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NCDC > Satellite Data > HURSAT: Hurricane Satellite Data

The NCDC Hurricane Satellite (HURSAT) Microwave data set consist of raw satellite observations derived from the SSMI Sensor Data Records (SDR) data centered on historical tropical cyclones (TC).

Current Data Set Version Beta
Updates To be updated as needed. See revision plans for more information.
Number of storms 1233 tropical cyclones
Number of storm observations 34,539 netCDF files
(Average of 28 observations per storm)
Temporal coverage Aug. 12, 1993 to Nov. 20, 2006
Temporal resolution Dependent on number of operational SSMI
Spatial coverage Global coverage
Basins All tropical cyclone-prone basins in the world
Spatial resolutions Data are provided in two forms: gridded and swath.
  • Swath - Native satellite swaths (resolution varies from ~15km to 70km)
  • Gridded - Interpolated to 8km (to match HURSAT-B1)
Data set grid Data from within ~1100 km of the interpolated storm center are provided.
The gridded data are provided at 0.07 deg lat/lon grid centered on the storm location at the time of image on a 301x301 grid.
Spectral coverage
  • 19 GHz (Vertical & Horizontally polarized)
  • 22 GHz (Vertically polarized)
  • 37 GHz (Vertical & Horizontally polarized)
  • 85 GHz (Vertical & Horizontally polarized)
Satellites F10, F11, F13, F14, F15
Format
  • netCDF
  • Each netCDF file is a snapshot of the storm from one of the satellites.
  • Multiple netCDF files are possible when a storm is visible by two satellites at the same time.
Data set generation Hurricane database (HURDAT) and "best track" information (from the JTWC) were used to locate potential SSMI overflights. When SSMI was nearby, the 6-hourly storm track was interpolated to a position coincident with the SSMI observation. The interpolated position represents the center of the data grid.temporally-interpolated to match the 3-hourly satellite resolution. The satellite data were then interpolated to 8km. NetCDF files also contain the swath data at the native satellite resolution.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/rsad/hursat/index.php
Created by Ken.Knapp@noaa.gov
Downloaded Monday, 22-Sep-2008 15:31:16 EDT
Last Updated Tuesday, 27-Nov-2007 09:31:50 EST by Ken.Knapp@noaa.gov
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