The NOAA Hurricane Hunters resumes missions into Eta on Tuesday, November 10, once their aircraft completed routine maintenance.
Hurricane scientists supporting the flights will quality control the data collected from both aircraft such that the appropriate observation coverage and measurements optimize the performance of operational weather models.
Tasked by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the P-3 is scheduled to take off at 4:30 PM EST from Lakeland, FL, and will locate the center of Tropical Storm Eta as well as its peak surface winds. Tail Doppler Radar onboard the aircraft will also retrieve wind measurements that are critical to the initialization of hurricane simulations.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) tasked NOAA’s G-IV to conduct synoptic surveillance around the perimeter of the system, and took off from Lakeland, FL, at 12:30 AM EST on Tuesday, November 10. Dropsonde data from this mission was used to improve the track and intensity forecast of Eta.
Measurements from all aircraft will be used in real time to adjust the prediction of Tropical Storm Eta. Hurricane experts anticipate subsequent missions to provide up-to-date information to NHC and EMC for their official forecasts.
>> Scientist K. Ryan
>> Edits by R. Kravetz / L. Bucci
For details about reconnaissance aircraft missions, please see NOAA’s official Plan of the Day.
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