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Hurricane Emily |
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State News (archived) - |
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Hurricane Emily Strengthens Yet Again
-by Arlington Mall.Com News Staff
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The NWS National Hurricane Center has announced that Hurricane Emily
has strengthened to a dangerous Category 3 Hurricane, and is predicted to
strengthen further, up to a possible Category 4 before making projected
landfall late Tues. night or early Wed. morning.
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Hurricane Emily had already increased once earlier Tues. afternoon,
up to a Category 2 reported
at 2PM. But just a few hours later, Air Force Hurricane
Hunter Aircraft detected a "rapid increase" in wind speed.
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As of 6PM Tuesday (July 19), the center of Hurricane Emily was located
approximately 135 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas, with hurricane force
winds extending outward 60 miles from the center, tropical storm
force winds extending outward up to 160 miles from the center. Data
from reconnaissance aircraft indicated maximum sustained wind speeds
near 125MPH, with higher gusts.
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4-8 inches of rain are possible over the lower Rio Grande valley in South
Texas, with isolated maximums of up to 12 inches possible. Isolated
tornadoes are also possible though Wed. Outer rainbands are
already bringing locally heavy rainfall and strong gusty winds
to coastal areas and are continuing to spread.
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Given the huge increasing size of this major hurricane,
Emily may also bring some
rain up here to us the DFW metroplex region.
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UPDATE...
Hurricane Emily Still Packing a Punch
-by Arlington Mall.Com News Staff
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Even after moving inland, Hurricane Emily continued to produce
hurricane-force winds as it traveled across Southern Texas and Northern
Mexico Wednesday.
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Hurricane Emily made landfall about 6AM early Wed. morning
approximately 75 miles south of Brownsville, TX as a dangerous major Category 3
Hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 125MPH and stronger gusts.
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By late morning Wed., Emily had already moved over 35 miles
inland, but still had a well-defined eye and inner structure and
continued to produce strong hurricane-force winds.
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A strong low to mid-level ridge expanding over Central & West Texas
has stopped Hurricane Emily's northern movement and is keeping the
bulk of this dangerous hurricane south of the border, although towns
in South Texas continue to be impacted.
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As of 1PM Wed. (July 20), the center of Hurricane Emily was located
inland about 85 miles south-southwest of McAllen, TX, traveling
generally westerly, and was still producing Category 1 hurricane-force winds.
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Hurricane Emily is expected to weaken late Wed. afternoon to below
hurricane strength, and the low & upper-level circulation
is expected to be broken-up when Emily runs into the 10,000 ft.
peaks of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains.
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