Good evening.
At 5 pm Idalia was located in the Yucatan Channel and was moving due N @8 mph. During the day TS Idalia has changed little. After passing north of the western tip of Cuba tonight it should start to strengthen after interactions with the mountainous terrain of Western Cuba abate. The NHC's track has not changed and remains in agreement with the model consensus. Idalia is still forecast to make landfall Wednesday morning as a Cat 3 major hurricane along the Big Bend area of Florida. Tomorrow night will be key to just how strong it gets.
I have included the latest rainfall forecast as well as the current satellite image of both Idalia and H. Franklin. If you look closely at the eye of Franklin you can see a classic "Stadium Effect", this is typical of an intense major hurricane. Franklin is currently a dangerous Cat 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. Fortunately it s heading out to sea and posses no threat to land at present.
I will write again probably tomorrow afternoon, possibly in the morning as well if things should change.
Until then,
Matt.
At 5 pm Idalia was located in the Yucatan Channel and was moving due N @8 mph. During the day TS Idalia has changed little. After passing north of the western tip of Cuba tonight it should start to strengthen after interactions with the mountainous terrain of Western Cuba abate. The NHC's track has not changed and remains in agreement with the model consensus. Idalia is still forecast to make landfall Wednesday morning as a Cat 3 major hurricane along the Big Bend area of Florida. Tomorrow night will be key to just how strong it gets.
I have included the latest rainfall forecast as well as the current satellite image of both Idalia and H. Franklin. If you look closely at the eye of Franklin you can see a classic "Stadium Effect", this is typical of an intense major hurricane. Franklin is currently a dangerous Cat 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. Fortunately it s heading out to sea and posses no threat to land at present.
I will write again probably tomorrow afternoon, possibly in the morning as well if things should change.
Until then,
Matt.