Effects of Synoptic Surveillance on model forecasts for
31 August 2004 0600 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 42 70132139123123 131 73107213
AVNO 25 15 21 20 52 78 96 73145228
%IMP40%79% 84%86%58%37%27% 0%-36%-7%
GFNO 24 22 56 59 78113158212320 467
GFDL 25 22 23 44 78133178255422 603
%IMP-4% 0% 59%25% 0%-18%-13%-20%-32%-29%
INTENSITY (kt)
MODEL12 h24 h36 h48 h60 h72 h84 h96 h108 h120 h
AVNN-81-79-78-81-73-54-44-35-32-17
AVNO-74-75-70-77-63-38-26-16 -9-12
%IMP 9% 5%10% 5%14%30%41%56%72%29%
GFNO -5-10 -8-18-13 -4 -4 8 3 1
GFDL 0 -2 1-16-14 -8 -6 6 8 5
%IMP100%80%87%11%-8% -100%-50%25%50%-200%

Landfall forecasts

02/1930 UTC 24.0N 74.5W San Salvador Island, Bahamas 61.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN24.7073.93 57.5 96.8Offshore San Salvador Island, Bahamas
AVNO24.3274.25 64.5 43.7Near San Salvador Island, Bahamas
%IMP 25% 55%
GFNO24.3974.27 59.0 49.2Near San Salvador Island, Bahamas
GFDL24.3874.17 59.0 53.9Near San Salvador Island, Bahamas
%IMP 0% -10%
03/0530 UTC 24.6N 75.6W Northern end of Cat Island, Bahamas 71.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN25.4275.04 67.0107.1Offshore Cat Island, Bahamas
AVNO25.1075.11 73.0 74.3Near Cat Island, Bahamas
%IMP 67% 31%
GFNO25.1075.19 66.0 69.2Near Cat Island, Bahamas
GFDL25.2075.00 66.0 90.0Near Cat Island, Bahamas
%IMP 0% -30%
03/1000 UTC 25.1N 76.1W Eleuthera Island, Bahamas 76.0 h into the forecast
AVNN24.8875.69 73.0 48.0Southern tip of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
AVNO25.5875.66 78.0 69.3Near Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
%IMP 33% -44%
GFNO25.5475.74 70.5 60.8Near Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
GFDL25.6775.46 70.0 90.2Near Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
%IMP -9% -48%
04/1000 UTC 26.6N 78.2W Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas 100.0 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN26.9877.55 95.5 77.1Little Abaco Island, Bahamas
AVNO26.8877.54104.5166.8Little Abaco Island, Bahamas
%IMP 0%-116%
GFNO26.7076.65 80.5204.2Abaco Island, Bahamas
GFDL26.7976.69 79.5207.9Abaco Island, Bahamas
%IMP -5% -2%
05/0430 UTC 27.2N 80.2W South end of Hutchinson Island, FL 118.5 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 156.0 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 31 August 2004 0600 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 31 August 2004 0600 UTC.

Figure 3. Initial condition differences in the 850 - 200 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 31 August 2004 0600 UTC.

Figure 4. 12-h forecast differences in the 850 - 200 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 31 August 2004 0600 UTC.