Wind Field Queston...

[mb229]

In reading a hurricane advisory, is the distance given for the extent of the wind field a radius distance, or a diameter distance

For example:
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES... 75 KM...FROM THE CENTER

Thanks!

[djti]

"from the center" implies radius.

[Anonymous]

If it was perfectly symetric, this would total 90 miles across... however, the marine advisory gives specific details of each quadrant... so its actually 70 mile NW-SE across

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MI ... 2024.shtml?

Code: Select all

EYE DIAMETER  25 NM
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS  90 KT WITH GUSTS TO 110 KT.
64 KT....... 30NE  30SE  30SW  40NW.
50 KT....... 60NE  60SE  60SW  70NW.
34 KT.......100NE 100SE 100SW 120NW.
12 FT SEAS..540NE 400SE 400SW 600NW.
WINDS AND SEAS VARY GREATLY IN EACH QUADRANT.  RADII IN NAUTICAL
MILES ARE THE LARGEST RADII EXPECTED ANYWHERE IN THAT QUADRANT.


[mb229]

Thanks much for the clarifications!

[abajan]

There's something else about the wind fields that I only discovered during the passage of Ivan. Have a look at this:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/pu ... shtml?text

Parts of Barbados experienced gusts up to 90 mph even though Ivan's center passed over 100 miles to the south of the island. This means that when it's stated that hurricane force winds extend outward up to (say) 80 miles from the center, they're actually talking about sustained winds.