Effects of Synoptic Surveillance on model forecasts for
23 September 2005 0600 UTC
Rita.


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 11 63169237337671
AVNO 15 44102224310684
%IMP27%30%40% 5% 8%-2%
GFNO 15 59168311496941
GFDL 23 82158265458912
%IMP-53%-39% 6%15% 8% 3%
INTENSITY (kt)
MODEL12 h24 h36 h48 h60 h72 h84 h96 h108 h120 h
AVNN-49-27 -2 -5 -7 -5
AVNO-23-25 2 0 -6 -4
%IMP53% 7% 0%100%14%20%
GFNO 0 4 16 11 3 3
GFDL-12 -3 25 15 -2 1
%IMPund%25%-56%-36%23367%

Landfall forecasts

24/0730 UTC 29.7N 93.7W between Johnson's Bayou, LA, and High Island 25.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN 29.5494.49 30.0 78.3High Island, TX
AVNO29.6793.98 28.5 27.2High Island, TX
%IMP 33% 65%
GFNO29.6294.24 30.0 52.9High Island, TX
GFDL29.6793.97 31.5 70.5Sabine Pass, TX
%IMP -33% -25%

Figure 1. NCEP 850 - 230 hPa mean wind analysis for 23 September 2005 0600 UTC (Hurricane Rita).

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 23 September 2005 0600 UTC.

Figure 3. Initial condition differences in the 850 - 230 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 23 September 2005 0600 UTC.

Figure 4. 12-h forecast differences in the 850 - 230 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 23 September 2005 0600 UTC.