How strong was Hurricane Melissa 2025?

[MarioProtVI]

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2025/11/hurricane-melissa-registered-252-mph-wind-breaking-global-record/

A recon dropsonde recorded the strongest wind ever observed in a tropical cyclone: 252 mph! It's a gust but this could play a vital role in determining Melissa's true intensity.

Typhoon Megi had a maximum recorded gust of 248 mph, yet the JTWC judged it as having a maximum sustained wind speed of 160 kt. This means that at most the NHC would settle for 165 kt for the peak intensity of Hurricane Melissa.

Fun fact, JTWC did have Megi 2010 at 165 kt operationally, but for whatever reason downgraded it to 160 kt in post analysis, despite all evidence supporting that - 190 kt FL alone supported 170 kt and even weighing the 165 kt SFMR still supported a 165 kt intensity so this argument fails once you’ve done some digging. Classic JTWC shenanigans basically.

[Hurricane2022]

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2025/11/hurricane-melissa-registered-252-mph-wind-breaking-global-record/

A recon dropsonde recorded the strongest wind ever observed in a tropical cyclone: 252 mph! It's a gust but this could play a vital role in determining Melissa's true intensity.

Typhoon Megi had a maximum recorded gust of 248 mph, yet the JTWC judged it as having a maximum sustained wind speed of 160 kt. This means that at most the NHC would settle for 165 kt for the peak intensity of Hurricane Melissa.

Fun fact, JTWC did have Megi 2010 at 165 kt operationally, but for whatever reason downgraded it to 160 kt in post analysis, despite all evidence supporting that - 190 kt FL alone supported 170 kt and even weighing the 165 kt SFMR still supported a 165 kt intensity so this argument fails once you’ve done some digging. Classic JTWC shenanigans basically.

Looks like JTWC doesn't even believes in the recon data at all, since they listed the lowest pressure as 904 mb.