NATL: MELISSA - Aftermath - Discussion: Josh Morgerman video of Melissa is up

[Frank P]

My Lord, these people will be dealing with catastrophic weather conditions that few have experienced. Can’t even imagine if that was heading towards a populated US city. Might have to consider selling my beach house. Beyond gut wrenching for all in her path and those who are having flash backs from their experiences with a major storm. God bless these poor people. The satellite presentation is just as perfect as I’ve ever seen and I’ve been seriously tracking canes for over 50 years.

[InfernoFlameCat]

I wonder if the NHC is going to put out a special advisory

[Beef Stew]

Dropsonde data will be quite interesting to see

[zzzh]

AL, 13, 2025102812, , BEST, 0, 175N, 781W, 155, 896, HU,

[grapealcoholic]

witnessing the most impressive landfalling hurricane of all time

unbelievable

[kronotsky]

Did this plane run out of sondes? Maybe all the time in the eye was meant to generate a better dataset...

[Beef Stew]

Dropsonde Data pending I'd guess the NHC goes 155kts, 895 mb

EDIT: Best track is 155 kts, 896 mb

[StormPyrate]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psWnPJfuuZU
resident streaming from ground zero

[Teban54]

I wonder if the NHC is going to put out a special advisory

They may wait for FL winds in the NW quad (or whichever one recon goes next).

[Hurricane2022]

 https://x.com/iCyclone/status/1983153842108907672

[GCANE]

OK, so based on recon, it is now a EF4 20+ mile wide tornado.
This will flatten everything in the eyewall.

[Teban54]

So they did a second loop in the eye... Still with ridiculous readings.

[mrbagyo]

what's the strongest an Atlantic hurricane has been at landfall? 892mb for the labor day hurricane?

That's the current world record for lowest land based barometric pressure reading.

The ~878 hpa ASTI AWS reading in Itbayat island during Meranti was never verified/ validated.

[weeniepatrol]

...AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND MELISSA STRONGER AS THE NORTHERN EYEWALL IS APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN COAST OF JAMAICA... ...900 AM EDT POSITION UPDATE...

9:00 AM EDT Tue Oct 28
Location: 17.6°N 78.1°W
Moving: NNE at 7 mph
Min pressure: 896 mb
Max sustained: 180 mph

[Beef Stew]

I think we're about to see TC wind damage that rivals the most severe on record, especially given the rapid rise in elevation in Jamaica.

[GCANE]

TCUAT3
Hurricane Melissa Tropical Cyclone Update
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL132025
900 AM EDT Tue Oct 28 2025

...AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND MELISSA STRONGER AS THE
NORTHERN EYEWALL IS APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN COAST OF JAMAICA...
...900 AM EDT POSITION UPDATE...

The eye of Melissa is nearing the southern coast of Jamaica and is
expected to make landfall within the next few hours. This is an
extremely dangerous and a life-threatening situation. Take action
now to protect your life! Residents in the Jamaica should not leave
their shelter as winds will rapidly increase within the eyewall of
Melissa. Remain in place through the passage of these life-
threatening conditions.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft has found that
Melissa is strengthening with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph
(290 km/h). Estimated minimum central pressure based on aircraft
data has fallen to 896 mb (26.47 inches).

Another position update will be provided at 1000 AM EDT (1400 UTC).

SUMMARY OF 900 AM EDT...1300 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...17.6N 78.1W
ABOUT 50 MI...80 KM SSE OF NEGRIL JAMAICA
ABOUT 260 MI...420 KM SW OF GUANTANAMO CUBA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...180 MPH...290 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 7 MPH...11 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...896 MB...26.47 INCHES

[TampaWxLurker]

I'm impressed by how compact it is. In this day and age of giant, sprawling monstercanes like Ian and Irma, etc, it feels rare to see a super-powerful storm have concentrated hurricane force winds of only 25-30 miles around the center, like Andrew.

[Hurricane2022]

So they did a second loop in the eye... Still with ridiculous readings.

https://i.postimg.cc/28X11pnm/MELISSA-AF303-2413A-flw-202510281257.png

Wondering if they were stuck there due to extreme eyewall turbulence

[FrontRunner]

Thank God for recon in general but especially for making this final trip to confirm the sub-900 pressure! Without it NHC would have likely held 900/901 up to landfall.

[Teban54]

...AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND MELISSA STRONGER AS THE NORTHERN EYEWALL IS APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN COAST OF JAMAICA... ...900 AM EDT POSITION UPDATE...

9:00 AM EDT Tue Oct 28
Location: 17.6°N 78.1°W
Moving: NNE at 7 mph
Min pressure: 896 mb
Max sustained: 180 mph

It's official. Melissa is now the 6th most intense hurricane on record, just behind Wilma, Gilbert, Labor Day, Rita and Milton.

If Melissa maintains this intensity until landfall, it will be the 2nd most intense landfall on record, just behind Labor Day.

2024-25 are now the only two consecutive years with sub-900 storms.

Edit: The wind speed of 155 kt (180 mph) also makes Melissa tied as the 6th strongest in wind, behind Allen, Labor Day, Gilbert, Wilma and Dorian.