Is there such thing as a hybrid annular hurricane?

[logybogy]

Because if you ignore the outside feeder bands. This hurricane is annular.

It's almost like the outside feeder bands are an appendage to the inner core and the inner core wants to get rid of them and seperate.

I mean this is perfectly symmetrical. It's almost like a wheel on a car.

[Brent]

Is it just me or is it larger than pre-Cuba???

I do notice that BTW... I find it strange.

[Innotech]

It is a highly impressive sight no doubt.

[wlfpack81]

logybogy I like that analogy you made. I've noticed this too on the sat images. Like Dennis is trying to shed it's skin to reveal it's true self. Very impressive sat images from the past few hours as this storm strengthens.

[patsmsg]

Because if you ignore the outside feeder bands. This hurricane is annular.

Seems to me you can make a perfect circle out of any shape if you "ignore the outside"....hardly an argument that it is approaching annular in my opinion. Still, I don't argue that it isn't a nice looking hurricane.

[Innotech]

its not true annular it has to tighten up considerably. I htink the dry air kind of "unwrapped it" which might prevent it from going cat 5 for the moment.

[AJC3]

Because if you ignore the outside feeder bands. This hurricane is annular.

It's almost like the outside feeder bands are an appendage to the inner core and the inner core wants to get rid of them and seperate.

I mean this is perfectly symmetrical. It's almost like a wheel on a car.

Granted, while Dennis is symmetric, IMHO it's not even close to satisfying the definition of an annular hurricane put forth in the 2002 paper from Knaff, Kossin and DeMaria.

"3. Features of annular hurricanes

Before the features associated with annular hurricanes can be examined, annular hurricane cases must be identified. The IR imagery is the visual means by which we determine whether a storm is an annular hurricane. An annular hurricane is identified if the hurricane persists for at least 3 h in an axisymmetric state defined by the following: 1) the hurricane has a normal-to-large-sized circular eye surrounded by a single band of deep convection containing the inner-core region and 2) the hurricane has little or no convective activity beyond this annulus of convection."

An 11-13NM diameter eye is by no means "average to large". Moreover, note that there is plenty of banded convection outside the CDO. Amongst those who study annular hurricanes, they are affectionately referred to as "truck tires" because of their large eyes and almost total lack of convection outside the ring-like band surrounding the eye.

[logybogy]

I didn't say it was a pure annular.

I said a hybrid.

A storm with annular characteristics and if there has been any past research into the matter. For instance, is the CDO eyewall structure of Dennis more stable and less prone to eyewall replacement cycles because of its symmetric annular shape?

One characteristic of pure annular storms is they don't have frequent eyewall replacement cycles and are more stable.

[AJC3]

I didn't say it was a pure annular.

I said a hybrid.

A storm with annular characteristics and if there has been any past research into the matter. For instance, is the CDO eyewall structure of Dennis more stable and less prone to eyewall replacement cycles because of its symmetric annular shape?

One characteristic of pure annular storms is they don't have frequent eyewall replacement cycles and are more stable.

Ah. Gotcha. FWIW I've read my fair share of journals and have never heard of a "partially annular" or "hybrid annular" hurricane. I think the current stability of the eye wall within the CDO has more to do with the rapid deepening phase rather than the "annularity" of the CDO.

My bet is that you will see an ERC or two before landfall.

[Innotech]

I htink its my fault for mentioning annular canes in the firstp lace. This isnt one obviously although it seemed to be approaching that status earlier. but it has unwound so to speak and just keeps growing. This hting is getting huge.

[patsmsg]

Based upon what happened during the approach to Cuba, and similar conditions this evening (with the rapidly dropping pressure and shrinkin eye) Dr. Jeff Masters stated on NHCWX this evening that there would be another ERC about this time tonight. We should know soon if he was right or not. Otherwise this sucker is gonna REALLY intensify. With the ERC he was saying 145-150 MPH (6 hours after). If the pressure doesn't stop dropping...I hate to even guess.

[FloridaDiver]

This thread is somewhat fascinating; can someone post a picture or provide us with a name of a past storm that fits this hybrid annular hurricane model?

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Its cdo in eye looks like precuba. I don't understand the 125 mph...It looks more like a cat5.

[jkt21787]

Its cdo in eye looks like precuba. I don't understand the 125 mph...It looks more like a cat5.

NHC hasn't had enough recon yet, in the conference call they said it will most likely be upgraded to cat 4 on the intermediates, they're just waiting for the data.

This looks worse than it did in Precuba IMO.