ATL: Tropical Depression Fay

[Sanibel]

Better center definition in the cloud tops. Key West hit is on NHC trop points (and Sanibel hit).

[capepoint]

US landfall 3pm Key West, Fl. (technically)

[ronjon]

Wow, look at the heavy red returns just north of the LLC near KYW. Appears to be moving N-NW still. We could have a hurricane in the next 6 hrs. With that deep convection near the center, might expect to see some bigger pressure falls.

http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=BYX&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

[vbhoutex]

Winds at Sandy Key at 2 pm:

Current Weather/Wave Observations
Updated: 2:00 PM EDT on August 18, 2008
Air Temperature: 76° F / 25° C
Wind direction (W Dir): NNE (15 - 24 Degrees)
Wind Speed (W Spd): 46.0 kts (52.9 mph / 85.2 km/h)
Wind Gust (W Spd): 49.0 kts (56.4 mph / 90.7 km/h)
Atmospheric Pressure (AP): 29.66 in / 1004 hPa
Pressure Tendency (PT): -0.17 in / -5.6 hPa
Steady or increasing, then decreasing; or decreasing, then decreasing more rapidly

[HURAKAN]

Fay is reporting to be happy not to go over mountains this time. It's reporting that going over Key West was a breeze!

[CrazyC83]

NOAA plane reported 997mb extrapolated from 12,000 ft.

[artist]

incredible view right now!

http://mycampage.com/keywestcam

[RL3AO]

NOAA plane reported 997mb extrapolated from 12,000 ft.

AF drops has consistantly shown the pressure is 3 to 4 mb higher than what NOAA is extrapolating.

[KWT]

True center probably went just to the east of Key west but obviously the LLC is still a little broad allowing calm winds there.

Convection still blowing up just on the northern side of the circulation, it really does look like Fay is powering up quite nicely at the present moment, still looking possible that this will become a hurricane and the pressure drops that keep coming in agrees.

indeed pressure has been dropping last few hours by about a 1mb/hr

[Bgator]

does anyone think the winds in se fla to pick up still?

[Bocadude85]

looks to be moving west?

[tolakram]

KEY WEST

wind shift

[HURAKAN]

[xironman]

On the radar it looks like it is finally wrapping up just west of Key West

[Scorpion]

Winds will pick up later tonight and tomorrow in SFL.

[tolakram]

Seems to be expanding to the west. Has wind shear let up any?

[Clipper96]

Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas is going to get wet after all....

[Stormcenter]

Looked like a west jog in the radar loop above.

[RL3AO]

TROPICAL STORM FAY TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL062008
320 PM EDT MON AUG 18 2008

THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY MADE LANDFALL OVER KEY WEST FLORIDA
AT 3 PM EDT.

$$
FORECASTER BEVEN/PASCH

[KWT]

Yeah its not moving west but the convection is starting to try and wrap around the western side of the circulation.

Center just passed by Key West with the wind shift, would expect this to be the first offical US landfall.