GPS Dropwindsonde Wind Profiles in Hurricanes and Their Operational Implications by James Franklin, Michael Black and Krystal Valde of HRD was published in the February 2003 issue of Weather and Forecasting.  They documented, for the first time, broad wind-speed maxima about 500 m above the surface, and the decrease of wind speed from this maximum down to the surface.  They showed that, on average, the maximum wind speed at the surface is generally about 90% of that measured by reconnaissance aircraft flying at about 700 hPa.  The results led to changes in building codes, and to evacuation guidelines, as emergency managers had sometimes recommended vertical evacuations in tall buildings to avoid storm surge.  The work also led to changes in operational procedures and to re-evaluations of intensities of historic hurricanes such as Hurricane Andrew.

The paper subsequently won the prestigious American Meteorological Society Banner I. Miller Award, presented for an outstanding contribution to the science of hurricane and tropical weather forecasting published in a journal with international circulation.

The paper can be found at http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/1520-0434%282003%29018%3C0032%3AGDWPIH%3E2.0.CO%3B2