Every year AOML’s Hurricane Research Division develops a plan for its annual Hurricane Field Program (HFP). This plan details the experiments and modules that might be flown in the coming hurricane season, what researchers hope to learn from these experiments, and what resources are to be used. This year the plan details flight tracks for the NOAA P3s and GIV jet and the NASA Global Hawk. Many experiments have operational elements, with the gathered data being relayed in real-time to forecasters and modelers back on shore. There are also plans for collaboration with our various partners: EMC, NESDIS, NRL, USAF, DOE, various universities, and NHC.
Here is this year’s plan. It explains 15 different experiments or modules in either PDF or Word Document form. There is also a supplementary section of Appendices that have operational specifics about resources, duties, and aircraft instrumentation. When operations begin you will see notices about upcoming mission plans on this blog and find the data here.