[MallowTheCloud]

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/7944/khgxbr10yj7.png

[MallowTheCloud]

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1394/khgxbr10nj7.png

[kingu]

The eye is about 35 miles across, according to local media in Texas - at 12 mph travel, Josh should have two-three hours of calm before the backside hits at about 4:10am local, if I'm understanding everything right.

[MallowTheCloud]

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/1811/khgxbr10fo4.png

[sarwx2.0]

kingu, on Sep 13 2008, 01:24 AM, said:

The eye is about 35 miles across, according to local media in Texas - at 12 mph travel, Josh should have two-three hours of calm before the backside hits at about 4:10am local, if I'm understanding everything right.

Actually, he may not get much calm at all looking at radar trends. Eye is veering a bit to the right (east)... and he's gonna be hugging the western eye-wall for awhile it appears. :(

[gkrangers]

sarwx2.0, on Sep 13 2008, 02:32 AM, said:

Actually, he may not get much calm at all looking at radar trends. Eye is veering a bit to the right (east)... and he's gonna be hugging the western eye-wall for awhile it appears. :(

Looks like Josh hit the jackpot.

[kewldude471]

How's it like in the eye?

[MallowTheCloud]

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/2313/khgxbr10ld5.png

[MallowTheCloud]

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8196/khgxbr10wm2.png

[ORH_wxman]

These radar images must be slowing Josh's connection down. I'll post to get to the next page.

Looks like some intense wind is very possible on the other side of the eye.

[HurricaneJosh]

2:00 am CDT, 13 Sep - Calm

The hotel apparently has pretty serious damage, because the side of the building that lost its roof has extensive flooding down to the first floor-- the water has gone all the way down to the ground floor and made a mess. Fox 7 News was interviewing traumatized guests in the lobby. It's strange that we still have power, isn't it?

The wind and rain continued to pound away in streaks, and I saw (and shot) a restaurant next to the hotel losing roof shingles by the cartloads. The weather seemed to peak around 1:20 or 1:30 am or so, and I had a panicky moment when-- parked in a totally exposed location-- heavy rain and wind reduced visibility to almost zero and the car really shook badly.

But now the wind has really calmed down-- the howling has stopped. Quiet... I've opened my window and can barely hear the trees rustling... Warm air is coming into the room-- very warm. Guests are walking around in front of the hotel, chatting. Calm...

I presume we're in the eye?

[MallowTheCloud]

HurricaneJosh, on Sep 13 2008, 12:05 AM, said:

I presume we're in the eye?

Yep.

Stephanie Abrams, in Galveston, also noted the heat in the eye. She also said the bugs start coming out bigtime.

[ORH_wxman]

You are on the extreme NW side of the eye Josh.
edit: maybe more WNW side of the eye.

The western eye wall appears to be very intense, so you may receive extreme conditions again when the eye has passed.

[AtlanticWind]

Looks like the hotel is going to take a beating from the immediate wind increase.

[HurricaneJosh]

Dead quiet... Except through the open window I can hear a bird chirping way in the distance.

Wind can't be more than 5 kt-- a near calm.

This is one of the sharpest eyes I've been in. Very odd.

[turtlehurricane]

HurricaneJosh, on Sep 13 2008, 03:10 AM, said:

Dead quiet... Except through the open window I can hear a bird chirping way in the distance.

Wind can't be more than 5 kt-- a near calm.

This is one of the sharpest eyes I've been in. Very odd.

I think it might be because this was/is intensifying upon landfall.

Cool obs, thanks for posting them.

[ORH_wxman]

Yuo may in the lull for a while, this storm isn't in a hurry to move...but once it does, the W and SW side of the eye wall is very intense.

MEkster said just a little while ago that there was winds near 100 kts below 1000 feet from the radar site. We'll see if that maintains strength in the next hour or so, but the W side is looking the healthiest of any side right now. The SE side is gaining strength though...not good news for Port Arthur.

[MallowTheCloud]

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5639/khgxbr10ky3.png

[MallowTheCloud]

Looks like landfall to me:
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/4069/khgxbr10es5.png

[ORH_wxman]

Mallow, are you sure Josh's connection right now can handle multiple images?


You talk to him, so I assume they can, but I just remember during Dolly it was limited and it couldn't handle those.