Mighty North Atlantic low bombs to 930 mb

[phantom power]

In the Northern Atlantic south of Iceland, an extratropical storm that brought up to 6" of snow to Maryland on Thursday has put on a remarkable burst of rapid intensification over the past 24 hours, with the center pressure dropping 58 mb in 24 hours. The Free University of Berlin, which names all major high and low pressure systems that affect Europe, has named the storm "Jolle."

This meteorological "bomb" was analyzed with a central pressure of 988 mb at 12Z (7 am EST) Friday morning by NOAA's Ocean Prediction Center, and hit 930 mb by 7 am EST Saturday morning. The storm may deepen a few more millibars today, but it is close to maximum intensity. A 930 mb central pressure is what one commonly sees in Category 4 hurricanes, and is one of the lowest pressures attained by an Atlantic extratropical storm in recent decades.

Since extratropical storms do not form eyewalls, the winds of the massive Atlantic low are predicted to peak at 90 mph (Category 1 hurricane strength), with significant wave heights reaching 52 feet (16 meters.) The powerful storm brought sustained winds of 52 mph, gusting to 72 mph, to Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland at 6 pm local time Saturday. Fortunately, the storm is expected to weaken dramatically before Jolle's core hurricane-force winds affect any land areas.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2336

[dipsydoodle]

1. I wondering if its the same phenomenon

in the stratosphere affecting the North Atlantic which has given the UK cold weather sucked in from Scandinavia for the past 4 weeks or so now thankfully at an end.

[msongs]

3. that kind of weather is not unusual, happens about every year for some time or other nt

[phantom power]

4. is that kind of low pressure a normal thing?

cuz 930mb is some ear-popping low pressure.

[annabanana]

2. jeezaloo!

Nothing to see here folks.