2024 Hurricane Field Program

Hurricane Field Program

2024 Season

The 2024 Hurricane Field Program supports NOAA’s Advancing the Prediction of Hurricanes Experiment (APHEX). This page is organized by projects that support research into the lifecycle stages of storms, from genesis to end stage, as well as ocean observations and satellite validation.

About APHEX: Developed in partnership with NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Center, National Hurricane Center, Aircraft Operations Center, and AOML’s Physical Oceanography Division, APHEX is intended to improve our understanding and prediction of hurricane track, intensity, structure, and associated hazards by collecting observations that will aid in the improvement of current operational hurricane models, such as the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model, and the development of the next-generation operational hurricane models.

We are building a Weather-Ready Nation.

Supporting NOAA Operations.

With research to operational links within the HFP-APHEX Plan and through satellite validation to enhance operational utilization of satellite data.

See How the Hurricane Field Program Supports NOAA Operations.

This document outlines the support HRD provides for operationally-tasked (EMC/NHC) NOAA hurricane aircraft missions. In the event of an operationally-tasked mission, HRD will provide support to ensure the mission achieves its goals. Click on the link below to read full documentation.

Genesis Stage

Favorable Air Mass (FAM)

Investigators

Ghassan Alaka, Jason Dunion, Rob Rogers, Sharan Majumdar (Univ. of Miami/RSMAS), Alexis Wilson (Univ. of Miami/RSMAS), Quinton Lawton (Univ. of Miami/RSMAS), Alan Brammer (CSU/CIRA), Chris Thorncroft (SUNY Albany)

Science Description

Although the ingredients for tropical cyclone formation have been well-documented for decades, it is still difficult to predict which disturbances will develop and which ones will not. A big factor in this uncertainty is the favorability of the air mass ahead of, and interacting with, the disturbance. This experiment proposes to collect observations of mid- level humidity and winds to assess the favorability of the disturbance’s environment for tropical cyclogenesis. These aircraft observations may also provide helpful guidance for the expanded use of satellite observations in the absence of aircraft observations

Full Documentation

Precipitation during Formation and Observing its Response across Multiple Scales (PREFORM)

Investigators

Rob Rogers, Ghassan Alaka, Trey Alvey, Jason Dunion, Michael Fischer, Paul Reasor, Jun Zhang, Philippe Papin (NOAA/NHC), Xiaomin Chen (Univ. Alabama – Huntsville), Dave Raymond (New Mexico Tech), Zeljka Stone (New Mexico Tech), Stipo Sentic (New Mexico Tech)

Science Description

An accurate prediction of hurricane formation requires an improved knowledge of the precipitation (rainfall) structure and organization and the developing storm circulation response, in the context of environmental characteristics, during the formation process. The overall goal of this experiment is to use aircraft observations to investigate how precipitation (rainfall) within a tropical disturbance (i.e., a pre-TC, such as an African easterly wave) is involved in the development and intensification of an incipient tropical storm circulation by sampling the characteristics of the precipitation, as well as the thermodynamic and wind structure of the circulation within which the precipitation occurs.

Full Documentation

Early Stage

Flight-Level Assessment of Intensification in Moderate Shear [FLAIMS] Module

Investigators

Rob Rogers, Dan Stern (NRL), Pete Finocchio (NRL), Jim Doyle (NRL), Trey Alvey, Michael Fischer

Science Description

This module repeatedly samples the region of maximum wind speed for weak, but intensifying tropical cyclones (TCs), in order to assess the temporal evolution of both the wind and precipitation fields. Such TCs are often asymmetric, and substantial intensification can occur on short time scales (1-2 hours or less). By focusing on the part of the storm where the strong winds and rain exist, we can be able to capture these changes, which is important for understanding how intensification begins.

Full Documentation

Impact of Targeted Observations on Forecasts (ITOFS)

Investigators

Jason Dunion (Co-PI), Sim Aberson (Co-PI), Jason Sippel, Ryan Torn (Univ at Albany-SUNY), Jim Doyle (NRL-Monterey), Kelly Ryan (CIMAS), Eric Blake (NWS/NHC), Mike Brennan (NWS/NHC), Chris Landsea (NWS/TAFB)

 

Science Description

This experiment will use advanced guidance from multiple sets of forecast models to determine locations where aircraft observations could potentially improve forecasts of tropical cyclone track, intensity, and structure.

 

Full Documentation

Stratiform Spiral Module (SSM)

Investigators

Rob Rogers (PI), Trey Alvey, Hua Leighton, Xuejin Zhang, Michael Bell (CSU), Anthony Didlake (PSU), Jim Doyle (NRL), Dan Stern (NRL), Josh Wadler (ERAU)

Science Description

This module samples the distribution of cloud and rain droplets and ice and snow particles and how those distributions vary with altitude across the freezing level in broad regions of relatively weak precipitation and upward motion.

Full Documentation

Tail Doppler Radar Dual-PRF in Hurricanes

Investigators

Paul Reasor and John Gamache

Science Description

A P-3 aircraft, flying through a tropical cyclone, will collect radar data while running the system in dual-PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency) mode. Operating radars in this way is done to mitigate the occurrence of velocity ambiguities. The dataset will be used to test a method for correcting data errors introduced when operating in dual-PRF mode. A successful test may ultimately lead to implementation of a new approach to NOAA radar quality control that allows near real-time streaming of radar data from the aircraft rather than transmission only after a complete transect through the storm, as is presently done.

Full Documentation

Vortex Alignment Module (VAM)

Investigators

Michael Fischer, George Alvey, Robert Rogers, Jason Dunion, Paul Reasor, David Nolan (Univ. of Miami), Daniel Stern (NRL), Zeljka Stone (New Mexico Tech Univ.), David Raymond (New Mexico Tech Univ.), Stipo Sentic (New Mexico Tech Univ.), David Schecter (NorthWest Research Associates), Xiaomin Chen (University of Alabama in Huntsville), and Rosimar Rios-Berrios (National Center for Atmospheric Research)

 

Science Description

In early-stage tropical cyclones (TCs), the rate at which a TC intensifies is strongly related to the vertical alignment of a storm’s circulation. However, the physical processes responsible for changes in the alignment of a TC circulation are not well understood. This module aims to improve our understanding of the alignment process through the collection of relatively-high frequency observations of the three-dimensional TC structure.

 

Full Documentation

Mature Stage

Distribution of Hazardous Winds

Investigators

Kelly Ryan (Co-I) and Heather Holbach (Co-I)

Science Description

Estimating tropical cyclone wind hazards can be difficult, and operationally often requires assumptions to be made about surface wind characteristics relative to available flight-level observations. Approximations of surface wind using reconnaissance flight level (700 mb or 850 mb) have been routinely supported by symmetric assumptions, but observational and modeling comparisons suggest departures from this framework, occasionally detecting variations in surface winds both radially (distance from center) and azimuthally (around the storm). Data collected will be used to refine assumptions asymmetrically, estimate the uncertainty in quadrant wind radii, investigate asymmetries in the boundary layer as they relate to wind and wave hazards, and expose potential boundary layer biases in numerical weather and climate models.

Full Documentation

Eye-Eyewall Mixing

Investigators

Sim Aberson, Joe Cione, Jun Zhang

Science Description

The goal of this module is to observe the temperature, and humidity, and structure of small features in the eyewalls of very intense tropical cyclones that could increase the amount of energy available for hurricane intensification or cause damaging surface wind at landfall or intense turbulence features impacting flight operations. The structures of these features, especially the temperature and humidity structures, have never been documented.

Full Documentation

Gravity Wave

Investigators

Jun Zhang (PI) and David Nolan (co-PI, UM)

Science Description

Tropical cyclone (TC) convection produces gravity waves that propagate both upward and outward. The observational data collected from this module will be analyzed to quantify the characteristics of the gravity waves in mature-stage hurricanes and their relationship with storm intensity and intensity change. These data would also provide valuable information for model evaluation and physics improvement.

Full Documentation

NESDIS Ocean Winds

Investigators

Paul Chang (PI), Zorana Jelenak, Joe Sapp (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR): Ricky Roy (Tomorrow.io), Sim Aberson (NOAA/AOML/HRD)

Science Description

To improve our understanding of microwave retrievals of the ocean surface and atmospheric wind fields, and to evaluate new remote sensing techniques/technologies. To help validate satellite-based sensors of the ocean surface in extreme conditions and reduce risk for future satellite missions. To provide forecasters with near-real-time hurricane boundary layer profiles, where possible.

Full Documentation

Research In Coordination with Operations Small Uncrewed Air Vehicle Experiment (RICO SUAVE)

Investigators

Joseph Cione (Co-PI), Josh Wadler (Co-PI, ERAU), Jun Zhang (Co-PI), Mikal Montgomery (Co-PI), Lev Looney (NOAA/U Miami), Guo Lin, Ron Dobosy (NOAA/ARL-ret), Altug Aksoy, Sim Aberson, Frank Marks, Kelly Ryan, Brittany Dahl, Johna Rudzin-Schwing (MS State), Xiaomin Chen (UAH), George Bryan (NCAR), Josh Alland (NCAR), Rosimar Rios- Berrios (NCAR), Don Lenschow (NCAR), Chris Rozoff (NCAR), Eric Hendricks (NCAR), Falko Judt (NCAR), Jonathan Vigh (NCAR)

Science Description

This experiment will leverage NOAA’s P-3 aircraft to deploy uncrewed assets into regions of the TC environment that are unsafe for crewed operations. The experimental goals are to improve physical understanding, situational awareness, and ultimately, operational forecasts of TC track and intensity. It is believed that observations from these unique platforms will improve basic understanding and enhance forecaster situational awareness. Detailed analyses of data collected from these small drones also have the potential to improve the physics of computer models that predict changes in storm intensity.

Full Documentation

Tail Doppler Radar Analysis Evaluation

Investigators

Paul Reasor and John Gamache

Science Description

This module provides three-dimensional wind analyses derived from two P-3 aircraft equipped with tail-Doppler radar (TDR) and flying simultaneous, perpendicular transects through the hurricane eyewall are compared in an evaluation of the Doppler-radar wind analysis method. Through this evaluation, we seek to gain a better understanding of how to relate radar-derived peak wind speed and other aspects of hurricane wind structure to similar estimates using conventional observations.

Full Documentation

Ventilation Module

Investigators

Brian Tang (UAlbany), Jun Zhang, Kristen Corbosiero (UAlbany), Rosimar Rios-Berrios (NCAR)

Science Description

Ventilation occurs when drier and/or cooler environmental air intrudes into a vertically-sheared, tilted tropical cyclone (TC). Ventilation pathways include lateral intrusion (radial ventilation) and downward intrusion (downdraft ventilation) of dry and/or cool air. Both pathways may inhibit intensification. This module aims to collect observational data to study ventilation pathways, validate model simulations of ventilation in TCs, and assess the link between ventilation and intensity changes.

Full Documentation

Surface Wind and Wave Validation

Investigators

Heather Holbach, Mark Bourassa (FSU), and Ivan PopStefanija (ProSensing Inc.)

Science Description

This module will collect data in mature hurricanes to continue improving surface wind speed and rain rate estimates from the Stepped-Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR) and understand how the wind speed observations from the SFMR, flight-level winds, dropsondes, tail-Doppler radar (TDR) and, Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (IWRAP) should be averaged and adjusted to statistically consistent 1-minute mean (or sustained) winds. Additionally, surface wave observations will be verified and the extent of 8 ft significant wave height waves will be identified. Improved measurements from the SFMR and understanding how the various aircraft-based wind observations should be averaged and adjusted to statistically consistent 1-minute mean winds along with improving our knowledge of the surface wave field have numerous implications for forecasting and research efforts, such as providing more accurate observations to estimate tropical cyclone (TC) intensity and size along with improved estimates of marine hazards and comparisons for satellite observations. These improvements allow for better watches and warnings for a TC’s potential impacts to be provided to emergency managers and the general public and leads to more accurate research results.

Full Documentation

End Stage

Tropical Cyclones at Landfall

Investigators

Heather Holbach, John Kaplan, Jun Zhang, Ghassan Alaka, Frank Marks, Lew Gramer, Lev Looney, George Alvey, Forrest Masters (University of Florida), Michael Biggerstaff (University of Oklahoma), David Nolan (University of Miami), Xiaomin Chen (University of Alabama Huntsville), Johna Rudzin (Mississippi State University), John Schroeder (Texas Tech University)

Science Description

Landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) often produce a variety of high impact weather over land including tornadoes and damaging winds (particularly gusts) for which there exists limited objective forecast guidance. Thus, our experiment seeks to utilize P-3 aircraft, land-based mobile research team instrumentation, and ocean-based uncrewed surface vehicles to collect data in landfalling TCs to improve both our understanding and capability to predict the dangerous phenomena often associated with these landfalling systems.

Full Documentation

Extratropical Transition

Investigators

Sim Aberson

Science Description

Tropical cyclones can either decay (spin down) or transform into powerful extratropical cyclones when they encounter cold water below or high wind shear in the atmosphere. The mechanisms by which tropical cyclones become extratropical is not well forecast by numerical models leading to large errors, especially in impacts downstream of the actual transitioning cyclone. This experiment aims to improve forecasts of these systems.

Full Documentation

Ocean Observing

CHAOS: Coordinated Hurricane Atmosphere-Ocean Sampling

Investigators

Jun Zhang (Co-PI), Lev Looney (Co-PI, NOAA/U Miami, Cheyenne Stienbarger (Co-PI, NOAA GOMO), Kathy Bailey (U.S. IOOS), Michael Bell (CSU), Luca Centurioni (Scripps), Paul Chang (NOAA NESDIS), Joe Cione, Gregory Foltz (NOAA AOML), Alex Gonzalez (WHOI), Stephan Howden (USM), Steven Jayne (WHOI), Zorana Jelenak (NOAA NESDIS), Hyun-Sook Kim (NOAA AOML), Matthieu Le Henaff (CIMAS/PhOD), Kevin Martin (USM), Edoardo Mazza (NOAA PMEL), Travis Miles (Rutgers), Theresa Paluszkiewicz (OOC, LLC), David Richter (UND), Pelle Robbins (WHOI), Johna Rudzin (Mississippi State), Joe Sapp (NOAA NESDIS), Martha Schonau (Scripps), Nick Shay (UMiami), Joshua Wadler (ERAU), Chidong Zhang (NOAA PMEL), Dongxiao Zhang (UW-PMEL)

Science Description

CHAOS focuses on the coordination of a diverse suite of innovative observing platforms (i.e., autonomous, uncrewed, expendable) and conventional ones (e.g., aircraft) to support:

-Targeted coordinated observations of the air-sea transition zone to improve the understanding of air-sea interactions, including the ocean’s response and recovery to tropical cyclone (TC) forcing, and for improved prediction and modeling of TC intensification changes.

-Coordinated atmospheric and oceanic observations with sustained monitoring of key ocean features of the Gulf of Mexico, tropical Atlantic, and/or the Caribbean Sea – e.g., Loop Current, Gulf Stream, eddies and rings, and freshwater barrier layers from the Mississippi & Amazon-Orinoco River Plumes

Full Documentation

Ocean Survey

Investigators

Jun Zhang (PI), Nick Shay (co-PI, UM), Sue Chen (co-PI, NRL), Benjamin Jaimes (UM), Elizabeth Sanabia (USNA), Joseph Cione, Joshua Wadler (ERAU), Rick Lumpkin (AOML), Gregory Foltz (AOML), Lev Looney (AOML/UM), Guo Lin (CIMAS), Cheyenne Stienbarger (GOMO), James Doyle (NRL), James Cummings (NRL), Luca Centurioni (Scripps), Theresa Paluszkiewicz (OOC, LLC), Martha Schonau (Scripps), Steven Jayne (WHOI), Michael Bell (CSU), David Richter (UND), Johna Rudzin (MSU), Brian Tang (SUNY Albany)

Science Description

Physical representation of how the atmosphere and ocean interact in numerical forecast models of tropical cyclones (TCs) have not been fully evaluated against observations. Near collocated and simultaneous measurements of the ocean and the atmosphere just above the ocean surface, the energy exchanges that occur between them, and how they change over time have been less understood due to lack of substantial close coordination across a wide array of ocean and atmosphere observing platforms. This experiment will provide a unique opportunity to evaluate how well coupled forecast models represent these lowest regions of storms. The new type of observations that are collected should help improve the model initialization and inform how coupled forecast models represent interactions between the ocean and atmosphere in hurricanes.

Full Documentation

Tropical Cyclone Boundary Layer (TCBL)

Investigators

Jun Zhang (PI), Jason Dunion (co-PI), Joseph Cione, Joshua Wadler (ERAU), Robert Rogers, Frank Marks, Andrew Hazelton, Jonathan Zawislak, Guo Lin, Kwun Yip Fung, George Alvey, Gregory Foltz, Cheyenne Stienbarger (GOMO), Daniel Stern (NRL), James Doyle (NRL), Sue Chen (NRL), Yi Jin (NRL), Nick Shay (UM), Benjamin Jaimes (UM), Elizabeth Sanabia (USNA), Ping Zhu (FIU), Xiaomin Chen (UAH), Brian Tang (SUNY Albany), Robert Fovell (SUNY Albany), Zhien Wang (SBU), Michael Bell (CSU), Ralph Foster (UW), George Bryan (NCAR), David Richter (UND)

Science Description

The atmospheric boundary layer is a crucial region of a tropical cyclone (TC), because it is the area of the storm in direct contact with the ocean moisture and heat sources which power the storm. This module aims to collect observational data to improve our understanding of physical processes in the boundary layer that control the TC intensity change. This data can be used to evaluate and improve the performance of TC forecast models such as the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS).

Full Documentation

Satellite Validation

Synthetic Aperture Radar Wind Inspection with NOAA P-3 Data (SARWIND)

Investigators

Philippe Papin, Lisa Bucci, Eric Blake, Brad Reinhart (NHC/NWS/NOAA), Jason Dunion (HRD/NOAA), Jim Doyle (NRL), Victoria Pizzini (University of Miami)

Science Description

This experiment seeks to use aircraft observations to better validate high-resolution surface wind speed measurements becoming more frequently available with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) polar orbiting passes. This will be accomplished by coordinating NOAA P-3 flights to occur simultaneously with an orbiting SAR pass near a TC or other ocean environments deemed research relevant to sample the wind and wave interface near the surface.

Full Documentation

TROPICS Satellite Validation

Investigators

Brittany Dahl (co-PI), Jason Dunion (co-PI), Rob Rogers (co-PI), Trey Alvey, William Blackwell (MIT, Lincoln Laboratory), Patrick Duran (NASA MSFC SPoRT)

Science Description

This experiment is designed to calibrate and validate temperature, moisture, and precipitation measurements obtained from the new TROPICS satellites. These profiles will be compared to NOAA P-3 and NOAA G-IV aircraft observations, whose flight patterns will be coordinated in space and time with overpasses from the satellite.

Full Documentation

Operational Flight Maps

P-3 Aircraft operational rings for the 2024 season

The P-3 Aircraft Operational Flight Map

Primary Atlantic operating bases and ranges (assuming ~2-h on-station time) for the P-3.

G-IV aircraft range rings for the 2024 season.

The G-IV Aircraft Operational Flight Map

Primary Atlantic operating bases and ranges (assuming ~2-h on-station time) for the G-IV.

Flight Patterns

Contact

| Jason Dunion

Director, Hurricane Field Program 2024

| Jason Sippel

Deputy Director, Hurricane Field Program 2024