Hurricane Underwater Gliders for Atlantic Hurricane Forecast Improvement

Authors

Rick Lumpkin, Physical Oceanography DivisionFollow

BOOC Keywords

Atlantic, hurricanes, ocean heat content

Abstract

The genesis, path, and intensity of Atlantic Ocean hurricanes are linked to atmospheric and ocean conditions. During the last 20 years, the improvements of hurricane intensity forecasts, and in particular of rapid intensification, have lagged behind those of hurricane track forecasts.

In general, when the appropriate atmospheric conditions (e.g. low wind shear or change of wind velocity with height) are present, hurricanes have the potential to intensify when a ocean conditions are optimal to provide heat energy.

NOAA currently operates underwater gliders in the Caribbean Sea, in the tropical Atlantic off Puerto Rico, and off the Bahamas. These gliders provide 15,000 real-time temperature and salinity profiles during each hurricane season that are assimilated into NOAA operational forecast models

Recommended Citation

Lumpkin, Rick (2022) "Hurricane Underwater Gliders for Atlantic Hurricane Forecast Improvement," Benefits of Ocean Observing Catalog (BOOC): Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 64.
Available at: https://cbe.miis.edu/booc/vol2/iss1/64

Document Type

Article