HRD Retreat, US Coast Guard Base, Miami Beach, FL – 15-16 May 2012

HRD held a two-day off-site science retreat at the Miami Beach Coast Guard Base.  With assistance from the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (Ines DelGado, Commissioner, facilitated the retreat), HRDers discussed ways to strengthen their scientific visibility, work environment cohesiveness, and future science directions. The retreat provided an open forum for the group to explore these topics.

 

(l to r) Ines DelGado, Joe Cione, Brad Klotz, Shirley Murillo, Jason Dunion, Xuejin Zhang, Nancy Griffin

Pre-HFIP workshop in celebration of HRD Director Frank Marks’ 60th birthday

A Pre-HFIP workshop was held at the University of Miami, Rosentstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Auditorium on 7 November 2011. The agenda for the workshop with the # and Presenter listed was:

8:45-9:00 Opening remarks (conveners: Fuqing Zhang, PSU & Robert Rogers, HRD)

9:00-9:45   (1) Radar observations of TC structure (Wen-Chau Lee, NCAR)

9:45-10:30 (2) Modeling and observational studies of TC dynamics (Mike Montgomery, NPS)

10:30-11:00 Break

11:00-11:45  (3) Satellite observations of TC rainfall (Haiyang Jiang, FIU)

11:45-12:30 (4) Assimilation of inner-core observations in numerical models (Fuqing Zhang, PSU)

12:30-1:30 Lunch (cafeteria at RSMAS)

1:30-2:15  (5) Hurricane model development and evaluation (Vijay Tallapragada, NCEP)

2:15-2:45  (6) Advances and challenges in operational hurricane forecasting or “How Frank’s actions indirectly impacted the course of NHC operations” (James Franklin, NHC)

2:45-3:30  (7) Forecast improvements from HFIP (Bob Gall, NOAA/NCAR)

3:30-4:00 Break (cake time)

4:00-4:25  (8) History of TC NWP (Mike Fiorino, ESRL)

4:25-5:10 (9) Reflection of hurricane research at HRD in the past (Hugh Willoughby, FIU)

5:10-5:55 (10) Future directions for hurricane research (Frank Marks, HRD)

9 of the 10 presentations are available in a zipped archive on the HRD ftp site at:

ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/pub/hrd/marks/60_FMarks.zip

Frank’s Research Ideas ((c) Tomislava Vukicevic)

Frank’s Research Ideas ((c) Tomislava Vukicevic)

 

Rina – Pictures from the field

Here are some pictures from the NOAA42 missions into Hurricane Rina, 26-27 October 2011

Tomislava Vukicevic (l), Sim Aberson (r)

(l to r) Marks, Aberson, Vukicevic

Sun through anvil and sea state 27 October

(l to r) Marks, Vukicevic, McFadden, Annane, Uhlhorn, Rogers, Aberson

Eric Uhlhorn

Bachir Annane

Doppler radar quick-looks from 4 AM P-3 flight, 27 October 2011

1-km altitude

5-km altitude

10-km altitude

As Hurricane Rina approached the Yucatan Peninsula (outlined in black to the left of the images) NOAA P-3 missions collected airborne Doppler radar data to use in initializing and evaluating model guidance. Included here you see images of the horizontal winds within the inner core of Hurricane Rina sampled from the tail Doppler radar on the P-3 early on 27 October 2011. These images are at three altitudes, 1 km, 5 km, and 10 km, using a composite of winds from two legs oriented north northeast-south, and southeast-north northeast and two box patterns around the remains of the north eyewall. The analyses indicate that Rina’s radius of maximum wind was close to 12-nm radius at 1-km altitude and about 20-km at 5 km altitude. There was little indication of a closed circulation at 10-km altitude.  The peak wind was east of the center at all altitudes from 1-km to 10-km altitude indicative of increasing southwesterly winds aloft. There is a noticeable tilt toward the northeast in the center of the circulation from 1- to 5-km altitude, and the wind field is more asymmetric making the center harder to define above 1-km with very little scatterers south of the center at 5- and 10-km altitude, suggesting that Rina is encountering steadily increasing vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the southwest. The north-south asymmetry is most pronounced  at large radii above 1-km altitude.

All the Rina radar composites at 0.5-km height resolution are available at ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/pub/hrd/aberson/rina.

Doppler radar quick-looks from 4 PM P-3 flight, 26 October 2011

1-km altitude

5-km altitude

10-km altitude

As Hurricane Rina passed north of Honduras (outlined in black across the bottom of the images) tracking toward the Yucatan Peninsula (outlined in black in the top left of the images) NOAA P-3 missions collected airborne Doppler radar data to use in initializing and evaluating model guidance. Included here you see images of the horizontal winds within the inner core of Hurricane Rina sampled from the tail Doppler radar on the P-3 late on 26 October 2011. These images are at three altitudes, 1 km, 5 km, and 10 km, using a composite of winds from all three legs oriented north-west-southeast, east-west, and southwest-northeast. The analyses indicate that Rina had a 20-nm radius of maximum wind at 1- and 5-km altitude with the peak rotating upwind from north at 1-km, to east-southeast at 5-km, to south at 10-km altitude indicative of increasing westerly winds aloft. There is a noticeable tilt toward the east-northeast in the center of the circulation from 1- to 10-km altitude, and the wind field is more asymmetric making the center harder to define above 5 km, suggesting that Rina is encountering steadily increasing vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the west-southwest. The north-south asymmetry is most pronounced  at large radii at 1- and 5-km altitude.

All the Rina radar composites at 0.5-km height resolution are available at ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/pub/hrd/aberson/rina.

Doppler radar quick-looks from 4 AM P-3 flight, 26 October 2011

1-km altitude

5-km altitude

10-km altitude

As Hurricane Rina passed north of Honduras (outlined in black across the bottom of the images) tracking toward the Yucatan Peninsula (outlined in black in the top left of the images) NOAA P-3 missions collected airborne Doppler radar data to use in initializing and evaluating model guidance. Included here you see images of the horizontal winds within the inner core of Hurricane Rina sampled from the tail Doppler radar on the P-3 early on 26 October 2011. These images are at three altitudes, 1 km, 5 km, and 10 km, using a composite of winds from all two legs oriented northeast-southwest, and southeast-northwest. The analyses indicate that Rina had a 15-nm radius of maximum wind at 1- and 5-km altitude with the peak rotating upwind from northwest at 1-km, to north at 5-km, to east-southeast at 10-km altitude indicative of increasing westerly winds aloft. There is a noticeable tilt toward the east-northeast in the center of the circulation from 1- to 10-km altitude, and the wind field is more asymmetric making the center harder to define above 5 km, suggesting that Rina is encountering steadily increasing vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the west-southwest. The north-south asymmetry is most pronounced  at large radii above 1-km altitude.

All the Rina radar composites at 0.5-km height resolution are available at ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/pub/hrd/aberson/rina.

Doppler radar quick-looks from 4 PM P-3 flight, 25 October 2011

1-km altitude

5-km altitude

10-km altitude

As Hurricane Rina passed north of Honduras (outlined in black across the bottom of the images) NOAA P-3 missions collected airborne Doppler radar data to use in initializing and evaluating model guidance. Included here you see images of the horizontal winds within the inner core of Hurricane Rina sampled from the tail Doppler radar on the P-3 late on 25 October 2011. These images are at three altitudes, 1 km, 5 km, and 10 km, using a composite of winds from two of the three legs oriented east-west and southwest-northeast. The analyses indicate that Rina had a 20-nm radius of maximum wind at 1-km altitude that increased with increasing altitude, with the peak rotating northwest at 1-km, to south at 5-km, to east at 10-km altitude indicative of increasing westerly winds aloft. There is a noticeable tilt toward the east-northeast in the center of the circulation from 5- to 10-km altitude, and the wind field is more asymmetric, suggesting that Rina is encountering steadily increasing vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the west-southwest. The northeast-southwest asymmetry is most pronounced at large radii above 1-km altitude.

All the Rina radar composites at 0.5-km height resolution are available at ftp://ftp.aoml.noaa.gov/pub/hrd/aberson/rina.

Doppler radar quick-looks from 4 AM P-3 flight, 27 August 2011

1-km altitude

5-km altitude

10-km altitude

As Irene makes landfall along the Outer Banks of North Carolina (outlined in black across the center of the images) NOAA P-3 missions continue to collect airborne Doppler radar data to use in initializing and evaluating model guidance. Included here you see images of the horizontal winds within the inner core of Hurricane Irene sampled from the tail Doppler radar on the P-3 early on 27 August 2011 showing the center right on the coast. These images are at three altitudes, 1 km, 5 km, and 10 km, using a composite of winds from all three legs oriented west-east, north-south, and east-west. The trends seen in the last few analyses continue. The very broad area of strongest winds is on the east-northeast side of the storm at 1-km altitude and rotates upwind at 5- and 10-km altitude indicative of increasing southwesterly winds aloft. The radius of this broad wind maximum remains fairly similar to the last analyses, with two other wind. Maxima evident to the east of the center suggesting an expansion of the wind field on the east side to much larger radii. There is still no noticeable tilt in the center of the circulation from 1- to 10-km altitude, however the wind field is more asymmetric making the center harder to define above 5 km, suggesting that Irene is encountering steadily increasing vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the west-southwest. Also visible in the analyses is a continued decrease of scatterers at 10 km altitude, particularly south of the center, suggesting that the convective activity is focussed in the region effected by the onshore flow.

This analyses is the final one for Irene as the storm moves too close to shore for aircraft to sample effectively. Ground based Doppler radar provide the best coverage in these situations.

All the Irene radar composites at 0.5-km height resolution and gridded data are available at http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Storm_pages/irene2011/.

Irene – Pictures from the field

Here are some pictures from the NOAA43 mission into Hurricane Irene 4 AM, 26 August 2011

NOAA49 G-IV aircraft (Gonzo) (image courtesy MyFOXTampaBay.com)

NOAA43 WP-3D (Miss Piggy) (image courtesy MyFOXTampaBay.com)

(l to r) Paul Reasor (HRD), Kathryn Sellwood (HRD), & NWS Director Jack Hayes

(l to r) Frank Marks (HRD), Shanna Pitter (PPI), David Kennedy (NOS Director), & Jack Hayes (NWS Director)

(l to r) Frank Marks (HRD), Jack Hayes (NWS Director), & Eric Uhlhorn (HRD)

(l to r) Eric Uhlhorn (HRD), Jack Hayes (NWS Director), & Shanna Pitter (PPI)

(l to r) Frank Marks (HRD) & David Kennedy (NOS Director)

Doppler radar quick-looks from 4 PM P-3 flight, 26 August 2011

1-km altitude

5-km altitude

10-km altitude

 

As Irene’s intensity weakens as she moves northward off the east coast of Florida toward the Mid-Atlantic States NOAA P-3 missions continue to collect airborne Doppler radar data to use in initializing and evaluating model guidance. Included here you see images of the horizontal winds within the inner core of Hurricane Irene sampled from the tail Doppler radar on the P-3 late on 26 August 2011. These images are at three altitudes, 1km, 5km, and 10km, using a composite of winds from all four legs oriented north-south, southeast-northwest, west-east, and northeast-southwest. The trends seen in the last analyses continue. The very broad area of strongest winds is on the east-northeast side of the storm at 1-km altitude and rotates upwind at 5- and 10-km altitude indicative of increasing southwesterly winds aloft. The radius of this broad wind maximum remains fairly similar to that in the last analyses suggesting that the eyewall replacement cycle has resulted in increased storm size and a much broader wind field. There is still no noticeable tilt in the center of the circulation from 1- to 10-km altitude, however the wind field is even more asymmetric and harder to define, particularly above 1-km altitude, suggesting that Irene is encountering steadily increasing vertical shear of the horizontal wind from the west-southwest. Also visible in the analyses is a continued decrease of scatterers at 10 km altitude from the previous analyses suggesting that the convective activity has waned somewhat.

All the Irene radar composites at 0.5-km height resolution and gridded data are available at http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Storm_pages/irene2011/.