Matthew5 wrote:So Andrew, the first time was 175 mph cat5. With pressure of 933 millibars! Ivan had 910 millibars winds with 165 mph wind. While Andrew did make it down to 922 millibars at landfall. But the fact is Ivan had a lower pressure...It go's with out saying that Ivan will likely get upped a little like Isabel last year.
Nope.....Andrew was a much smaller hurricane than Ivan. The compact size of the eyewall meant a much tighter pressure gradient and higher wind speeds. Andrew actually reached 922 mb twice; first, just before impacting the Bahamas....and the second time at Florida landfall near Homestead.
A small, compact major hurricane will always have a tighter gradient than a large, sprawling hurricane....even if they have the same central pressure. For example, peak flight level winds measured during Andrew (170 kts) were nearly as strong as those found by NOAA aircraft in Gilbert's eyewall at it's peak (173 kt)....even though Gilbert's central pressure was 34 mb lower (888 mb vs 922 mb in Andrew).
That's also why micro-monster Charley had sustained winds of 150-155 mph (130-135 kt) at 941 mb and 145 mph (125 kt) at 954 mb....when a normal sized 941 mb hurricane supports 135-140 mph (120 kt), and 954 mb usually 120-125 mph (105-110 kt...or about the same intensity as Jeanne at landfall in Florida).
The smaller the hurricane's core....the stronger the winds due to the pressure gradient being tighter.
PW
