Commander Stacy Stewart back at NHC

[Chacor]

See Hernan discussion 21:

087
WTPZ44 KNHC 112030
TCDEP4
TROPICAL STORM HERNAN DISCUSSION NUMBER 21
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP092008
200 PM PDT MON AUG 11 2008

HERNAN WAS DIAGNOSED AS A MARGINAL HURRICANE AT THE 18Z SYNOPTIC
TIME...BUT SINCE THEN THE LOW-LEVEL AND UPPER-LEVEL CIRCULATIONS
HAVE STARTED TO DECOUPLE. BASED ON THIS MOST RECENT SATELLITE
TREND...HERNAN HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO A 60-KT TROPICAL STORM AT THE
21Z ADVISORY TIME.

NOW THAT THE LOW- TO MID-LEVEL CIRCULATIONS HAVE STARTED TO DECOUPLE
FROM THE UPPER-LEVEL CIRCULATION...HERNAN IS EXPECTED TO MAKE MORE
OF A WESTWARD AND WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD MOTION AS IT COMES UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF THE STRONG LOW-LEVEL RIDGING TO THE NORTH OF THE
CYCLONE. THIS FORECAST SCENARIO IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSENSUS OF
ALL OF THE NHC MODELS. HERNAN OR ITS REMNANT CIRCULATION IS
EXPECTED TO CROSS INTO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC BASIN ON THURSDAY.

HERNAN WILL BE PASSING OVER SUB-24C SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES FOR THE
NEXT 48 HOURS...WHICH SHOULD INDUCE CONTINUED WEAKENING. HOWEVER...
BY 72 HOURS...THE CYCLONE WILL BE MOVING OVER 25C AND WARMER SSTS
AND ALSO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIGHT SOUTHEASTERLY UPPER-LEVEL
SHEAR...WHICH COULD ALLOW FOR SOME REDEVELOPMENT OF CONVECTION THAT
WOULD HELP MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM AS A TROPICAL CYCLONE RATHER THAN A
REMNANT LOW AT DAYS 4 AND 5.

FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INITIAL 11/2100Z 19.0N 131.2W 60 KT
12HR VT 12/0600Z 18.9N 132.3W 55 KT
24HR VT 12/1800Z 18.5N 133.9W 45 KT
36HR VT 13/0600Z 18.0N 135.4W 40 KT
48HR VT 13/1800Z 17.6N 137.2W 35 KT
72HR VT 14/1800Z 16.5N 140.5W 30 KT
96HR VT 15/1800Z 16.0N 144.5W 25 KT...REMNANT LOW
120HR VT 16/1800Z 16.0N 148.5W 25 KT...REMNANT LOW

$$
FORECASTER STEWART/PASCH

[RL3AO]

Good to see him back. They might need everyone they can get this week.

[RL3AO]

I found this.


Just what the National Hurricane Center needs, what with a very active storm season predicted: one of its most senior hurricane specialists, Stacy Stewart, has gone on military leave until July 2008.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/blog/2007/05/national_hurricane_center_lose.html

[artist]

Welcome back Stacy Stewart and thank you for serving our country!

[yzerfan]

Glad to see him back. Here's the NHC press release:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/stacy_returns.shtml

[tronbunny]

Cmdr. Stewart is a model citizen, with his total dedication to public service.
What a guy

[HURAKAN]

NHC Welcomes Back Stacy Stewart

Navy Reservist served in Iraq as part of troop surge

Image of Stacy Stewart, Hurricane Specialist at NHC By Dennis Feltgen, NOAA NHC Public Affairs Officer

After nearly 20 months of active duty, Commander Stacy Stewart has returned to his civilian job as a Senior Hurricane Specialist at NOAA's National Hurricane Center in Miami.

His biggest adjustment is returning to South Florida traffic. "I was used to driving down the middle of the road in a 15,000 pound Hummer with a .50 caliber machine gun and avoiding any kind of debris," he said.

A 35-year Navy reservist, Stewart was recalled to active duty in January 2007 to aid in the troop surge in Iraq. He was part of the Coalition Army Advisory Training Team, providing advice and mentorship to three Iraqi Army divisions at An Neumaniyah Military Base. That's 20,000 Iraqi soldiers. He also assisted in the training of three Iraqi brigades.

Stewart says his greatest challenge in Iraq was just staying alive during any of the 160 end to end convoy movements in which he participated. "Once you left the base, you were no longer safe, even for just a few miles." During a mission on March 27, 2008, with Stewart serving as the forward machine gunner behind ballistic glass on top of a Hummer vehicle, an IED (improvised explosive device) detonated alongside the vehicle. No one was killed, but Stewart's left leg and knee were injured in the blast. Fortunately, he only required four months of physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Stewart is very adamant about his tour in Iraq. "I was honored to be able to go to Iraq as part of the surge. I saw it from the inside and I am proud of what my four teams accomplished. Iraq is a much better place now."

What he missed most while away was his family and co-workers. Being on an Iraqi base, there was no Post Exchange, post office, or chaplain. A food convoy had to be picked up and escorted 80 kilometers to his base every two weeks. The weather was rather dull, too. "There is not much weather in Iraq, just a lot of sand, dust and 125 degree heat. Sometimes, the sea breeze arrived and knocked it down to 115 in southern Iraq."

Back at the National Hurricane Center, Stewart is rapidly catching up on some of the revised operational procedures used to distribute the routine hurricane products, as well as working with some of the new computer models. He is already back at work with his NHC colleagues and issuing tropical cyclone advisories.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Four months of rehab? I bet he could have gone home early if he wanted for that wound.

[jlauderdal]

Back at the National Hurricane Center, Stewart is rapidly catching up on some of the revised operational procedures used to distribute the routine hurricane products, as well as working with some of the new computer models.

yeah and after observing fay he has determined things havent changed with the models...

[SouthFLTropics]

Thank you to Commander Stewart for his service here and abroad.