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>> This is a, this is a big storm, we see Cuba coming up very soon and, yeah, we're,
Cuba is just above the storm in the field of view here.
I'm sorry, just below.
That storm is doing a good job of filling up the Caribbean here.
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>> Copy that, Mike...
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>> And as Mike's junior weather apprentice, I concur
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>> Okay, you can really see the structure of the storm now, it's a classic pinwheel,
the outer bands whirl over the top of the outer bands and,
and moving in towards the, towards the center.
We're going to be real close to the middle of the storm it looks like.
It's going to be just off of our right side, if you will,
Starboard side for the Navy folks in the crowd.
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>> And you can see how the, the storm is going over the islands out here, the,
you've got the just the beautiful turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean
with this storm just blanketing it.
>> Well the view is spectacular from down here.
I can only imagine what you're looking at Mike and Ron.
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>> Okay, the, we're coming out, we ought to be able to see down the eye,
it's not quite as clear of an opening as we had yesterday.
You can see the, see the structure, but it's not as clear, so the...
it's right down the middle and I think we're going to go close enough, we'd get a video.
You see a little bit of blue down throught it.
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>> And Mike, we're getting word that the storm has gone
through an eyewall replacement overnight and that is why the eye looks
like a little different today than yesterday.
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>> Okay, copy that.
But you could see it's right in the center of the field of view right now.
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>> And of course, we've got on that as wide as it goes with a doubler
and that doesn't come close to giving a full view.
>> Yeah, that is absolutely amazing Mike.
>> Yeah, we understand that Irene is still a category 3 with, with winds at a 115,
there's a lot of hot water out here and a lot of people on these islands
I know they're battening down the hatches, we haven't had to deal
with anything like this for a while.
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>> That's another great view Mike.
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>> And we're just off the coast of the Carolinas now in the outer back area
and that's the direction we understand the storm is headed, it's got a ways to go,
it's clear here, there's a few, a little bit of structure in the clouds, but not much.
Oh I take that back, there's thin stuff that's actually spiraling way out here.
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>> In Houston, now we're just talking here and it, it struck us,
we're used to traveling a long way in a short amount of time, but this storm is stretching
from Cuba to the Carolinas, and that is one scary, big storm.
>> Yeah, you bet Mike, I mean, it was almost six minutes that you guys were directly
over that thing so that just gives us a little bit of the scale.
It's pretty, pretty incredible.
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>> And Mike they're reporting almost a 300-mile wide wind field on it, so it's pretty enormous.
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>> Wow, we're, is there any word on the expectations
for further strengthening before additional landfall?
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>> Well, Mike right now there're still holding it at a very strong cat 3
with maybe a little more strengthening, but they don't expect it to reach cat 4.
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>> Okay, copy that, as wide as the wind field is on this, on this storm, it's going to be,
I mean, they're going to take a beating for a long time as this thing, as this thing goes
across land as it's doing right now, so it's not going to be a short effect kind of thing,
it's just going to really take a thumping.
>> Yeah you bet and we'll keep you updated throughout the night and into tomorrow.
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>> Copy that, appreciate it, and from the International Space Station our prayers
and our hopes are with the people who are hunkering down.
Good luck!