http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/ ... -headlines
MIAMI It stands like a sentry, on the lookout for tempests round-the-clock. Yet, until this year, South Florida's primary weather Doppler radar had been unable to detect the most dreaded of tropical storms, those that explode in strength just before reaching land.
Now, the bulbous installation in remote southwestern Miami-Dade County has been enhanced with a new program to better predict a storm's intensity at the point of impact. That should spur better hurricane preparations and evacuations, officials said.
We're hoping that when there's this trend of rapid intensification, this program will essentially ring a bell for us," said Colin McAdie, a research meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami-Dade County.
Called VORTRAC, for Vortex Objective Radar Tracking and Circulation, the program, in essence, is a mathematical formula. When used to sift and rearrange data furnished by the radar, it gives forecasters a close reading of the atmospheric pressure at a storm's heart.
With that measurement supplied every six minutes — as opposed to several hours prior to the program — forecasters can quickly spot any strengthening or weakening. Developed by two government agencies, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., the program is being field-tested for the first time this year.
S. FL hurricane strength easier to predict with new radar
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Re: S. FL hurricane strength easier to predict with new radar
Looks more like a good post analysis (Spelling?) tool.
A rapidly intensifying storm would signal with a change in core dynamics true. You would only get a few hours warning in the case of a storm like Charley. That is not enough time for the media to react. Go back and look at the storm2k Charley threads if they are still archived. Scary!
A rapidly intensifying storm would signal with a change in core dynamics true. You would only get a few hours warning in the case of a storm like Charley. That is not enough time for the media to react. Go back and look at the storm2k Charley threads if they are still archived. Scary!
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Re: S. FL hurricane strength easier to predict with new radar
what good would this have done with charley
they notice a storm what (3 hours) from the coast way to late to have a safe massive evacuation IMO well i guess it would help a small number evacuate, but you wouldn't want to cause a major traffic back in front of a rapidly intensifying storm, these people always make unsupported claims regarding how the new improved radar will save us.
now on the plus side, anyone looking at the visible or infared knew charley had strengthened significantly but could not tell if it was 120 or 140 mph a big difference.
but i would doubt
1. a radar could do that as accurately as a reconaissance plane or reliably
2. and that even if it could, it would make much of a difference (not like it would be the best idea for people to board up there house with a hurricane so close or to all run to shelters, but more so to know the storm about to hit them will give them more of a beating then they thought.
i am open to other perspectives of course, if they make sense to me
anyone know how many miles this radar would be able to be useful over
they notice a storm what (3 hours) from the coast way to late to have a safe massive evacuation IMO well i guess it would help a small number evacuate, but you wouldn't want to cause a major traffic back in front of a rapidly intensifying storm, these people always make unsupported claims regarding how the new improved radar will save us.
now on the plus side, anyone looking at the visible or infared knew charley had strengthened significantly but could not tell if it was 120 or 140 mph a big difference.
but i would doubt
1. a radar could do that as accurately as a reconaissance plane or reliably
2. and that even if it could, it would make much of a difference (not like it would be the best idea for people to board up there house with a hurricane so close or to all run to shelters, but more so to know the storm about to hit them will give them more of a beating then they thought.
i am open to other perspectives of course, if they make sense to me
anyone know how many miles this radar would be able to be useful over
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Re: S. FL hurricane strength easier to predict with new radar
Someone mentioned the archives on Charley. Can you tell me how to access them?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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- wxman57
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Re: S. FL hurricane strength easier to predict with new radar
Coastal radar would only come into play 3-6 hours prior to landfall when TS-force winds are already lashing the coast. While the radar would be a good tool for post-storm analysis, it would be useless for pre-storm preparations.
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