Question about NE quadrent feature in Dennis

[arcticfire]

The latest sat images:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/FLOAT2/IR4/20.jpg

It looks to my uneducated eye like there is almost a seperate something going on here. Even on the visible image this area apears almost to be mimicing the activity of the center of ciculation of dennis.

So my question is , is it possible for hurricans to split ? I'm not saying this is happening I'm just curious if it's ever happened ?

[ericinmia]

Split? not to my knowledge has that happened to defined systems.

That appears to be a STRONG feeder band that is breaking off as the storm is restructuring, and compacting. I was just looking at that through many feeds.
-Eric

[mf_dolphin]

Looks like Haiti and the Dominican Republic are about to have a bad bad night. If you remember last year they have almost no gound cover so flooding could be severe.

[dhweather]

At least they will be spared the core of the hurricane.

[AL Chili Pepper]

With that kind of feeder band moving up 10,000 ft peaks....I wonder if it's raining?

[Wthrman13]

The latest sat images:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/FLOAT2/IR4/20.jpg

It looks to my uneducated eye like there is almost a seperate something going on here. Even on the visible image this area apears almost to be mimicing the activity of the center of ciculation of dennis.

So my question is , is it possible for hurricans to split ? I'm not saying this is happening I'm just curious if it's ever happened ?

In a word, no, it is not possible, or at the very least it is incredibly unlikely. The fundamental dynamics of hurricanes prevent such an occurrence from ever happening. Once a hurricane becomes established, there is a strong pressure gradient at low-to-mid levels pointing inward toward the center of the storm, due to the warm core at the center. This ensures that the flow surrounding the storm at low-to-mid levels will always spiral inward, and that no other circulation could get established anywhere near the storm, which would have to occur for a hurricane to "split". Furthermore, the stronger the hurricane gets, the stronger this pressure gradient, and thus such an event becomes even less likely. Hurricanes are essentially giant heat engines, and once one gets going, it doesn't like "sharing" resources, namely the transfer of heat and moisture from the underlying ocean surface.

[arcticfire]

The latest sat images:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/FLOAT2/IR4/20.jpg

It looks to my uneducated eye like there is almost a seperate something going on here. Even on the visible image this area apears almost to be mimicing the activity of the center of ciculation of dennis.

So my question is , is it possible for hurricans to split ? I'm not saying this is happening I'm just curious if it's ever happened ?

In a word, no, it is not possible, or at the very least it is incredibly unlikely. The fundamental dynamics of hurricanes prevent such an occurrence from ever happening. Once a hurricane becomes established, there is a strong pressure gradient at low-to-mid levels pointing inward toward the center of the storm, due to the warm core at the center. This ensures that the flow surrounding the storm at low-to-mid levels will always spiral inward, and that no other circulation could get established anywhere near the storm, which would have to occur for a hurricane to "split". Furthermore, the stronger the hurricane gets, the stronger this pressure gradient, and thus such an event becomes even less likely. Hurricanes are essentially giant heat engines, and once one gets going, it doesn't like "sharing" resources, namely the transfer of heat and moisture from the underlying ocean surface.

Thx a bunch for the clear answer , that makes totall sence. It just looks so wonky to me to see that convection in the NE quadrent seemingly "seperating" from the center and continuing to get deeper as it headed for land.