.UPDATED!! .CAT 4 MAJOR HURRICANE.. BERMUDA IN IT"S PATH

After recon got into the storm.
They found it was stronger ...
Now Nicole is a Cat 4 Hurricane.

Still has Bermuda in it's Cross Hairs.
Less a cone and more a slice of pie. Thin slice.

For the statistics and history of this...

First one since Hazel this far North.

North of 30. 

Oddly Hazel was almost the same date.

Much to think on after the season.

I'm sure there will be many studies of the 2016 Hurricane Season.

The reason this is so rare is the cold water there.

Obvious in the satellite image below.

An interesting storm. 

Formed in the out flow from a Cat 4.

Meandered.

Came back.

Now a Cat 4 at 30 N

(dead on that line there)

Cold water close by...

Meanwhile in NC the death toll has climbed to 20.

Sad stories of people leaving the highway...

Looking for their own detour.

Spoiler Alert: Doesn't end well.

The detour is the only safe route.

I95 still closed with detours.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-matthew/hurricane-

matthew-death-toll-rises-n-c-gov-warns-stay-n664361

Very sad. Not over.

Neither is the story of Cat 4 Nicole.

..CAT 3 NICOLE STRENGTHENS TO A MAJOR HURRICANE.. Headed to Bermuda as a very strong hurricane.  Look at that eye... wide, large moving towards cooler water. Has Nicole peaked or in the process of peaking? Will see tomorrow in the morning. I just wanted to update here now.

It's common for Bermuda to be visited by Hurricanes.

Less common for it to be a Cat 3 but does happen.

Usually they weaken before landfall...

..or slide just to the East or West of Bermuda.

Hard to hit a rock in the ocean.

And yet many hurricanes do..

What's amazing is how close Nicole is to cold water.

The cold water is very visible to the NW of Nicole.

Yet Nicole became a Cat 3.

Busy year officially in the tropics.

Another close up...

Check out that eye ..

Stadium effect the sun hitting it just right.

So impressive signature wise as a hurricane.

From a meager system formed despite the outflow of Matthew.

Wandering around in circles.

Finally Nicole found it's groove.

There is some discussion on a short wave trough.

In theory is misses the hurricane.

Nicole could wander a bit in the North Atlantic.

Currently recon is on the way into the storm.

The 11 AM and 5 AM should have more info.

This is a list from Wikipedia

I'll look for some better lists tomorrow.

Bermuda is rich in hurricane history.

So rich they are immortalized by Winslow Homer.

Always amazes me how perfectly he got this picture.

So stay tuned.

Models pretty much in agreement.

And we are still watching the Caribbean for possible development.

And watching the Atlantic as always.

This season is not over yet.

If you thought Matthew was the swan song...

..you thought wrong.

Nicole is a Cat 3.

The wide view.......

I'll update tomorrow after recon info is analyzed ..

...after the ever famous morning visible.

Had a nice holiday today.

Weather was beautiful in Raleigh.

Blue skies, a few clouds, a steady wind.

Got to see some good friends.

And some inspiration.

Thanks for the good wishes...

...and again wishing everyone a good year.

Jewish Year begins now..

Seasonal holidays.

Equinox hurricanes.

That time of year we look back...

...and we look ahead.

Besos BobbiStorm

@bobbistorm on Twitter

Ps Noticed a few trees beginning to turn.

My Grandma Mary loved Nat King Cole.

And she played a mean piano.

She played this song often.

Love it.. loved her.