The story of the beginnings of aircraft reconnaissance of hurricanes has long been mythologized. The truth is more complex and interesting. The story of the first aircraft penetration of the eye of a hurricane by Lt. Colonel Joe Duckworth of the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 27 July, 1943, is told, but some myths have arisen concerning this event. There were previous attempts at hurricanereconnaissance, and a rival method (marine […]
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This work explores the current state of the science of forecasts that provide a range of possibilities (i.e., probabilistic forecasts) of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis and track. Probabilistic TC forecast products can be an important resource for helping the public manage their level of risk from TC impacts. We examine experimental probabilistic genesis and track […]
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Four Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies employees were recognized on 5 December in a hybrid event held in Silver Spring for their leadership and for personal and professional excellence. Congratulations to Jason, Bill, Andy, and Sarah for their exceptional work to improve hurricane forecasts! For more information, contact aoml.communications@noaa.gov.
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his season, NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft flew 468 mission hours to collect atmospheric data that is critical to hurricane forecasting and research, passing through the eye of a hurricane 120 times and deploying over 1,400 scientific instruments. Since 2020 through this 2023 season, NOAA’s two Lockheed WP-3D Orion have flown 40% more hurricane mission flights than the preceding […]
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This study highlights a successful research-to-operations implementation and evaluation, facilitated by having close connections between the research and operational communities within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In particular, research at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) led the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to modify flight-track patterns for some aircraft missions around tropical […]
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Research Highlights August 8, 2022Coral Rescue in Miami BeachJanuary 24, 2022Sediments a Likely Culprit in Spread of Deadly Disease on Florida Coral Reefs, Study FindsJuly 20, 2021Scientists at AOML Present Coral Research at the First Virtual International Coral Reef Symposium Research Interests Use of advanced molecular techniques to better understand coral physiology, health, and adaptation [...]
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Vertical turbulent mixing in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) has a significant impact on numerical forecasts of tropical cyclone structure and intensity. This study modified the PBL parameterization scheme in the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast (HWRF) model to include the effects of roll vortices on turbulent fluxes with information based on previous work with […]
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NOAA conducted the first ever collocated drone mission into a hurricane recently, collecting vital data in the lower levels of the storm that have been historically too hard to reach – until now. Check out the story at https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/noaa-altius-saildrone-mission-into-tammy/.
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Urban flooding during tropical cyclone landfall can lead to major impacts, and understanding and forecasting it is an important and emerging research area. Two recent Atlantic hurricanes, Florence in 2018 and Harvey in 2017, are forecast using a state-of-the-art computer model with two different ways to include urban areas. The model can predict rainfall more […]
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In many tropical cyclones, the center of circulation in the lower and middle levels of the atmosphere are not in the same location, what we call tilt. Using a recently developed database of wind analyses from Doppler radars on Hurricane Hunter aircraft, this study shows that the distance between the circulation centers can be a […]
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