Bill Makes the Turn as a Strong Cat-3
August 20, 2009
Hurricane Bill is forecasted to track NW over the next 24 hours (early Friday morning), with a slight northward turn in the next 48 hours while maintaining sustained winds in excess of 111 mph (Cat-3).
The current National Hurricane Center’s 3-day forecast has Bill approximately 360 miles due-East of Delaware by early Sunday morning. However the system is forecasted to remain a category 3 storm through until Sunday where it will weaken due to cooler waters and increased shear velocity.
The forecast models are showing disagreement on where Bill will track in the coming days. Though most agree that Cape Cod will experience weak-to-tropical storm force (35+ mph) sustained winds over the weekend. Significant wave activity is also expected all along the Eastern Seaboard due to Bill’s immense size and strength.
The image below shows the AOML satellite-derived wind speeds as of 930 EST this morning. The HU strength wind radius has shrunk slightly, but should increase again today as the surrounding air warms.
AOML 8/20/09 1330 UTC Satellite Derived Winds
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.
