Reply #4: it all depends... [View All]

[typhoontim]

The "strongest" portion of the storm is always the right-front quadrant. So, depending on the direction of motion of the storm, that location will change.

For example, a storm moving straight north will be most intense in the northeast quadrant - right and front of center. A storm moving due west will be strongest in the northwest quadrant, and so on.

Why? It's actually quite simple. Winds around a hurricane move counterclockwise. Take a 100 mph system moving north at 15 mph for example. At landfall, just to the right (east) of center, you'll have the 100 mph winds in the eyewall, added to the forward motion of the system -- 100+15 = 115 mph winds. Plus, that southerly flow will bring the storm surge to that same location.

Now, on the left (west) side of that same system, the 100 mph storm winds will be fighting against the 15 mph forward motion. If you've taken geometry, think two vectors in opposite directions: they cancel each other out. So, there would be surface winds of 100-15= 85mph there. And, it would be an offshore flow, thus no storm surge.

A little long-winded, I know... that's what you get with a resident meteorologist! hahaha.