I were Jim Cantore, I'd be reporting from Pahoa or higher up the hill as opposed to at the shoreline where one tends to go for these things.