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Operational Tropical Cyclone Wind Speed Probabilities. Richard Knabb NOAA/NWS/National Hurricane Center 2007 Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference. Overview of wind speed probabilities. Replaced strike probabilities in 2006 Describe chances of a weather event at any specific location
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Operational Tropical CycloneWind Speed Probabilities Richard Knabb NOAA/NWS/National Hurricane Center 2007 Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
Overview of wind speed probabilities • Replaced strike probabilities in 2006 • Describe chances of a weather event at any specific location • Convey chances of wind speeds of at least particular thresholds • 34 kt (tropical storm force) • 50 kt • 64 kt (hurricane force) • Account for combined uncertainty in official track, intensity, and size forecasts • Extend to 5 days • Include inland locations
What questions do these products answer? • What are the chances this wind event will happen to me at all? • Do I need to prepare? • Cumulative period probabilities • NHC and CPHC graphics and text products • Northern hemispheric grids sent via WMO headers • National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) CONUS grids • When is the event most likely to start at my location? • How much time do I have left to prepare? • Individual period probabilities • NHC and CPHC text products
What questions do these products answer? • What are the chances the event will be occurring at my location during a specific period? • (example) Will hurricane-force winds occur in my city on Saturday night? • Incrementalprobabilities • NDFD • Might go out via WMO headers by 2008 • Being incorporated into WFO products
Probabilities Convey Uncertainties in Track, Intensity, and Size Forecasts Ernesto Advisory #11
Magnitudes of Cumulative Probabilities Vary Greatly But Realistically Katrina Advisory #5
Magnitudes of Cumulative Probabilities Vary Greatly But Realistically Katrina Advisory #18
Individual period probabilities help to understand timing uncertainty Chances of tropical storm force winds in Miami X
A Challenge During Ernesto Hurricane Watch
What is available via the NDFD(National Digital Forecast Database)? • Cumulative and incremental probabilities • Updated four times daily (00, 06, 12, 18 UTC) • 6 hourly 0-120 h • 34, 50, and 64 kt • CONUS domain only • 5 km grid spacing • Experimental during 2006, declared operational for 2007 hurricane season
Probabilities from NDFD Website www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/conusTropicalDay.php#tabs
Going forward • Continue outreach and education • Compare probabilities with watches/warnings • Account for varying forecast confidence? • Enhance Hurrevac capabilities • Experimental storm surge probabilities
For Additional Information… www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnhcprobs.shtml
For Additional Information… www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/index.shtml
For Additional Information… Richard.Knabb@noaa.gov