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 Hurricanes no longer strike unannounced. Since the 1960s, satellite photos of cloud movement have helped meteorologists identify and track developing storms. Infrared sensors on satellites can reveal information about temperature and humidity, conditions linked with hurricane formation.
Hurricane Hunting
For decades, meteorologists have been able to gather storm data at ground level and in the lower atmosphere. But since 1944, specially trained pilots called “Hurricane Hunters” have flown right where the action is: into hurricanes.
These pilots—which come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force Reserve—are accompanied by a crew of specialists who monitor flight conditions and storm data. Instruments on the planes collect information on wind, rain, air pressure, and temperature.
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Doppler radar on the plane’s nose and underside record rainfall density. Doppler radar on the plane’s tail records wind speeds, which is what forecasters use to assign hurricanes their rating of Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest).
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Dropsondes are launched from a Hurricane Hunter plane at several thousand meters. A dropsonde collects data on temperature, air pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction inside a storm. After its release, a dropsonde has up to 15 minutes to transmit data before hitting the water. Most dropsondes are not retrieved after they are released; recovering them from the open sea is close to impossible.
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The data from these instruments is radioed to on-board computers and then relayed to the National Hurricane Center, where it is used to forecast the path and intensity of the storm.
Continue to Hurricane Katrina. >>
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