Houston dodged a storm that might have stalled over most of its metro area, dumping as much as 10-15 inches of rain in some locales, already saturated by our wettest summer since 1942. Instead, Tropical Storm Humberto moved up the coast, strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane, and came ashore in the vicinity of Beaumont-Port Arthur, virtually the same area as Hurricane Rita two years ago. The only impact closer to Houston was in areas from Port Bolivar and Crystal Beach to High Island.
In the National Hurricane Center's 11:00 a.m. update today of its discussion of Hurricane Humberto, "Forecaster Franklin" may be the first to note that in its own unique way Humberto set a new record: its wind speed increased by 45 knots in 18 hours. The forecaster continues: "TO PUT THIS DEVELOPMENT IN PERSPECTIVE...NO TROPICAL CYCLONE IN THE HISTORICAL RECORD HAS EVER REACHED THIS INTENSITY AT A FASTER RATE NEAR LANDFALL."
He adds sardonically, "IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW ... SOMEDAY ... WHY THIS HAPPENED."
Perhaps as other experts take note of what he observed, someone will find the answer.
The full text of Forecaster Franklin's update is at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2007/al09/al092007.discus.006.shtml?
Note: A subsequent AP article identified James Franklin as senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center and translated the record wind speed increase from 45 knots to 50 mph, i.e., from 35 mph to 85 mph in 18 hours.
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