Two Questions: Hurricane SSTs and Wilma Downburst

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

1. What minimal SST is needed to support a hurricane? I want to
see if the cold front drops GOM SSTs below this level so hopefully the
hurricane season can end in the GOM.

2. Was this experience a microburst? During Wilma:
The northwest side was much worse than the northeast side. In fact,
this "experience" on the NW side is the most violent experience of
my life.

I was near my balcony watching gusts to 40 mph when all of
a sudden a strange looking squall like band approahed from the west
or northwest (in the early morning). Winds rapidly picked up and blew
to levels I have never seen before. Palm trees were shredded of their
leaves, two large transformers suddenly exploded in large orange
flashes, the winds came crashing very hard shaking the pool cage
and walls of my home violently. This lasted less than a minute, then
winds calmed to about 40 mph in gusts. But that moment was the worst
weather and most severe event I have ever experienced. Seriously,
it was much worse than Jeanne, Frances, as well as worse than a
microburst that hit back in August. It felt like a jet plane
roaring into my back wall. Absolutely terrifying. Any ideas what it was?
Microburst? Tornado maybe?

For the first time, I had FEAR due to a storm event. After the event
winds returned to weak TS levels.

[P.K.]

1. What minimal SST is needed to support a hurricane? I want to
see if the cold front drops GOM SSTs below this level so hopefully the
hurricane season can end in the GOM.

Usually around 26.5C but Vince was only over 23/24C water. One cold front isn't going to drop temps in the GOM like that though.

[WxGuy1]

1. What minimal SST is needed to support a hurricane? I want to
see if the cold front drops GOM SSTs below this level so hopefully the
hurricane season can end in the GOM.

Typically, you want SSTs >26C, though this is only a guideline. Hurricane Vince developed and moved over cold waters of 22-24C before crashing into Portugal and Spain earlier this month.

Any ideas what it was?
Microburst? Tornado maybe?

For the first time, I had FEAR due to a storm event. After the event
winds returned to weak TS levels.

If you live in Tampa, then you shouldn't have experience a whole lot with Jeanne and Frances. For Wilma, the highest winds observed at official ASOS sites were in the 40-50mph range. However, the wind flow in a hurricane is hardly homogeneous, so there can be areas of stronger and weaker winds over a relatively small area. In fact, there is often some intense banding in the winds in hurricanes. What you experienced may have been a strong microburst. The rear-left quad is often not favorable for the development of tornadoes (low-level shear profiles are often quite unfavorable in this area), and you were far enough from the eyewall so it probably wasn't a small-scale vortex associated with intense horizontal shear seen along eyewalls (an "eyewall tornado").

EDIT: Just saw the response above mine... Yes, one cold front isn't going to affect the temp of the Gulf waters very much.

[senorpepr]

That sounds like a squall rather than a microburst.

Having lived through numerous squall lines and a handful of microbursts in the Midwest and coupling that experience with your story, it seems like nothing more than a powerful squall or possibly a weak downburst. (Not a "microburst", but a downburst) Had it been a true microburst, the conditions you described would have been much worse.

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

Thanks all for responses!

[WxGuy1]

That sounds like a squall rather than a microburst.

Having lived through numerous squall lines and a handful of microbursts in the Midwest and coupling that experience with your story, it seems like nothing more than a powerful squall or possibly a weak downburst. (Not a "microburst", but a downburst) Had it been a true microburst, the conditions you described would have been much worse.

A microburst is nothing but a localized area of enhanced downburst (for what it's worth, macrobursts are larger-scale downbursts). Microbursts don't have to imply horrendously nasty winds, but an area of concentrated, localized winds caused by an enhanced downdraft burst. Squalls are just organized, usually linearly-oriented deep moist convection. In typical use, squalls describe the downdrafts/precip associated with this convection.

[senorpepr]

That sounds like a squall rather than a microburst.

Having lived through numerous squall lines and a handful of microbursts in the Midwest and coupling that experience with your story, it seems like nothing more than a powerful squall or possibly a weak downburst. (Not a "microburst", but a downburst) Had it been a true microburst, the conditions you described would have been much worse.

A microburst is nothing but a localized area of enhanced downburst (for what it's worth, macrobursts are larger-scale downbursts). Microbursts don't have to imply horrendously nasty winds, but an area of concentrated, localized winds caused by an enhanced downdraft burst. Squalls are just organized, usually linearly-oriented deep moist convection. In typical use, squalls describe the downdrafts/precip associated with this convection.

As for the downburst/microburst point, I guess that all depends on the meteorological background you have. Your definition can be assumed correct whereas some others believe a microburst is more windier than an average downburst. Regardless, he described a band-like feature approaching him. To me, that seems like it was an aloft feature, more like a squall, rather than a surface-based "wall" that is more common with a microburst or downburst.