Not all hurricanes are created equal
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Satellite image from last night showing hurricanes Karl (left, near Mexico), Igor (center, over central tropical Atlantic), and Julia (right, over eastern tropical Atlantic). Image courtesy NOAA.
As hurricanes Igor, Julia, and Karl continue to spin away in the tropical Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, the view from outer space (shown in the satellite imagery above) reveals their stunning size differences.
Of the three storms -- none of which will impact the U.S. -- Igor is by far the biggest. Its hurricane force winds extend 105 miles from the center with tropical storm force winds reaching out 290 miles. Bermuda will have a very difficult time escaping the impacts of this massive category 3 storm given its projected track.
Julia is a dwarf by comparison, with hurricane and tropical storm force winds extending 35 and 115 miles, respectively, from the center. About three Julias could fit inside Igor. This category 1 intensity storm is not expected to impact any land areas.
The midget of the bunch, Karl, has hurricane force winds out to just 25 miles from the center, with tropical force winds up to 90 miles away. Despite its size challenges, Karl is just as intense as Igor -- packing 120 mph sustained winds. The center of this category 3 storm is currently coming ashore the coast of Mexico near Veracruz.
By
Jason Samenow
| September 17, 2010; 1:00 PM ET
Categories:
Tropical Weather
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Posted by: anOPINIONATEDsob | September 17, 2010 1:24 PM | Report abuse
@anOPINIONATEDsob
Great point. The fact that Karl is tiny will mean little to the 700,000 residents of Veracruz (Mexico's oldest and largest port) that are getting pummeled by its 120 mph winds and torrential rains.
Posted by: Jason-CapitalWeatherGang | September 17, 2010 1:30 PM | Report abuse
Great!! All I want to know and need to know except--where do you find such simple details as "sunrise" and "sunset" times? Huh? I'm missing something obviously--but where oh where did that info go?
Posted by: what4gives | September 18, 2010 10:52 AM | Report abuse
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Andrew wasn't that big either but size doesn't matter if your at ground zero the time of impact.