Dr. Joseph J. Cione
Meteorologist
Hurricane Research Division
phone: 305-213-0886
joe.cione@noaa.gov
NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149
Professional InterestsMy areas of expertise include analysis of atmospheric and oceanic boundary layer thermodynamic processes in hurricanes and extra-tropical winter storms. Throughout my career, I have exploring difficult to observe regions associated with severe storm systems and demonstrated an ability to incorporate promising research results into improved forecast operations. In late in 2005 and again in November 2007, I lead NOAA/NASA efforts that successfully used unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology to fly into the core of two tropical systems (Tropical Cyclone Ophelia 2005; Hurricane Noel 2007). The Ophelia flight was the fist-ever UAS flight into a tropical cyclone while the Noel mission established records for duration (17.5h) and minimum altitude (82m). Both flights collected critical near-surface wind measurements that were not observed by any other observing platform or sensor (e.g. NOAA P3, Air Force C130, buoys or satellite). These unique data were reported to NOAA’s NHC in real time, enabling the observations to be used in subsequent public forecasts and warnings. Related to these achievements, I received the Unites States Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award in April of 2010. Currently, I serve as NOAA's Principal Investigator on a Sandy Supplemental grant that focuses on exploring how emerging observing technologies may help to improve future predictions of hurricane structure and intensity change. I also serve as Hurricane Forecast and Improvement Project lead for model physics evaluation and currently lead a NOAA Environmental Laboratory Cooperative Research Agreement that focuses on systematically evaluating and improving NOAA's operational hurricane models.
Current Research Projects
Manuscripts in Review- "The truth about 26C and the relative roles of the ocean and atmosphere at the hurricane air-sea interface" (Mon. Wea. Rev.)
- "Using inner core air-sea contrast to predict short-term hurricane intensity change"
Recently Published Peer-Reviewed Papers- Kang, S.K., E.J. Kim, S. Kim, J. Cione, D. Lee, S. Landwehr, H.-W. Kang, K.-O. Kim, C.S. Hong, M.H. Kwon, K.H. Oh, J.H. Lee, S. Noh, J.K. So, D.-J. Kang, D. Kim, J.-H. Park, S. Nam, Y.K. Cho, B. Ward, and I. Ginis. Anomalously large latent heat fluxes in low to moderate wind conditions within the eddy-rich zone of the northwestern Pacific. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11:1298641, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1298641 2024
- Kang, S.K., S.-H. Kim, I.-I. Lin, Y.-H. Park, Y. Choi, I. Ginis, J. Cione, J.Y. Shin, E.J. Kim, K.O. Kim, H.W. Kang, J.-H. Park, J.-R. Bidlot, and B. Ward. The North Equatorial Current and rapid intensification of super typhoons. Nature Communications, 15:1742, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45685-2 2024
- Wadler, J.B., J.J. Cione, S. Michlowitz, B. Jaimes de la Cruz, and L.K. Shay. Improving the statistical representation of tropical cyclone in-storm sea surface temperature cooling. Weather and Forecasting, 39(6):847-866, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-23-0115.1 2024
- Kang, S.K., E.J. Kim, S. Kim, J. Cione, D. Lee, S. Landwehr, H.-W. Kang, K.-O. Kim, C.S. Hong, M.H. Kwon, K.H. Oh, J.H. Lee, S. Noh, J.K. So, D.-J. Kang, D. Kim, J.-H. Park, S. Nam, Y.K. Cho, B. Ward, and I. Ginis. Anomalously large latent heat fluxes in low to moderate wind conditions within the eddy-rich zone of the northwestern Pacific. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11:1298641, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1298641 2024
Ref. 4453
- Kang, S.K., S.-H. Kim, I.-I. Lin, Y.-H. Park, Y. Choi, I. Ginis, J. Cione, J.Y. Shin, E.J. Kim, K.O. Kim, H.W. Kang, J.-H. Park, J.-R. Bidlot, and B. Ward. The North Equatorial Current and rapid intensification of super typhoons. Nature Communications, 15:1742, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45685-2 2024
Ref. 4393
- Wadler, J.B., J.J. Cione, S. Michlowitz, B. Jaimes de la Cruz, and L.K. Shay. Improving the statistical representation of tropical cyclone in-storm sea surface temperature cooling. Weather and Forecasting, 39(6):847-866, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-23-0115.1 2024
Ref. 4392
- Aberson, S.D., J.A. Zhang, J. Zawislak, K. Sellwood, R. Rogers, and J.J. Cione. The NCAR GPS dropwindsonde and its impact on hurricane operations and research. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 104(11):E2134-E2154, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0119.1 2023
Ref. 4330
- Holbach, H.M., O. Bousquet, L. Bucci, P. Chang, J. Cione, S. Ditchek, J. Doyle, J.-P. Duvel, J. Elston, G. Goni, K.K. Hon, K. Ito, Z. Jelenak, X. Lei, R. Lumpkin, C.R. McMahon, C. Reason, E. Sanabia, L.K. Shay, J.A. Sippel, A. Sushko, J. Tang, K. Tsuboki, H. Yamada, J. Zawislak, and J.A. Zhang. Recent advancements in aircraft and in situ observations of tropical cyclones. Tropical Cyclone Research and Review, 12(2):81-99, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcrr.2023.06.001 2023
Ref. 4271
- Wadler, J.B., D.S. Nolan, J.A. Zhang, L.K. Shay, J.B. Olson, and J.J. Cione. The effect of advection on the three-dimensional distribution of turbulent kinetic energy and its generation in idealized tropical cyclone simulations. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 15(5):e2022MS003230, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022MS003230 2023
Ref. 4261
- Wadler, J.B., J.J. Cione, R.F. Rogers, and M.S. Fischer. On the distribution of convective and stratiform precipitation in tropical cyclones from airborne Doppler radar and its relationship to intensity change and environmental wind shear direction. Monthly Weather Review, 151(12):3209-3233, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-23-0048.1 2023
Ref. 4336
- Aksoy, A., J.J. Cione, B.A. Dahl, and P.D. Reasor. Tropical cyclone data assimilation with Coyote uncrewed aircraft system observations, very frequent cycling, and a new online quality control technique. Monthly Weather Review, 150(4):797-829, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-21-0124.1 2022
Ref. 4062
- Wadler, J.B., J.J. Cione, J.A. Zhang, E.A. Kalina, and J. Kaplan. The effects of environmental wind shear direction on tropical cyclone boundary layer thermodynamics and intensity change from multiple observational datasets. Monthly Weather Review, 150(1):115-134, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-21-0022.1 2022
Ref. 4038
- Zawislak, J., R.F. Rogers, S.D. Aberson, G.J. Alaka, G. Alvey, A. Aksoy, L. Bucci, J. Cione, N. Dorst, J. Dunion, M. Fischer, J. Gamache, S. Gopalakrishnan, A. Hazelton, H.M. Holbach, J. Kaplan, H. Leighton, F. Marks, S.T. Murillo, P. Reasor, K. Ryan, K. Sellwood, J.A. Sippel, and J.A. Zhang. Accomplishments of NOAA’S airborne hurricane field program and a broader future approach to forecast improvement. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 103(2):E311-E338, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0174.1 2022
Ref. 3984
- Chen, X., G.H. Bryan, J.A. Zhang, J.J. Cione, and F.D. Marks. A framework for simulating the tropical-cyclone boundary layer using large-eddy simulation and its use in evaluating PBL parameterizations. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 78(11):3559-3574, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-20-0227.1 2021
Ref. 4010
- Chen, X., J.-F. Gu, J.A. Zhang, F.D. Marks, R.F. Rogers, and J.J. Cione. Boundary layer recovery and precipitation symmetrization preceding rapid intensification of tropical cyclones under shear. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 78(5):1523-1544, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-20-0252.1 2021
Ref. 3939
- Cione, J.J., G.H. Bryan, R. Dobosy, J.A. Zhang, G. de Boer, A. Aksoy, J.B. Wadler, E.A. Kalina, B.A. Dahl, K. Ryan, J. Neuhaus, E. Dumas, F.D. Marks, A.M. Farber, T. Hock, and X. Chen. Eye of the storm: Observing hurricanes with a small Unmanned Aircraft System. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 101(2):E186-E205, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0169.1 2020
Ref. 3748
- de Boer, G., B. Argrow, J. Cassano, J. Cione, E. Frew, D. Lawrence, G. Wick, and C. Wolff. Advancing unmanned aerial capabilities for atmospheric research. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 100(3):ES105-ES108, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0254.1 2019
Ref. 3739
- Aksoy, A., J.A. Zhang, B.W. Klotz, E.W. Uhlhorn, and J.J. Cione. Axisymmetric initialization of the atmosphere and ocean for idealized coupled hurricane simulations. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 9(7):2672-2695, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS000977 2017
Ref. 3478
- Goni, G.J., R.E. Todd, S.R. Jayne, G.R. Halliwell, S. Glenn, J. Dong, R. Curry, R. Domingues, F. Bringas, L. Centurioni, S.F. DiMarco, T. Miles, J. Morell, L. Pomales, H.-S. Kim, P.E. Robbins, G.G. Gawarkiewicz, J. Wilkin, J. Heiderich, B. Baltes, J.J. Cione, G. Seroka, K. Knee, and E.R. Sanabia. Autonomous and Lagrangian ocean observations for Atlantic tropical cyclone studies and forecasts. Oceanography, 30(2):85-95, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2017.227 2017
Ref. 3457
- Kalina, E.A., S.Y. Matrosov, J.J. Cione, F.D. Marks, J. Vivekenandan, R.A. Black, J.C. Hubbert, M.M. Bell, D.E. Kingsmill, and A.B. White. The ice water paths of small and large ice species in Hurricane Arthur (2014) and Irene (2011). Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 56(5):1383-1404, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-16-0300-1 2017
Ref. 3380
- Zhang, J.A., J J. Cione, E.A. Kalina, E.W. Uhlhorn, T. Hock, and J.A. Smith. Observations of infrared sea surface temperature and air-sea interaction in Hurricane Edouard (2014) using GPS dropsondes. Journal of Oceanic and Atmospheric Technology, 34(6):1333-1349, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0211.1 2017
Ref. 3409
- Cione, J.J., E.A. Kalina, E.W. Uhlhorn, A.M. Farber, and A.B. Damiano Coyote unmanned aircraft system observations in Hurricane Edouard (2014). Earth and Space Science, 3(9):370-380, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016EA000187 2016
Ref. 3315
- Cione, J.J. The relative roles of the ocean and atmosphere as revealed by buoy air-sea observations in hurricanes. Monthly Weather Review, 143(3):904-913, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-13-00380.1 2015
Ref. 3066
- Kaplan, J., C.M. Rozoff, M. DeMaria, C.R. Sampson, J.P. Kossin, C.S. Velden, J.J. Cione, J.P. Dunion, J.A. Knaff, J.A. Zhang, J.F. Dostalek, J.D. Hawkins, T.F. Lee, and J.E. Solbrig. Evaluating environmental impacts on tropical cyclone rapid intensification predictability utilizing statistical models. Weather and Forecasting, 30(5):1374-1396, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-15-0032.1 2015
Ref. 3144
- Cione, J.J., E.A. Kalina, J.A. Zhang, and E.W. Uhlhorn. Observations of air-sea interaction and intensity change in hurricanes. Monthly Weather Review, 141(7):2368-2382, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-12-00070.1 2013
Ref. 2863
- Rogers, R.F., S.D. Aberson, A. Aksoy, B. Annane, M. Black, J.J. Cione, N. Dorst, J. Dunion, J.F. Gamache, S.B. Goldenberg, S.G. Gopalakrishnan, J. Kaplan, B.W. Klotz, S. Lorsolo, F.D. Marks, S.T. Murillo, M.D. Powell, P.D. Reasor, K.J. Sellwood, E.W. Uhlhorn, T. Vukicevic, J.A. Zhang, and X. Zhang. NOAA’s Hurricane Intensity Forecasting Experiment (IFEX): A progress report. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 94(6):859-882, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00089 2013
Ref. 2862
- Aberson, S.D., J. Cione, C.-C. Wu, M.M. Bell, J. Halverson, C. Fogarty, and M. Weissmann. Aircraft observations of tropical cyclones. In Global Perspectives on Tropical Cyclones: From Science to Mitigation, J.C.L. Chan and J.D. Kepert (eds.). World Scientific Publishing Company, 2nd edition, 227-240, 2010
Ref. 135
- Aberson, S.D., M.L. Black, R.A. Black, R.W. Burpee, J.J. Cione, C.W. Landsea, and F.D. Marks. Thirty years of tropical cyclone research with the NOAA P-3 aircraft. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 87(8):1039-1055, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-87-8-1039 2006
Ref. 543
- Rogers, R.F., S.D. Aberson, M.L. Black, P.G. Black, J.J. Cione, P.P. Dodge, J.P. Dunion, J.F. Gamache, J. Kaplan, M.D. Powell, L.N. Shay, N. Surgi, and E.W. Uhlhorn. The Intensity Forecasting Experiment: A NOAA multi-year field program for improving tropical cyclone intensity forecasts. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 87(11):1523-1537, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-87-11-1523 2006
Ref. 630
- Cione, J.J., and E.W. Uhlhorn. Sea surface temperature variability in hurricanes: Implications with respect to intensity change. Monthly Weather Review, 131(8):1783-1796, https://doi.org/10.1175//2562.1 2003
Ref. 858
- Cione, J.J., and E.W. Uhlhorn. Upper ocean heat content and energy extracted by the storm: Analytical look. Preprints, 25th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, San Diego, CA, April 29-May 3, 2002. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 631-632, 2002
Ref. 952
- Goni, G.J., P.G. Black, J.J. Cione, and L.K. Shay. Use of satellite altimetry to identify regions of hurricane intensification. Proceedings, 7th International Conference on Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, Miami, FL, May 20-22, 2002. Veridian, Ann Arbor, MI, CD-ROM, 4 pp., 2002
Ref. 975
- Uhlhorn, E.W., and J.J. Cione. Real-time simulation of hurricane inner-core ocean cooling as a gauge for intensity change. Preprints, 25th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, San Diego, CA, April 29-May 3, 2002. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 658-659, 2002
Ref. 1035
- Black, P.G., E.W. Uhlhorn, J.J. Cione, G.J. Goni, L.K. Shay, S.D. Jacob, E.J. Walsh, and E.A. D'Asaro. Hurricane intensity change modulated by air-sea interaction effects based on unique airborne measurements during the 1998-1999 hurricane seasons. Proceedings, 10th Conference on Interaction of the Sea and Atmosphere, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, J7-J8, 2000
Ref. 1159
- Cione, J.J., E.W. Uhlhorn, and P.G. Black. Atmospheric boundary layer and upper ocean structure observed in Hurricane Erika (1997). Proceedings, 10th Conference on Interaction of the Sea and Atmosphere, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, J70-J71, 2000
Ref. 1163
- Cione, J.J., P. Molina, J. Kaplan, and P.G. Black. SST time series directly under tropical cyclones: Observations and implications. Preprints, 24th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 1-2, 2000
Ref. 1164
- Cione, J.J., P.G. Black, and S.H. Houston. Surface observations in the hurricane environment. Monthly Weather Review, 128(5):1550-1561, https://doi:10.1175/1520-0493(2000)1282.0.CO;2 2000
Ref. 1165
- Cook, T.M., L.K. Shay, P.G. Black, G.J. Goni, M.M. Huber, S.D. Jacob, and J.J. Cione. Coupled air-sea interactions during Hurricane Bonnie. Proceedings, 10th Conference on Interaction of the Sea and Atmosphere, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, J68-J69, 2000
Ref. 1166
- Goni, G.J., L.K. Shay, P.G. Black, S.D. Jacob, T.M. Cook, J.J. Cione, and E.W. Uhlhorn. Role of the upper ocean structure on the intensification of Hurricane Bret from satellite altimetry. Proceedings, 10th Conference on Interaction of the Sea and Atmosphere, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, J5-J6, 2000
Ref. 1186
- Parrish, J.R., M.L. Black, S.H. Houston, P.P. Dodge, and J.J. Cione. The structure of Hurricane Irene over South Florida. Preprints, 24th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 456-457, 2000
Ref. 1232
- Shay, L.K., G.J. Goni, P.G. Black, S.D. Jacob, J.J. Cione, and E.W. Uhlhorn. Global analogues of deep warm upper ocean layers: Hurricane heat potential estimates. Proceedings, 10th Conference on Interaction of the Sea and Atmosphere, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, J3-J4, 2000
Ref. 1250
- Uhlhorn, E.W., P.G. Black, L.K. Shay, J.J. Cione, S.D. Jacob, and G.J. Goni. Warm core ocean features in the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico. Preprints, 24th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, May 29-June 2, 2000. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 147-148, 2000
Ref. 1254
- Cione, J.J., P.G. Black, and S.H. Houston. Cooling and drying within the hurricane near-surface environment? Preprints, 23rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Dallas, TX, January 10-15, 1999. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 1027-1030, 1999
Ref. 1297
- Cione, J.J., and P.G. Black. Surface thermodynamic observations within the tropical cyclone inner core. Preprints, Symposium on Tropical Cyclone Intensity Change, Phoenix, AZ, January 11-16, 1998. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 141-145, 1998
Ref. 1432
- Cione, J.J., R.A. Neuherz, S. Raman, L.J. Pietrafesa, K. Keeter, and X. Li. The use of pre-storm boundary-layer baroclinicity in determining and operationally implementing the Atlantic Surface Cyclone Intensification Index. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 89(2):211-224, 1998
Ref. 1433
- Niyogi, D.S., J.J. Cione, and S. Raman. Gulf Stream influence on the North Carolina mesoclimate. Preprints, 2nd Conference on Coastal Atmospheric and Oceanic Prediction, Phoenix, AZ, January 12-16, 1998. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 421-424, 1998
Ref. 1482
- Shay, L., G.J. Goni, F.D. Marks, J.J. Cione, and P.G. Black. Role of warm ocean features on intensity change: Hurricane Opal. Preprints, Symposium on Tropical Intensity Change, Phoenix, AZ, January 11-16,1998. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 131-138, 1998
Ref. 1501
- Cione, J.J., and S. Raman. The impact of SST gradients on propagating low-level mesovortices near the Gulf Stream. Preprints, Conference on Coastal Oceanic and Atmospheric Prediction, Atlanta, GA, January 28-February 2, 1996. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 204-211, 1997
Ref. 1531
- Kaplan, J., C.W. Landsea, M. DeMaria, and J.J. Cione. The differing roles of the large-scale environment in the intensity changes of three 1996 Atlantic hurricanes. Preprints, 22nd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Ft. Collins, CO, May 19-23, 1997. American Meteorological Society, Boston, 358-359, 1997
Ref. 1569
Awards and Honors | | | | | | | 2010 | | 1st Launch and Revocery of a UAS into a Tropcial Cyclone | | US Department Of Commerce Bronze Medal
| | | | 1993 | | National Sea Grant Fellow | | National Sea Grant Program
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