A Historic Moment (There May Be More)

I remember where I was when Allen hit 899 millibars and when Gilbert hit 892 millibars...now this...

000
WTNT63 KNHC 212351
TCUAT3
HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
650 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

...RITA BECOMES THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE ON RECORD...

DROPSONDE DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT AT 623 PM CDT...2323Z...INDICATED THE CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS
FALLEN TO BELOW 899 MB...OR 26.55 INCHES. THE DROPSONDE INSTRUMENT
MEASURED 32 KT/35 MPH WINDS AT THE SURFACE...WHICH MEANS IT LIKELY
DID NOT RECORD THE LOWEST PRESSURE IN THE EYE OF RITA. THE CENTRAL
PRESSURE IS PROBABLY AT LEAST AS LOW AS 898 MB...AND PERHAPS EVEN
LOWER. FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES... A PRESSURE OF 898 MB IS ASSUMED...
WHICH NOW MAKES RITA THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF
PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN. SOME ADDITIONAL DEEPENING AND
INTENSIFICATION IS POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO.

RITA CURRENTLY RANKS BEHIND HURRICANE GILBERT IN 1988 WITH 888 MB
AND THE 1935 LABOR DAY HURRICANE WITH 892 MB.

FORECASTER STEWART

$$

Then from the Public Advisory at 7 pm...
THE PRESSURE HAS BEEN FALLING RAPIDLY DURING THE DAY AND THE LATEST
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE
UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 898 MB...26.52 INCHES. THIS MAKES
RITA THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE
ATLANTIC BASIN.

And the actual Vortex Data Message...
Vortex Data Message
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---------------


000
URNT12 KNHC 212358Z CCA
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 21/2309Z-- CORRECTED
B. 24 DEG 31 MIN N
86 DEG 46 MIN W
C. 700 MB 22472 M
D. 80 KT
E. 213 DEG 24 NM
F. 305 DEG 142 KT
G. 198 DEG 11NM
H. 899 MB
I. 8 C/ 3053 M
J. 28 C/ 3042 M
K. 01 C/ NA
L. CLOSED WALL
M. C20
N. 12345/7
O. .02/1 NM
P. NOAA3 WX18A RITA OB 23
MAX FL WIND 161 KT NE QUAD 1932Z

A night to remember...