Effects of Synoptic Surveillance on model forecasts for
Hurricane Katrina.


Assessments for each forecast time at
August 24, 2005 18 Z
August 25, 2005 00 Z 06 Z 12 Z 18 Z
August 26, 2005 00 Z 06 Z 12 Z 18 Z
August 27, 2005 00 Z 06 Z 12 Z 18 Z
August 28, 2005 00 Z 06 Z 12 Z 18 Z
August 29, 2005 00 Z 06 Z 12 Z

Fig 1a. Track forecast errors for the no dropwindsonde (NO or NN) and the all dropwindsonde (AL) runs for the GFS and GFDL models for the Hurricane Katrina synoptic surveillance missions.

Fig 1b. Track forecast improvements for the GFS and GFDL models for the Hurricane Katrina synoptic surveillance missions.

(a)
(b)

Fig 2. Forecast errors for the landfall of Hurricane Katrina at Broward/Miami-Dade County line in the (a) cross- and (b)along-track directions for the no dropsonde (NO or NN) and the all dropwindsonde (AL) runs for the GFS and GFDL models.

(a)
(b)

Fig 3. Forecast errors for the landfall of Hurricane Katrina at Buras, LA in the (a) cross- and (b)along-track directions for the no dropsonde (NO or NN) and the all dropwindsonde (AL) runs for the GFS and GFDL models.

(a)
(b)

Fig 4. Forecast errors for the landfall of Hurricane Katrina at Louisianna/Mississippi border in the (a) cross- and (b)along-track directions for the no dropsonde (NO or NN) and the all dropwindsonde (AL) runs for the GFS and GFDL models.