Effects of Synoptic Surveillance on model forecasts for
23 September 2005 1800 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 53179221368797
AVNO 59177272414874
%IMP-11% 1%-23%-13%-10%
GFNO 74228315495996
GFDL 24117221415915
%IMP68%49%30%16% 8%
INTENSITY (kt)
MODEL12 h24 h36 h48 h60 h72 h84 h96 h108 h120 h
AVNN-37 4 -4 -6 -2
AVNO-20 6 5 -7 -3
%IMP46%-50%-20%-17%-50%
GFNO 1 31 22 4 5
GFDL 0 19 13 1 -1
%IMP100%39%41%75%80%

Landfall forecasts

24/0730 UTC 29.7N 93.7W between Johnson's Bayou, LA, and High Island 13.5 h into the forecast
MODELLATLONTIMEERRORLOCATION
AVNN 29.5794.56 19.0 84.3High Island, TX
AVNO29.5694.62 17.5 90.2High Island, TX
%IMP 27% -7%
GFNO29.3994.80 20.0111.8Galveston, TX
GFDL29.8793.81 15.0 21.7Sabine Pass, TX
%IMP 77% 81%

Figure 1. NCEP 850 - 230 hPa mean wind analysis for 23 September 2005 1800 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 1800 UTC.

Figure 3. Initial condition differences in the 850 - 230 hPa mean wind between the no and all dropwindsonde cases for 23 September 2005 1800 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 1800 UTC.