SST and Hurricane Connections Basic (22 Aug - 3 Sep 1998)

  • Credit

    NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Sea Surface Temp and Hurricane Connections: TRMM and GOES, Aug. 22, 1998 through Sept. 3, 1998 (Basic version)

For years scientists have known of the strong correlation between sea surface temperature and the intensity of hurricanes. But one of the major stumbling blocks for forecasters has been the precise measurement of those temperatures when a storm begins to form. Traditional techniques for sea surface temperature measurement can not see through clouds. Now researchers using the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite have developed a technique for looking through clouds that is likely to enhance forecasters' abilities to predict hurricane intensity before their massive energies fully develop. A hurricane gathers energy from warm waters found in tropical latitudes. As Hurricane Bonnie crosses the Atlantic, it leaves a cooler trail of water in its wake. As Hurricane Danielle crosses Bonnie's path, the wind speed of the second storm drops markedly, as available energy to fuel the storm's engine drops off. As Danielle crosses Bonnie's wake, however, winds speeds increase due to temperature increases in surface water around the storm.

A combined image of clouds from GOES and sea surface temperatures from TRMM in the Atlantic on August 27, 1998. This image shows Hurricane Bonnie over the East Coast of the United States and the cool water track that Bonnie left in its wake. Hurricane Danielle is in the lower right corner of the image.

Metadata

  • Sensor

    TRMM/TMI

  • Animation ID

    1065

  • Video ID

    SVS2000-0001

  • Start Timecode

    01:06:37:00

  • End Timecode

    01:07:59:00

  • Animator

    Tom Bridgman, Greg Shirah

  • Studio

    SVS

  • Visualization Date

    2000/05/03

  • Scientist

    Chris Kummerow (NASA/GSFC)

  • Datasets

    Sea Surface Temperature

  • Keywords

    HDTV, Hurricane

  • DLESE Subject

    Natural hazards, Atmospheric science, Physical oceanography

  • Data Date

    1998/08/22-1998/009/03

  • Pao ID

    G00-025, G00-038, G00-101, G01-001, G01-029, G03-036, G03-051

  • Story URL

    stories/hurricanes/index.html

  • Animation Type

    Regular