Recon › Lowell
AF309 1112E This is an independent research/prototype tool, not an official source. Warnings, watches and the official forecast for this storm come from the National Hurricane Center .
AF309 (USAF Reserve WC-130J) · 2026-09-08 00:13 – 07:03 UTC ·4 center fixes · archived observations, not a live position.
163°W 162°W 161°W 160°W 159°W 158°W 157°W 156°W 155°W 17°N 18°N 19°N 20°N 21°N 22°N 23°N 24°N 25°N Aircraft fix (observation), 2026-09-08 02:15 UTC Aircraft fix (observation), 2026-09-08 03:53 UTC Aircraft fix (observation), 2026-09-08 04:52 UTC Aircraft fix (observation), 2026-09-08 06:03 UTC Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 01:45 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 996 mb
Surface wind: 075° 36 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:01 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 986 mb
Surface wind: 105° 52 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:18 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 958 mb
Surface wind: 125° 22 kt
Remark: Released at the center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:24 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 959 mb
Surface wind: 325° 16 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:32 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 985 mb
Surface wind: 305° 72 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:32 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 985 mb
Surface wind: 305° 72 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:46 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 993 mb
Surface wind: 325° 49 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:46 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 993 mb
Surface wind: 325° 49 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:20 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 997 mb
Surface wind: 200° 48 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:34 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 988 mb
Surface wind: 215° 55 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:48 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 963 mb
Surface wind: 235° 22 kt
Remark: Released in the eyewall (135°) Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:56 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 959 mb
Surface wind: 135° 25 kt
Remark: Released at the center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:03 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 974 mb
Surface wind: 350° 82 kt
Remark: Released in the eyewall (315°) Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:09 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 985 mb
Surface wind: 010° 70 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:21 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 995 mb
Surface wind: 005° 58 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:55 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 961 mb
Surface wind: 190° 1 kt
Remark: Released at the center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 05:07 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 976 mb
Surface wind: 145° 81 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 05:32 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 997 mb
Surface wind: 130° 43 kt Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 05:57 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 969 mb
Surface wind: 140° 77 kt
Remark: Released in the eyewall (090°) Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 06:07 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 963 mb
Surface wind: 150° 17 kt
Remark: Released at the center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 06:43 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 998 mb
Surface wind: 190° 34 kt Flight-level wind: < 34 kt 34–49 kt 50–63 kt 64–82 kt 83–95 kt 96–112 kt 113+ kt Ringed dots: center fixes (observations). Open circles: dropsonde splash points. Dashed: best track, ±12 h around the mission. Storm-relative view 25 nm 50 nm 100 nm 150 nm N NE SE SW NW Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 01:45 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 996 mb
Surface wind: 075° 36 kt
Splash 118 nm at 044° (NE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:01 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 986 mb
Surface wind: 105° 52 kt
Splash 58 nm at 043° (NE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:18 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 958 mb
Surface wind: 125° 22 kt
Remark: Released at the center
Splash 2 nm at 256° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:24 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 959 mb
Surface wind: 325° 16 kt
Splash 18 nm at 217° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:32 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 985 mb
Surface wind: 305° 72 kt
Splash 51 nm at 219° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:32 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 985 mb
Surface wind: 305° 72 kt
Splash 51 nm at 219° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:46 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 993 mb
Surface wind: 325° 49 kt
Splash 97 nm at 219° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 02:46 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 993 mb
Surface wind: 325° 49 kt
Splash 97 nm at 219° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:20 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 997 mb
Surface wind: 200° 48 kt
Splash 112 nm at 136° (SE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:34 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 988 mb
Surface wind: 215° 55 kt
Splash 65 nm at 139° (SE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:48 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 963 mb
Surface wind: 235° 22 kt
Remark: Released in the eyewall (135°)
Splash 22 nm at 167° (SE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 03:56 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 959 mb
Surface wind: 135° 25 kt
Remark: Released at the center
Splash 1 nm at 266° (SW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:03 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 974 mb
Surface wind: 350° 82 kt
Remark: Released in the eyewall (315°)
Splash 25 nm at 301° (NW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:09 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 985 mb
Surface wind: 010° 70 kt
Splash 44 nm at 308° (NW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:21 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 995 mb
Surface wind: 005° 58 kt
Splash 83 nm at 308° (NW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 04:55 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 961 mb
Surface wind: 190° 1 kt
Remark: Released at the center
Splash 1 nm at 149° (SE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 05:07 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 976 mb
Surface wind: 145° 81 kt
Splash 38 nm at 082° (NE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 05:32 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 997 mb
Surface wind: 130° 43 kt
Splash 112 nm at 092° (SE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 05:57 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 969 mb
Surface wind: 140° 77 kt
Remark: Released in the eyewall (090°)
Splash 26 nm at 090° (NE) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 06:07 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 963 mb
Surface wind: 150° 17 kt
Remark: Released at the center
Splash 0 nm at 276° (NW) from the estimated center Dropsonde (observation)
Time: 2026-09-08 06:43 UTC (splash)
Surface pressure: 998 mb
Surface wind: 190° 34 kt
Splash 110 nm at 137° (SE) from the estimated center Pass 1: peak 10-s flight-level wind 105 kt, 26 nm at 053° (NE) from the estimated center, 02:07 UTC Pass 1: peak SFMR surface wind 77 kt, 26 nm at 053° (NE) from the estimated center, 02:07 UTC Pass 2: peak 10-s flight-level wind 97 kt, 50 nm at 146° (SE) from the estimated center, 03:35 UTC Pass 2: peak SFMR surface wind 91 kt, 20 nm at 227° (SW) from the estimated center, 02:21 UTC Pass 3: peak 10-s flight-level wind 107 kt, 28 nm at 315° (NW) from the estimated center, 04:00 UTC Pass 3: peak SFMR surface wind 82 kt, 17 nm at 242° (SW) from the estimated center, 04:47 UTC Pass 4: peak 10-s flight-level wind 112 kt, 38 nm at 091° (SE) from the estimated center, 05:03 UTC Pass 4: peak SFMR surface wind 78 kt, 28 nm at 099° (SE) from the estimated center, 05:53 UTC Pass 5: peak 10-s flight-level wind 104 kt, 45 nm at 135° (SE) from the estimated center, 06:19 UTC Pass 5: peak SFMR surface wind 63 kt, 41 nm at 134° (SE) from the estimated center, 06:18 UTC Peak 10-s flight-level wind, per pass Peak SFMR surface wind, per pass Dropsonde splash point Estimated centerObservations relative to the estimated storm center (best track refined by this mission’s aircraft center fixes), north up, within 150 nm; not the best track. Track colored by flight-level wind, as on the map above. Pass 1 (01:30–02:15 UTC): flight-level RMW estimate 26 nm (distance of the peak 10-s flight-level wind, NE) — an estimate, not an analysis Pass 2 (02:15–03:53 UTC): flight-level RMW estimate 50 nm (distance of the peak 10-s flight-level wind, SE) — an estimate, not an analysis Pass 3 (03:53–04:52 UTC): flight-level RMW estimate 28 nm (distance of the peak 10-s flight-level wind, NW) — an estimate, not an analysis Pass 4 (04:52–06:04 UTC): flight-level RMW estimate 38 nm (distance of the peak 10-s flight-level wind, SE) — an estimate, not an analysis Pass 5 (06:04–06:50 UTC): flight-level RMW estimate 45 nm (distance of the peak 10-s flight-level wind, SE) — an estimate, not an analysis Observations along the flight From the HDOB messages, every 30 seconds. Gaps are missing values or missing messages.
Extrapolated surface pressure and peak flight-level wind
Center fixes (observations), minimum sea-level pressure: Dropsonde-measured
SFMR surface wind and rain rate
Flight-level temperature and dewpoint
Aircraft pressure and geopotential height
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