Effects of Synoptic Surveillance on model forecasts for
30 August 2004 1800 UTC
Frances.


Quicktime movie of AVN DLM wind model forecast
Quicktime movie of DLM wind data increment


TRACK AND INTENSITY PERFORMANCE

TRACK (km)
MODEL12 h24 h36 h48 h60 h72 h84 h96 h108 h120 h
AVNN 56 33 10 67 70102 80 78 73100
AVNO 21 42 11 39 33 35 46 49 63134
%IMP62%-27% -10%42%53%66%42%31%14%-34%
GFNO 25 15 24 84121161229296392 555
GFDL 33 33 11 38 75122200252358 494
%IMP-32% -120% 54%55%38%24%13%15% 9%11%
INTENSITY (kt)
MODEL12 h24 h36 h48 h60 h72 h84 h96 h108 h120 h
AVNN-73-82-80-78-83-72-55-47-32-29
AVNO-68-77-80-75-79-70-55-49-34-21
%IMP 7% 6% 0% 4% 5% 3% 0%-4%-5%28%
GFNO 0 -4 -3 -4-18-15 -6 5 3 -5
GFDL 2 4 -4 -4-17-15 -8 2 7 4
%IMPund% 0%-33% 0% 6% 0%-33%60%-133%20%

Landfall forecasts

02/1930 UTC 24.0N 74.5W San Salvador Island, Bahamas 73.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN24.4474.17 69.5 59.2Near San Salvador Island, Bahamas
AVNO24.2374.40 73.5 27.5San Salvador Island, Bahamas
%IMP 100% 54%
GFNO24.3074.36 66.5 36.2San Salvador Island, Bahamas
GFDL24.1874.36 68.0 24.5San Salvador Island, Bahamas
%IMP 31% 32%
03/0530 UTC 24.6N 75.6W Northern end of Cat Island, Bahamas 83.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN25.5476.13 86.0117.3Near northern tip of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
AVNO24.8975.49 81.5 34.1Near northern tip of Cat Island, Bahamas
%IMP 20% 71%
GFNO25.0675.28 72.5 60.4Near northern tip of Cat Island, Bahamas
GFDL25.3975.84 77.5 91.0Near central Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
%IMP 45% -51%
03/1000 UTC 25.1N 76.1W Eleuthera Island, Bahamas 88.0 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN25.5476.13 86.0 49.0Near northern tip of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
AVNO25.2776.03 86.0 20.2Central Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
%IMP 0% 59%
GFNO25.6376.04 77.5 59.2Near northern tip of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
GFDL25.5876.07 79.0 53.4Near northern tip of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
%IMP 14% 10%
04/1000 UTC 26.6N 78.2W Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas 112.0 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN26.8877.97105.0 38.6Little Abaco Island, Bahamas
AVNO26.7377.95105.5 28.7Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas
%IMP-300%-104%
GFNO26.6777.28 86.0 91.7Abaco Island, Bahamas
GFDL26.3977.02 85.5119.6Abaco Island, Bahamas
%IMP 6% 67%
05/0430 UTC 27.2N 80.2W South end of Hutchinson Island, FL 130.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN No landfall forecast
AVNONo landfall forecast
%IMP
GFNONo landfall forecast
GFDLNo landfall forecast
%IMP
06/1800 UTC 30.1N 84.0W Mouth of Aucilla River, FL 168.0 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN No landfall forecast
AVNONo landfall forecast
%IMP
GFNONo landfall forecast
GFDLNo landfall forecast
%IMP

Figure 1. NCEP 850 - 200 hPa mean wind analysis for 30 August 2004 1800 UTC (Hurricane Frances).

Figure 2. Track forecasts for the no dropwindsonde (NO or NN) and the all dropwindsonde (AL) runs for the AVN and GFDL models initialized on 30 August 2004 1800 UTC.

Figure 3. Initial condition differences in the 850 - 200 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 30 August 2004 1800 UTC.

Figure 4. 12-h forecast differences in the 850 - 200 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 30 August 2004 1800 UTC.