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Evaluating HWRF Forecasts of Tropical Cyclone Intensity and Structure in the North Atlantic Basin. Dany Tran 11/2/2011. Focus. Expand our understanding of the effects high resolution models and forecasts can have on tropical cyclone operations Improve depiction of structure and intensity
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Evaluating HWRF Forecasts of Tropical Cyclone Intensity and Structure in the North AtlanticBasin Dany Tran 11/2/2011
Focus • Expand our understanding of the effects high resolution models and forecasts can have on tropical cyclone operations • Improve depiction of structure and intensity • Improve quality of 48-72hr forecasts relative to the featured locations
Objectives • Evaluate wind field and rain band structures of cyclones before/after rapid intensification • Evaluate accuracy of HWRF predicted feature locations and magnitude of landfalling Tropical cyclones • Pin-point onset of threshold winds for impact areas especially for landfalling TC
Hurricane WRF (HWRF)….What is it • The Weather Research and Forecast Modeling System for Hurricanes (HWRF) became operational in the year 2007. • Constantly improved to increase the forecast skill for track, intensity and structure. • Utilizes the WRF infrastructure. • http://moe.met.fsu.edu/tcgengifs/
Approach • Hurricane Earl (2010) will be investigated. • http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/products/tc_realtime/archive_model_data.asp?product=hwrfprec&storm_identifier=al072010 • At least two cases from 2011 hurricane season.
Science • How well cyclone circulation is represented in the 27, 9 and 3km domains • How does the magnitude of low level inflow affect intensity changes in HWRF • Effect of storm-size correction approach used in HWRF vortex initialization • Can alternate model configurations improve forecasts of intensity • Ocean coupling effect
Examples of post-landfall effects • Hurricane Katrina (2005) – Significant damage as a post-landfall cyclone (slow-changing) • Hurricane Fay (2008) – triggered extreme flooding (rapidly-changing)