From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Weather reconnaissance
Weather reconnaissance
53rd WRS Hurricane Hunters operate ten WC-130J air-
craft for weather reconnaissance.
The WP-3D Orion aircraft flown by the NOAA Hurri-
cane Hunters are heavily instrumented flying laborato-
ries specifically modified to take atmospheric and radar
measurements within tropical cyclones and winter
storms.
The NOAA Gulfstream IV high altitude jet conducts
hurricane surveillance flying upwards of 4,000 miles
A WC-130 Weatherbird hurricane hunter (6,400 km) each flight to document upper and lower level
winds that affect the movement of tropical cyclones. The
Weather reconnaissance is the acquisition of weather hurricane models (computer models predicting hurri-
data used for research and planning. Typically the term cane tracks and intensity) mainly utilize NOAA G-IV
reconnaissance refers to observing weather from the air, dropwindsonde data that is collected both day and night
as opposed to the ground (for example, ground based in storms affecting the United States.
weather radar). Other aircraft have been used to investigate hurri-
canes, including an instrumented Lockheed U-2 that was
flown in Hurricane Ginny during the 1963 Atlantic hurri-
Methods cane season.
Past aircraft used were the A-20 Havoc, 1944; B-24,
Aircraft 1944–1945; B-17, 1945–1947; B-25, 1946–1947; B-29,
1946–1947. WB-29, 1951–1956; WB-50, 1956–1963; WB-47,
1963–1969; WC-121N 1954-1973; WC-130A,B,E,H,
1965-2005.
Satellite
Watercraft
Watercraft deployed for use as weather ships have fallen
out of favor due to their high operating cost. Unmanned
weather buoys, replaced weather ships when they be-
came prohibitively expensive.[2] Since the 1970s, their
role has been largely superseded by weather buoys by
design.[3] Across the northern Atlantic, the number of
weather ships dwindled over the years. The original nine
Weather balloon
ships in the region had fallen to eight by the 1970s. In
1974, the Coast Guard announced plans to terminate the
Helicopter
United States stations, and, in 1977, the last United States
Helicopters are not built to withstand the severe turbu-
weather ship was replaced by a newly-developed weath-
lence encountered in hurricane rainbands and eye walls.
er buoy.[4]
One reason is that a helicopter receives all of its lift from
By 1983, data was still being collected by ships M
its rotating blades, and they are most likely to break off
("Mike"), R ("Romeo"), C ("Charlie"), and L ("Lima"),[5]
in hurricane conditions.[1]
Because of high operating costs and budget issues,
Fixed-wing aircraft
weather ship R ("Romeo") was recalled from the Bay of
The Lockheed WC-130J aircraft is a venerable workhorse.
Biscay before the deployment of a weather buoy for the
It flies directly into the hurricane, typically penetrating
region. This recall was blamed for the minimal warning
the hurricane’s eye several times per mission at altitudes
given in advance of the Great Storm of 1987.[6] The last
between 500 feet (150 m) and 10,000 feet (3,000 m). The
weather ship was Polarfront, known as weather station
M ("Mike") at 66°N, 02°E, run by the Norwegian Mete-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Weather reconnaissance
orological Institute. Polarfront was put out of operation [2] J. F. Robin McIlveen (1998). Fundamentals of weather
1 January 2010. Despite the loss of designated weather and climate. Psychology Press. p. 31.
ships, weather observations from ships continue from a ISBN 9780748740796. http://books.google.com/
fleet of voluntary merchant vessels in routine commer- books?id=TmdlBqzl9WIC&pg=PA31&dq=weather+ship+network+bo
cial operation, which have increased in number over the Retrieved 2011-01-18.
decades. [3] National Research Council (U.S.). Ocean Science
Committee, National Research Council (U.S.). Study
Applications Panel on Ocean Atmosphere Interaction (1974). The
role of the ocean in predicting climate: a report of
workshops conducted by Study Panel on Ocean
Military Atmosphere Interaction under the auspices of the Ocean
Science Committee of the Ocean Affairs Board,
Research Commission on Natural Resources, National Research
Council. National Academies. p. 40.
Spaceflight planning http://books.google.com/
Images from satellites provide a resource for forecasting books?id=2zQrAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA40&dq=weather+ship+network+b
weather for NASA Space Shuttle launches and landings. Retrieved 2011-01-18.
Meteorologists analyze images to predict regions of [4] Robertson P. Dinsmore (December 1996). "Alpha,
cloud formation and dissipation. Special attention is paid Bravo, Charlie... Ocean Weather Ships 1940-1980".
to low clouds and convective cloud particularly cumu- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Marine
lonimbus incus clouds. Satellite imagery is used to as- Operations. http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/
certain cloud-top temperatures to analyze the potential viewArticle.do?id=2343. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
for lightning. Certain types of imagery are valued for [5] Pan-European Infrastructure for Ocean & Marine
their ability to view fog and low clouds at night. Satellite Data Management (2010-09-11). "North Atlantic
imagery in the long term can help enhance the shuttle Ocean Weather Ship (OWS) Surface Meteorological
flight landing procedure.[7] Data (1945-1983)". British Oceanographic Data
Prior to shuttle launches or landings, pilots fly air- Centre. http://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/
craft that provide cloud, wind, turbulence, visibility, and information_and_inventories/edmed/report/
precipitation information. Aircraft are flown along the 1048041/. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
future flight path of the shuttle and observations are not- [6] "Romeo Would Have Spied the Storm". New Scientist
ed. This complements radar and satellite data and only (IPC Magazines) 116 (1583): 22. 1987-10-22.
provides information that is useful for short-term (up to http://books.google.com/
four hours before launch or landing) but not long-term books?id=nCLWnFozM6EC&pg=PA25&dq=weather+ship+network+
forecasting. Aerial reconnaissance often provides a more Retrieved 2011-01-18.
accurate assessment of weather conditions than radar or [7] ^ "Operations of the National Weather Service
satellite imagery.[7] Spaceflight Meteorology Group". American
Weather reconnaissance is also provided by weather Meteorological Society. 1997.
balloons.[7] http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/
1520-0434%281997%29012%3C0526:OOTNWS%3E2.0.CO%3B2.
References Retrieved 6 February 2011.
[1] "FAQ". http://www.aoc.noaa.gov/
faq.htm#canhelosbeusedinhurrrsch. Retrieved 6
February 2011.
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