Quick Question

[vacanechaser]

I have a question for you guys, Why would the NHC have someone from the the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center do the advisory? Just wondering. Have seen this in years past and have never found out as to why.

Thanx for any help

Jesse V. Bass III
http://www.vastormphoto.com
Hurricane Intercept Research Team

[Ivanhater]

i think someone said it was in case they had to take over for the nhc for some reason

[WindRunner]

Maybe the NHC is havign computer problems? Doubt it, though.

[EDR1222]

Hmm, I know the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center does the advisories when storms lose tropical characteristics over land but remain flood threats. Not sure about their other work with the NHC.

[vacanechaser]

I was just wondering if they did because they gave everyone some time since Irene looks like it may be coming further west and they think that it might threaten the east coast. Not to mention the heart of the season is one the way...


Jesse V. Bass III
http://www.vastormphoto.com
Hurricane Intercept Research Team

[hurricanefreak1988]

Well, they are the official backup of the NHC, if I remember correctly. I was wondering the same thing, though. I've seen this happen when the NHC has had computer problems, but it seems like the NHC planned for the HPC to take over, so that couldn't be it this time. I wonder what the reason was.

[DoctorHurricane2003]

A few possible reasons:

Hardware/Software Upgrades
Computer maintenance, general
Testing the backup location (usually happens at least once a year)
All of the forecasters requested today off

[MWatkins]

Yep these guys have pretty much covered all of the bases. Last year the HPC did a few forecasts in a row for I can't remember which storm. It's a good training exercise and gives these guys a chance...they complete internal forecasts and provide to the NHC for track verification anyway...and is a good test for the backups.

AFWA from time to time does the same thing for SPC...

MW

[DoctorHurricane2003]

Don't forget the Alternate Joint Typhoon Warning Center in....I believe its Yokohama, Japan.....they do the same thing (testing backup locations, etc.)

[Brent]

They are the backup for the NHC... it was probably scheduled computer upgrades or something, since at 5am they said it would be issued at 11am by the HPC.

[clfenwi]

HPC did a couple of packages for Hurricane Frank last year

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/di ... .007.shtml?

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/di ... .008.shtml?

also note that it is not a total site outage... TPC is still putting out all of the products that are done by the people who are not hurricane specialists.