Rita's eyewall has collapsed!!

[tedzbear]

Does this mean she is in the middle of an eyewall replacement process, or does it mean her intensity has dropped to a tropical storm???

[flowomo]

1. link?

[Armstead]

2. Down to a Category 3

Unless it regains steam, could even be a Category 2 when it hits land, according to the forecasters.

But then again it could regain strength. Seems like a lotta unknowns, but Rita may not turn out to be as bad as feared...Bad, but not Katrina caliber.

[electropop]

5. I really really want it to fizzle

so the media will cover the demonstration in DC tomorrow. As of this morning, there were half a dozen TV trucks out on the Mall.

[LostinVA]

7. And so the oil people will look even more corrupt

When they jack up gas prices more.....

[AllyCat]

11. And saving lots of lives. I know you meant that too!

:loveya:

Can't wait to see some coverage of the rally! Are you going? I wanted to so badly, but just didn't have the funds after paying for a wedding earlier this month. Hey, at least we didn't go into debt to do it!

[electropop]

17. Oh, right, lives. Oops.

:evilgrin:

I certainly will be attending. My office overlooks Freedom Plaza, where Code Pink is launching from. Each group is launching from a different area, but I expect it'll all merge in short order. I am so psyched. There are half a dozen TV trucks on the Mall already, right next to the Veterans For Peace forest of thousands of crosses.

[tx_dem41]

18. Funny, I "just" want it to fizzle to avoid the death of a lot of people...

and the destruction of homes and businesses. :eyes:

[electropop]

3. Maybe she'll need to get a glass eyewall

or an eyewall transplant.

[unrepuke]

9. LOL. (+ I like your sig line)

:7

[electropop]

19. Thanks!

Yours is amusing.

[applegrove]

4. Speed goes down as eye is gone - speed goes up as new eye

forms. Andrew was the other hurricane that replaced an eye just before landfall.

[suegeo]

10. I think applegrove is correct

I am not a weather person, nor am I very bright, but I heard that the eye breaking down and rebuilding is normal. It is a cycle and expected. I don't think it means that the hurricane threat is over.

Godess save us all from the pandering, foaming-at-the-mouth fascist, Bush Admin and the stupid mean people who voted for them.

[applegrove]

23. That seemed perfectly bright to me!

[KyndCulture]

14. Yes exaclty and it's moving into the shallows where it's warmer.

Just like Andrew did, I don't think it will come ashore any less than a Cat 3 more likely a 4.

[Ladyhawk]

24. Damn, I was hoping those people and cities would be spared.

I can't stand watching people suffer.

[applegrove]

26. The eye doesn't have to happen. Thing could disorganize. I'm not

watching the TV. Too scared.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Where is this information coming from?

"Rita completed an eyewall replacement cycle this morning. The inner eyewall completely collapsed, and an outer eyewall 35 miles in diameter took its place."
http://www.weatherunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=140&tstamp=200509#commenttop

[K8-EEE]

8. Here's A Good Explanation At This Blog:

I really need this shit explained, thanks to the first DUer who posted this blog:

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/show.html

[myrna minx]

13. Thank you for this. I've been so confused about this. n/t

[Oreo]

12. Good explanation from Wundergound

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/show.html

Rita completed an eyewall replacement cycle this morning. The inner eyewall completely collapsed, and an outer eyewall 35 miles in diameter took its place. During the time, the pressure rose to 927 mb, and remained constant at that level between 4:30 am and 8 am EDT. The hurricane hunters noted no increase in surface winds, which remained at about 140 mph. They did note that the eyewall was beginning to contract again, which may signal the beginning of an intensification cycle. Rita is over warm waters (30C) which are warm to a great depth. Thus, the amount of heat available for intensification is high (see plot below). By this afternoon, Rita will be passing over waters that are still warm, but are shallow, so the amount of heat available to draw energy from is much lower. This should end any intensification. In addition, 10 - 15 knots of shear is impacting Rita's south side, and one can see from satellite images the lack of high cirrus clouds on her south side that results from this shear. This shear is expected to increase to 25 knots by Saturday morning, and the combined effect of the shear and the lower heat content of the ocean beneath her should prevent her from making landfall any stronger than she is now (Category 4), and may act to weaken her to a Category 3 hurricane.

[whatever4]

15. Crossed fingers nm

[ChickMagic]

16. Good explanation here

Hurricane Rita hangs on to Category 4 status with winds of 135 mph. Drier mid-level air from over the continent to the north and west of the hurricane is being entrained into the system, disrupting the eyewall core. Rita continues to successively reorganize its eye but the overall effect is to slowly but steadily weaken the hurricane.

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/?from=wxcenter_news

(sorry if this is a dupe - my other post on this collapsed)

[geomon666]

20. It's a CAT 3 now n/t

[ChickMagic]

21. Thanks for the clarification.

That's still a really bad storm. I hope it continues to decline.

[geomon666]

22. So do I n/t

[Ladyhawk]

25. God dammit!!! Thinking about the suffering makes me ill. CAT 4 still?