Dr. Sundararaman G. Gopalakrishnan Meteorologist Hurricane Research Division phone: 305-361-4357 fax: 305-361-4402 sundararaman.g.gopalakrishnan@noaa.gov
NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149
Current Research Projects
Recently Published Peer-Reviewed Papers- Alaka, G.J. Jr., J.A. Sippel, Z. Zhang, H.-S Kim, F. Marks, V. Tallapragada, A. Mehra, X. Zhang, A. Poyer, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Lifetime performance of the operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model (HWRF) for North Atlantic tropical cyclones. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 105(6):E932-E961, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-23-0139.1 2024
- Hazelton, A., X. Chen, G.J. Alaka Jr., G.R. Alvey III, S. Gopalakrishnan, and F.D. Marks. Sensitivity of HAFS-B tropical cyclone forecasts to planetary boundary layer and microphysics parameterizations. Weather and Forecasting, 39(4):655-678, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-23-0124.1 2024
- Hazelton, A., G.J. Alaka Jr., M. Fischer, R. Torn, and S. Gopalakrishnan. Factors influencing the track of Hurricane Dorian (2019) in the west Atlantic: Analysis of a HAFS ensemble. Monthly Weather Review, 151(1):175-192, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-22-0112.1 2023
- Alaka, G.J. Jr., J.A. Sippel, Z. Zhang, H.-S Kim, F. Marks, V. Tallapragada, A. Mehra, X. Zhang, A. Poyer, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Lifetime performance of the operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model (HWRF) for North Atlantic tropical cyclones. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 105(6):E932-E961, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-23-0139.1 2024
- Hazelton, A., X. Chen, G.J. Alaka Jr., G.R. Alvey III, S. Gopalakrishnan, and F.D. Marks. Sensitivity of HAFS-B tropical cyclone forecasts to planetary boundary layer and microphysics parameterizations. Weather and Forecasting, 39(4):655-678, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-23-0124.1 2024
- Hazelton, A., G.J. Alaka Jr., M. Fischer, R. Torn, and S. Gopalakrishnan. Factors influencing the track of Hurricane Dorian (2019) in the west Atlantic: Analysis of a HAFS ensemble. Monthly Weather Review, 151(1):175-192, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-22-0112.1 2023
- Hazelton, A., G.J. Alaka, Jr., L. Gramer, W. Ramstrom, S. Ditchek, X. Chen, B. Liu, Z. Zhang, L. Zhu, W. Wang, B. Thomas, J.H. Shin, C.-K. Wang, H.-S. Kim, X. Zhang, A. Mehra, F. Marks, and S. Gopalakrishnan. 2022 real-time hurricane forecasts from an experimental version of the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFSV0.3S) Frontiers in Earth Science, 11:1264969, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1264969 2023
- Ko, M.-C., X. Chen, M. Kubat, and S. Gopalakrishnan. The development of a consensus machine learning model for hurricane rapid intensification with Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) data. Weather and Forecasting, 38(8):1253-1270, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-22-0217.1 2023
- Poyer, A., W. Komaromi, S. Gopalakrishnan, L. Wolf, F. Marks, G. Alaka Jr., J. Anderson, V. Tallapragada, M. Brennan, A. Mehra, X. Zhang, Z. Zhang, A. Hazelton, D.A. Zelinsky, J.L. Franklin, A. Aksoy, C. Alexander, M. Bender, L. Bernardet, M. Biswas, J. Cangialosi, M. DeMaria, R. Dunlap, M. Ek, G. Eosco, L. Gramer, L. Harris, J.S. Hilderbrand, E. Kalina, H.-S. Kim, P. Kucera, B. Liu, P. McCaslin, T. Marchok, J. Moskaitis, K. Musgrave, L. Nance, K. Newman, M. Onderlinde, W. Ramstrom, D. Rosen, J. Sims, J. Sippel, D. Stern, R. Torn, X. Wang, W. Wang, Y. Weng, B.C. Zachry, C. Zhang, M. Zhang, and L. Zhu. 2021-2022 HFIP R&D activities summary: Recent results and operational implementation. HFIP Technical Report, HFIP-2023-1, 73 pp., https://doi.org/10.25923/exgj-1n68 2023
- Alaka, G.J. Jr., X. Zhang, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. High-definition hurricanes: Improving forecasts with storm-following nests. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 103(3):E680-E703, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0134.1 2022
- Gramer, L.J., J.A. Zhang, G. Alaka, A. Hazelton, and S. Gopalakrishnan. Coastal downwelling intensifies landfalling hurricanes. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(13):e2021GL096630 , https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096630 2022
- Hazelton, A., J.A. Zhang, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Comparison of the performance of the observation-based hybrid EDMF and EDMF-TKE PBL schemes in 2020 tropical cyclone forecasts from the Global-nested Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System. Weather and Forecasting, 37(4):457-476, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-21-0124.1 2022
- 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
- Gopalakrishnan, S., A. Hazelton, and J.A. Zhang. Improving hurricane boundary layer parameterization scheme based on observations. Earth and Space Science, 8(3):e2020EA001422 , https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EA001422 2021
- Green, A., S.G. Gopalakrishnan, G.J. Alaka, and S. Chiao. Understanding the role of mean and eddy momentum transport in the rapid intensification of Hurricane Irma (2017) and Hurricane Michael (2018). Atmosphere, 12(4):492, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12040492 2021
- Hazelton, A., G. Alaka, L. Cowan, M. Fischer, and S. Gopalakrishnan. Understanding the processes causing the early intensification of Hurricane Dorian through an ensemble of the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS). Atmosphere, 12(1):93, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12010093 2021
- Hazelton, A., Z. Zhang, B. Liu, J. Dong, G. Alaka, W. Wang, T. Matchok, A. Menra, S. Gopalakrishnan, X. Zhang, M. Bender, V. Tallapragada, and F. Marks. 2019 Atlantic hurricane forecasts from the Global-Nested Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS): Composite statistics and key events. Weather and Forecasting, 36(2):519-538, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-20-0044.1 2021
- Dong, J., B. Liu, Z. Zhang, W. Wang, A. Mehra, A.T. Hazelton, H.R. Winterbottom, L. Zhu, K. Wu, C. Zhang, V. Tallapragada, X. Zhang, S. Gopalakrishnan, and F. Marks. The evaluation of real-time Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) Stand-Alone Regional (SAR) model performance in 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. Atmosphere, 11(6):617, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060617 2020
- Gopalakrishnan, S., D. Koch, S. Upadhayay, M. DeMaria, F. MARKS, E.N. Rappaport, A. Mehra, V. Tallapragada, Y. Jung, G. Alaka, C. Alexander, M. Bender, L. Bernardet, M. Biswas, T. Black, M. Brennan, J. Cangialosi, J. Dong, R. Dunlap, M. Ek, J.L. Franklin, L. Gramer, G. Hallliwell, L. Harris, A. Hazelton, J.S. Hilderbrand, E. Kalina, H.S. Kim, P. Kucera, N. Lett, B. Liu, T. Marchok, P. McCaslin, K. Musgrave, L. Nance, K. Newman, M. Onderlinde, A. Penny, W. Ramstrom, J. Sippel, R. Torn, X. Wang, W. Wang, J. Whitaker, H. Winterbottom, D.A. Zelinsky, F. Zhang, C. Zhang, X. Zhang, Z. Zhang, and L. Zhu. 2019 Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project R&D activities summary: Recent results and operational implementation. HFIP Technical Report, HFIP2020-1, 45 pp., https://doi.org/10.25923/qzd3-m787 2020
- Hazelton, A.T., X. Zhang, S. Gopalakrishnan, W. Ramstrom, F. Marks, and J.A. Zhang. High-resolution ensemble HFV3 forecasts of Hurricane Michael (2018): Rapid intensification in shear. Monthly Weather Review, 148(5):2009-2032, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-19-0275.1 2020
- Hristova-Veleva, S., P.P. Li, B. Knosp, Q. Vu, F.J. Turk, W.L. Poulsen, Z. Haddad, B. Lambrigtsen, B.W. Stiles, T.-P. Shen, N. Niamsuwan, S. Tanelli, O. Sy, E.-K. Seo, H. Su, D.G. Vane, Y. Chao, P.S. Callahan, R.S. Dunbar, M. Montgomery, M. Boothe, V. Tallapragada, S. Trahan, A.J. Wimmers, R. Holz, J.S. Reid, F. Marks, T. Vukicevic, S. Bhalachandran, H. Leighton, S. Gopalakrishnan, A. Navarro, and F.J. Tapiador. An eye on the storm: Integrating a wealth of data for quickly advancing the physical understanding and forecasting of tropical cyclones. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 101(10):e1718-e1742, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0020.1 2020
- Ko, M.-C., F.D. Marks, G.J. Alaka, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Evaluation of Hurricane Harvey (2017) rainfall in deterministic and probabilistic HWRF forecasts. Atmosphere, 11(6):666, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11060666 2020
- Leighton, H., R. Black, X. Zhang, F.D. Marks, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Ice particle size distribution from composites of microphysics observations collected in tropical cyclones. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(15):e2020GL088762, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088762 2020
- Alaka, G.J., X. Zhang, S.G. Gopalakrishnan, Z. Zhang, F.D. Marks, and R. Atlas. Track uncertainty in high-resolution ensemble forecasts of Hurricane Joaquin. Weather and Forecasting, 34(6):1889-1908, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-19-0028.1 2019
- Bhalachandran, S., R. Nadimpalli, K.K. Osuri, F.D. Marks, S. Gopalakrishnan, S. Subramanian, U.C. Mohanty, and D. Niyogi. On the processes influencing rapid intensity changes of tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal. Scientific Reports, 9:3382, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-40332-z 2019
- Gopalakrishnan, S.G., K.K. Osuri, F.D. Marks, and U.C. Mohanty. An inner-core analysis of the axisymmetric and asymmetric intensification of tropical cyclones: Influence of shear. Mausam: Quarterly Journal of Meteorology, Hydrology and Geophysics, 70(4):667-690, 2019
- Zhu, P., B. Tyner, J.A. Zhang, E. Aligo, S. Gopalakrishnan, F.D. Marks, A. Mehra, and V. Tallapragada. Role of eyewall and rainband eddy forcing in tropical cyclone intensification. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 19(22):14,289-14,310, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-14289-2019 2019
- Kieu, C., K. Keshavamurthy, V. Tallapragada, S. Gopalakrishnan, and S. Trahan. On the growth of intensity forecast errors in the operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 144(715):1803-1819, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3344 2018
- Leighton, H., S. Gopalakrishnan, J.A. Zhang, R.F. Rogers, Z. Zhang, and V. Tallapragada. Azimuthal distribution of deep convection, environmental factors and tropical cyclone rapid intensification: A perspective from HWRF ensemble forecasts of Hurricane Edouard (2014). Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 75(1):275-295, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-17-0171.1 2018
- Zhang, J.A., F.D. Marks, J.A. Sippel, R.F. Rogers, X. Zhang, S.G. Gopalakrishnan, Z. Zhang, and V. Tallapragada. Evaluating the impact of improvement in the horizontal diffusion parameterization on hurricane prediction in the operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model. Weather and Forecasting, 33(1):317-329, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-17-0097.1 2018
- Alaka, G.J., X. Zhang, S.G. Gopalakrishnan, S.B. Goldenberg, and F.D. Marks. Performance of basin-scale HWRF tropical cyclone track forecasts. Weather and Forecasting, 32(3):1253-1271, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-16-0150.1 2017
- Tyner, B., P. Zhu, J.A. Zhang, S. Gopalakrishnan, F. Marks, and V. Tallapragada. A top-down pathway to secondary eyewall formation in simulated tropical cyclones. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 123(1):174-197, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027410 2017
- Gopalakrishnan, S., C.V. Srinavas, and K. Bhatia. The hurricane boundary layer. In Advanced Numerical Modeling and Data Assimilation Techniques for Tropical Cyclone Predictions, U.C. Mohanty and S.G. Gopalakrishnan (eds.). Springer Netherlands, 589-626, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0896-6 2016
- Mohanty, U.C., and S.G. Gopalakrishnan (eds.). Advanced Numerical Modeling and Data Assimilation Techniques for Tropical Cyclone Predictions. Springer Netherlands, 746 pp., https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0896-6 2016
- Quirino, T., and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Advanced diagnostics for the HWRF hurricane modeling system. In Advanced Numerical Modeling and Data Assimilation Techniques for Tropical Cyclone Predictions, U.C. Mohanty and S.G. Gopalakrishnan (eds.). Springer Netherlands, 517-534, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0896-6 2016
- Zhang, X., S.G. Gopalakrishnan, S. Trahan, T.S. Quirino, Q. Liu, Z. Zhang, G. Alaka, and V. Tallapragada. Representing multiple scales in the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting modeling system: Design of multiple sets of movable multi-level nesting and the basin-scale HWRF forecast verification. Weather and Forecasting, 31(6):2019-2034, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-16-0087.1 2016
- Atlas, R., V. Tallapragada, and S. Gopalakrishnan. Advances in tropical cyclone intensity forecasts. Marine Technology Society Journal, 49(6):149-160, https://doi.org/10.4031/MTSJ.49.6.2 2015
- Bernardet, L., V. Tallapragada, S. Bao, S. Trahan, Y. Kwon, Q. Liu, M. Tong, M. Biswas, T. Brown, D. Stark, L. Carson, R. Yablonsky, E. Uhlhorn, S. Gopalakrishnan, X. Zhang, T. Marchok, B. Kuo, and R. Gall. Community support and transition of research to operations for the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 96(6):953-960, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-13-00093.1 2015
- Chen, H., and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. A study on the asymmetric rapid intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010) using the HWRF system. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 72(2):531-550, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0097.1 2015
- Goldenberg, S.B., S.G. Gopalakrishnan, V. Tallapragada, T. Quirino, F. Marks, S. Trahan, X. Zhang, and R. Atlas. The 2012 triply-nested, high-resolution operational version of the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting System (HWRF): Track and intensity forecast verifications. Weather and Forecasting, 30(3):710-729, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-14-00098.1 2015
- Halliwell, G.R., S. Gopalakrishnan, F. Marks, and D. Willey. Idealized study of ocean impacts on tropical cyclone intensity forecasts. Monthly Weather Review, 143(4):1142-1165, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-14-00022.1 2015
- Mohanty, U.C., K.K. Osuri, V. Tallapragada, F.D. Marks, S. Pattanayak, M. Mohapatra, L.S. Rathore, S.G. Gopalakrishnan, and D. Niyogi. A great escape from the Bay of Bengal "Super Sapphire-Phailin" tropical cyclone: A case of improved weather forecast and societal response for disaster mitigation. Earth Interactions, 19(17):1-11, https://doi.org/10.1175/EI-D-14-0032.1 2015
- Zhu, P., Z. Zhu, S. Gopalakrishnan, R. Black, F.D. Marks, V. Tallapragada, J.A. Zhang, X. Zhang, and C. Gao. Impact of subgrid-scale processes on eyewall replacement cycle of tropical cyclones in HWRF system. Geophysical Research Letters, 42(22):10027-10036, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL066436 2015
- Gall, R., F. Toepfer, F. Marks, E.N. Rappaport, A. Aksoy, S. Aberson, J.W. Bao, M. Bender, S. Benjamin, L. Bernardet, M. Biswas, B. Brown, J. Cangialosi, C. Davis, M. DeMaria, J. Doyle, M. Fiorino, J. Franklin, I. Ginis, S. Gopalakrishnan, T. Hamill, R. Hodur, H.S. Kim, J. Knaff, T. Krishnamurti, P. Kucera, Y. Kwon, W. Lapenta, N. Lett, S. Lord, T. Marchok, E. Mifflin, M. Morin, K. Musgrave, L. Nance, C. Reynolds, V. Tallapragada, H. Tolman, R. Torn, G. Vandenberghe, T. Vukicevic, X. Wang, Y. Weng, J. Whittaker, R. Yablonsky, D.-L. Zhang, F. Zhang, J. Zhang, X. Zhang, and D.A. Delinsky. Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project: 2013 HFIP R&D activities summary—Recent results and operational implementation. HFIP Technical Report, HFIP2014-2, 50 pp., 2014
- Pattanayak, S., U.C. Mohanty, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Improvement in track and intensity prediction of Indian seas tropical cyclones with vortex assimilation. In Monitoring and Prediction of Tropical Cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Climate Change, U.C. Mohanty, M. Mohapatra, O.P. Singh, B.K. Bandyopadhyay, and L.S. Rathore (eds.). Springer Publishing, 219-229, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7720-0 2014
- Gopalakrishnan, S.G., F. Marks, J.A. Zhang, X. Zhang, J.-W. Bao, and V. Tallapragada. A study of the impacts of vertical diffusion on the structure and intensity of tropical cyclones using the high resolution HWRF system. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 70(2):524-541, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-11-0340.1 2013
- 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
- Bao, J.-W., S.G. Gopalakrishnan, S.A. Michelson, F.D. Marks, and M.T. Montgomery. Impact of physics representations in the HWRF model on simulated hurricane structure and wind-pressure relationships. Monthly Weather Review, 140(10):3278-3299, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-11-00332.1 2012
- Gopalakrishnan, S.G., S. Goldenberg, T. Quirino, F. Marks, X. Zhang, K.-S. Yeh, R. Atlas, and V. Tallapragada. Towards improving high-resolution numerical hurricane forecasting: Influence of model horizontal grid resolution, initialization, and physics. Weather and Forecasting, 27(3):647-666, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-11-00055.1 2012
- Laureano-Bozeman, M., D. Niyogi, S. Gopalakrishnan, F.D. Marks, X. Zhang, and V. Tallapragada. An HWRF-based ensemble assessment of the land surface feedback on the post-landfall intensification of Tropical Storm Fay (2008). Natural Hazards, 63(3):1543-1571, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9841-5 2012
- Mohanty, U.C., D. Niyogi, S. Tripathy, F.D. Marks, G.S. Gopalakrishnan, and V. Tallapragada. Modeling and data assimilation for tropical predictions: Predicting landfalls. Connect, 4(2):4-11, 2012
- Pattanayak, S., U.C. Mohanty, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Simulation of very severe cyclone Mala over Bay of Bengal with HWRF modeling system. Natural Hazards, 63(3):1413-1437, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9863-z 2012
- Yeh, K.-S., X. Zhang, S.G. Gopalakrishnan, S. Aberson, R. Rogers, F.D. Marks, and R. Atlas. Performance of the experimental HWRF in the 2008 hurricane season. Natural Hazards, 63(3):1439-1449, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9787-7 2012
- Zhang, J.A., S. Gopalakrishnan, F.D. Marks, R.F. Rogers, and V. Tallapragada. A developmental framework for improving hurricane model physical parameterizations using aircraft observations. Tropical Cyclone Research and Review, 1(4):419-429, https://doi.org/10.6057/2012TCRR04.01 2012
- Gopalakrishnan, S.G., F. Marks, X. Zhang, J.-W. Bao, K.-S. Yeh, and R. Atlas. The experimental HWRF system: A study on the influence of horizontal resolution on the structure and intensity changes in tropical cyclones using an idealized framework. Monthly Weather Review, 139(6):1762-1784, https://doi.org/10.1175/2010MWR3535.1 2011
- Zhang, X., T. Quirino, K.-S. Yeh, S. Gopalakrishnan, F. Marks, S. Goldenberg, and S. Aberson. HWRFx: Improving hurricane forecasts with high-resolution modeling. Computing in Science and Engineering, 13(1):13-21, https://doi.org/10.1109/MCSE.2010.121 2011
- Panda, J., M. Sharan, and S.G. Gopalakrishnan. Study of regional-scale boundary layer characteristics over northern India with a special reference to the role of the Thar Desert in regional-scale transport. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 48(11):2377-2402, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAMC1926.1 2009
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