Author | Lightnews

Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 2d

Updated inventory of cities/islands impacted in 2025 by named systems Melissa added 8 to the map

Reposted by Jim Williams

Tropical Atlantic @tropicalatlantic.com · 2d

The Air Force & NOAA hurricane hunters conducted 33 missions into, and around, #Melissa. Additional information appears in the alternate text for the images.

As what is left of post-tropical cyclone Melissa moves rapidly off into the northern Atlantic east of Canada, we look back at the missions into Melissa as a tropical cyclone. The Air Force and NOAA hurricane hunters conducted 33 missions into, and around, Melissa. They surveyed the storm from the time it was a tropical storm and throughout its rapid intensification into one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever recorded. Its turbulence was so intense at times that multiple aircraft had to return early for safety to be inspected after passing through its intense eyewall. Melissa made landfall at its peak intensity in New Hope, Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 millibars. By both metrics Melissa tied, in both sustained wind speed and lowest mean sea level pressure, as the most intense tropical cyclone to ever make landfall on record in the Atlantic. (tying the landfalling wind speed of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 in the Bahamas and tying the landfalling pressure of the Labor Day hurricane in 1935 in the Florida Keys) The hurricane hunters continued their missions into the storm as long as it remained a threat to land as a tropical cyclone. The storm also had impacts in Hispaniola, Cuba, the Bahamas and Bermuda before becoming extratropical and passing east of Newfoundland in Canada. (impacted areas include areas where it did not make landfall)

(A description of what appears in the map appears in the alternate text for image two.)

Map showing the missions by the Air Force and NOAA hurricane hunters into, and around, Melissa. White circle icons represent either the mean sea level pressure in millibars recorded by a dropsonde released from the plane or the estimated MSLP if that data was not available. This data comes from a vortex data message. In cases where the wind was not calm enough at the center, the actual pressure may be estimated to be lower and that pressure is not reflected on the icon.

Wind barbs represent the wind speed and direction from the 30 second flight level wind that is usually reported every 30 seconds in a high density observation. (HDOB message)

A dropsonde icon, pictured as a slender tube, is what is used to measure pressure, temperature and dew point as it falls from the aircraft. A dropsonde is released from the aircraft by a tube.

The Air Force used multiple Lockheed WC-130J Hercules aircraft while NOAA used a Lockheed WP-3D Orion to survey the storm and penetrate its eye. NOAA also used a Gulfstream IV-SP to sample around the storm.

Screenshot from Google Earth.
Blue Marble image background from NASA GIBS.
World coastlines from Natural Earth.

(A description of the historic storm appears in the alternate text for image one.)

A closeup of hurricane hunter mission data from around Jamaica showing its rapid intensification as noted by the vortex icons described in the alternate text for image two.

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Reposted by Jim Williams

Jeff Berardelli @weatherprof.bsky.social · 4d

2X increase in the most extreme hurrucanes!
Looking at every Cat 4 & 5 in the Atlantic since 1980 (reliable records/ data gathering) I broke the record into 2 equal parts.
1980-2002 and 2003-2025
The most recent period has more than double the number of most intense hurricanes in the Atlantic!…
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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 4d

big difference between a brush and a hit in Jamaica residents outside these red circles of 64kt winds including Negril were not hit by hurricane melissa.

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 5d

Incredible destruction from Hurricane Melissa from the black river area of Jamaica aerial footage www.facebook.com/share/p/1FVG...

Redirecting...

www.facebook.com

Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 5d

Mountains of Eastern Cuba mangling hurricane Melissa

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 7d

There is no escaping Melissa in Jamaica as it moves in Tuesday morning THIS WILL BE BAD

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 9d

I will be live each night at 8:00PM ET until landfall to discuss hurricane Melissa available in the following places
hurricanecity.com/live/
www.facebook.com/jimhurricane...
www.youtube.com/@jimhurrican...

HurricaneCity.tv - Live Video Coverage When Hurricanes Hit

This video will be live with hurricane coverage and other bad weather when any hurricane is approaching land.

hurricanecity.com

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 10d

2005 Hurricane Wilma passed over my towercam the only hurricane to do so. Cam captured the winds but no sound
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHKK...

Hurricane Wilma towercam video

YouTube video by jimhurricanecity

www.youtube.com

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 13d

Invest 98L to be named Melissa today at that point the Euro will be added. So far these are the best track performers suggesting this will go further west. At this time only a few ensemble members of all the models have this flirting with Florida. Will the GFS be right taking this over Hispaniola?

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Reposted by Jim Williams

Michael Lowry @michaelrlowry.bsky.social · 21d

Blown away by Google DeepMind's performance this year. We'll see if it carries into 2026, but it's been just head and shoulders better than any other model trackwise this season, including the gold standard consensus guidance. Big win for the addition of LLMs 👏

James Franklin @franklinjamesl.bsky.social · 21d

With about 80% of the precincts reporting I've seen enough. GDMI - Google DeepMind is going to win the seat for best track model in 2025. The race for best intensity model is still too close to call, but GDMI is right there with the consensus and OFCL. Quite a remarkable campaign.

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · 28d

Percentage of land impacts so far for Atlantic basin 2025 hurricane season.

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Oct 1

Bermuda to be hit tonight but could Imelda be major? Here is a video on the majors to impact Bermuda and what they did to this tiny island. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR1p...

Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Sep 27

Big reason why I encourage people to visit www.hurricanecity.com is the mapping of the best performing models which yesterday a couple of best performers were showing a turn to the right .Today it's even more showing Humberto having a big influence on track.

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Sep 25

Tracking hurricane Gabrielle which will hit the Azores islands late tonight early Friday as a cat 1. You can watch cams and observations hurricanecity.com/wx/azoresobs...

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Reposted by Jim Williams

National Hurricane Center - Atlantic Alerts (UNOFFICIAL) @nhc-atlc.nws-bot.us · Sep 17

Atlantic Tropical Depression Seven Advisory Number 1 issued at Wed, 17 Sep 2025 08:34:46 +0000
...TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC...
Additional Details Here.

000WTNT32 KNHC 170834TCPAT2 BULLETINTropical Depression Seven Advisory Number 1NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL072025500 AM AST Wed Sep 17 2025 ...TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC... SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION----------------------------------------------LOCATION...13.7N 45.9WABOUT 1185 MI...1905 KM ESE OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDSMAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35 MPH...55 KM/HPRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 280 DEGREES AT 13 MPH...20 KM/HMINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1007 MB...29.74 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS--------------------There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK----------------------At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Sevenwas located near latitude 13.7 North, longitude 45.9 West. Thedepression is moving toward the west near 13 mph (20 km/h). A west-northwestward to northwestward motion across the tropical and subtropical central Atlantic is expected during the next few days. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts.Slow strengthening is expected, and the system could become a tropical storm later today or tonight. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches). HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND----------------------None NEXT ADVISORY-------------Next complete advisory at 1100 AM AST. $$Forecaster Cangialosi

Tropical Depression Seven 5-Day Uncertainty Track Image

Tropical Depression Seven 34-Knot Wind Speed Probabilities

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Sep 12

who gets hit most after the height of hurricane season?

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Sep 10

Height of hurricane season only matters when it comes to hits. This graph shows the 139 cities in the HC database and the time period most likely to be hit by a hurricane.

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Reposted by Jim Williams

Matt Lanza @mattlanza.bsky.social · Sep 8

ICYMI, I have a unique perspective today on this 125th anniversary of the deadliest American hurricane.

The Eyewall @theeyewallwx.bsky.social · Sep 8

Today marks the 125th anniversary of the Great 1900 hurricane that devastated Galveston, the deadliest single weather event in American history. But it wasn’t inevitable. The decisions made before and after the 1900 storm and relevance of it today rings loudly if we’re listening.

125 years after the Great Galveston Hurricane, it still remains relevant if we're willing to listen

The lessons of 1900 may be more relevant than ever today

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Jim Williams

Matt Lanza @mattlanza.bsky.social · Aug 27

Gonna need someone in 2028 to actually for real make America great again, cause it's moving backwards at present.

Alan Gerard @wxmanms1.bsky.social · Aug 27

Important weather science news tonight: NOAA has canceled procurement of the next phased array weather radar R&D instrument. Along with the obvious blow to PAR weather research, it is consistent with other moves by admin to push forward quickly with NOAA cuts. More: https://tinyurl.com/my8hx8j6

NOAA cancels procurement of new phased array weather radar test article

Further stalls important weather research program

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Jim Williams

Michael Lowry @michaelrlowry.bsky.social · Aug 25

"It looked like the Hand of God had wiped away the coast." A powerful new Katrina film from @mississippitoday.org out Friday at 5 PM CT on YouTube. Honored to be among voices like Max Mayfield, Robert Ricks @drshepherd2013.bsky.social, @franklinjamesl.bsky.social, Gov. Haley Barbour, and others.

The Bulletin | Official Trailer

YouTube video by Mississippi Today

youtu.be

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Aug 24

yes I think the worst is yet to come especially late season

Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Aug 23

Hurricane Erin impact locations by 40+mph. Touched by 40+ based on all advisories by NHC that are in the HC database..
1)Turks and Caicos Islands major br.
2)San Salvador Isl Bahamas major br.
3)Cape Hatteras N.C br.
4)Cape Sable N.S br.
5)Sable Isl N.S br.
None in my top 20 for 2025.

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Aug 20

Anyone wanting to watch the wave action as Erin brushes the outer banks here you go hurricanecity.com/wx/capehatte...

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Jim Williams @hurricanecity.com · Aug 16

the GFS is slightly outperforming the EURO on Erin by 15 miles at 5 days but overall the CMC is performing the best.

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