HRD has tasked the NOAA P-3 (NOAA42, aka “Kermit”) to fly research missions into a potentially developing storm in the East Pacific, currently identified as Invest 95E by the National Hurricane Center. The P-3 ferried down to Costa Rica yesterday. Operating missions out of Liberia, Costa Rica, the goal of our research missions will be to analyze how rainfall plays a role in the spin up of a tropical depression. While we’re known for being “Hurricane Hunters”, measuring the disturbance before the storm develops is critical towards understanding not only how hurricanes form, but also how we predict that formation better. Shown below is the mission plan for the first P-3 mission into this potential development case, which will takeoff from Liberia, C.R. at 0700 local time (0900 EDT) today. Three HRD scientists will be on this flight. The pattern is a “lawnmower” with dropsondes being released at each green dot in the pattern. Dropsondes measure temperature, relative humidity, and wind as they fall to the surface, and this grid — along with the radar data — will allow us to understand the characteristics of the circulation and precipitation throughout the invest area. Follow-on missions are expected on Sunday and Monday as the invest moves westward.
For these sequence of missions, the P-3 will fly with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) / National Science Foundation (NSF) G-V airplane, which is flying for the NCAR/NSF Organization of Tropical East Pacific Convection (OTREC) Experiment, also based out of Costa Rica (see for details: https://www.eol.ucar.edu/field_projects/otrec). The G-V flies at much higher altitudes (>40000 ft) than the P-3. The P-3 and G-V combined sampling will offer near unprecedented sampling of a disturbance in this vastly data sparse region.
Flight Pattern for Saturday P-3 Mission into EP95
For the latest information about tropical cyclones and other weather systems, please visit the NOAA/NWS/National Hurricane Center.
To access updates on IFEX and other HRD activities via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS feed, check out the NOAA/AOML/HRD page.
To directly access updates on IFEX HFP Operations via our WordPress blog on the web, check the site: https://noaahrd.wordpress.com/category/ifex-hurricane-field-program/
DISCLAIMER: The above discussion is intended to provide a brief summary of recent and future HRD Hurricane Field Program Operations. Any use of this material beyond its original intent is prohibited without permission of the HRD Director. Media inquiries should be directed to Erica Rule (305-361-4541) or Erica.Rule@noaa.gov, Monica Allen (301-734-1123) or Monica.Allen@noaa.gov.