TC Bertha

[Scorpion]

I believe Dennis became a major at the same exact time.

[RL3AO]

When did Dennis become a major hurricane? Could this be the earliest one since Alma in 1966?

July 7, 18z. It all comes down to the best track.

[SkyDragon]

She became the strongest Bertha surpassing 96's Bertha by 12 mbar,
96-960mbar-115mph
08-948mbar-115mph

lol if im correct, I think the average minimum pressure for a minimal cat 4 is near 948mb...surprising its the pressure of a minimal cat3...

Hurricane Iris got 948mbar in 2001 and it had winds of 150mph! and Gracie had 950mbar

[Brent]

When did Dennis become a major hurricane?

July 7, 2005 at 5pm EDT.

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atl ... /track.dat

[RL3AO]

When did Dennis become a major hurricane?

July 7, 2005 at 5pm EDT.

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atl ... /track.dat

It was July 7 at 2pm EDT. Have you use the best track from the TCR.

[WmE]

When did Dennis become a major hurricane? Could this be the earliest one since Alma in 1966?

[SkyDragon]

When did Dennis become a major hurricane?

July 7, 2005 at 5pm EDT.

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atl ... /track.dat

Interesting, Very Interesting!

[KWT]

So looks like this may have been a category-3 even earlier then hurricane Dennis, woah thats truely impressive given the location of Bertha as of now.

[fci]

Deleted

[abajan]

This is not a cat 3 hurricane. It is just not. The cloud tops are not cold enough around the center for this to be a cat 3 hurricane. If I were to guess at the intensity, I would say this is a 95 knot Category 2 based on the intensity estimates I have seen posted. Oh and let me stress this....this hurricane will be going out to sea...the US can breathe a sigh of relief but our friends in Bermuda need to be preparing NOW because this thing could wreak havoc on their little island.

CaneFreak, Bermuda has very strict building codes and is probably the most prepared place in this hemisphere. I doubt very much that Bertha will wreak havoc there if it hits. They have weathered hurricanes much more powerful than Bertha and should she strike them, they will survive. Don't let their small size fool you.

[HURAKAN]

From a struggling storm yesterday to a major hurricane today. I like this Bertha!! Much more fun than in 2002!!!

[Cyclone1]

Wow, furthest east major hurricane in Atlantic history in the month of July.

[KWT]

How much damage did Bermuda take from Fabian in 2003 by the way?

Hurakan, just goes to show that climatology isn't the be all and end all, so many believed it would be dead by now and yet its now making history it seems...again!

[Derek Ortt]

948 is usually 115KT

I wonder if another typo was made, mistaking 115mph for 115 KT

either way, this is sure looking good this afternoon

[dixiebreeze]

Bertha Cat. 3

BULLETIN
HURRICANE BERTHA ADVISORY NUMBER 19
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL022008
500 PM AST MON JUL 07 2008

...BERTHA STRENGTHEN TO A MAJOR HURRICANE WITH 115 MPH WINDS...

AT 500 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BERTHA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 20.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 52.1 WEST OR ABOUT 730 MILES...
1175 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS AND ABOUT
1150 MILES...1855 KM...SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA.

BERTHA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/HR.
A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED
IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 115 MPH...185
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. BERTHA IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE
ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY
ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES...35 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115
MILES...185 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 948 MB...27.99 INCHES.

REPEATING THE 500 PM AST POSITION...20.1 N...52.1 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...948 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
1100 PM AST.

$$
FORECASTER RHOME

[KWT]

yep Derek 948mbs is very low for a system that strength, maybe there has been a mistake somewhere but if it is 948mbs then you've got to think that the winds will continue to increase and catch up with the pressure.

[CrazyC83]

948 is usually 115KT

I wonder if another typo was made, mistaking 115mph for 115 KT

either way, this is sure looking good this afternoon

That would be one incredible increase from 80 to 115 in a single advisory though...I don't see much to support 115 kt at this point though. I'm guessing the pressure is more likely around 956mb.

['CaneFreak]

948 is usually 115KT

I wonder if another typo was made, mistaking 115mph for 115 KT

either way, this is sure looking good this afternoon

Is the pressure that low due to the lower or higher background pressures? Could you explain that whole concept again? I get confused when I think about it.

You can PM me if you like.

[TreasureIslandFLGal]

Maybe a transcription that should be 984?

[x-y-no]

948 is usually 115KT

I wonder if another typo was made, mistaking 115mph for 115 KT

either way, this is sure looking good this afternoon

Without recon this is obviously an estimate, so I'd say you're right about it being a typo. After all, there doesn't seem to be any objective basis for estimating a lower than normal pressure to wind-speed ratio.