Please answer all the questions and parts to them. Lesson 11 Lab Name __________
ID: 803003 • Letter: P
Question
Please answer all the questions and parts to them.
Lesson 11 Lab Name __________________________
1. Noting the potential birth regions of tropical cyclones, view the "Global Stitched IR" satellite image from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Monterey (Satellite Division) website.
http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/sat_products.html --> “Global Imagery”
Check for cloud patterns that may be associated with any tropical system formation. Include a printout of your chosen satellite image, indicating the location of your tropical system, and determine the stage of development (tropical disturbance, tropical depression, etc.). What are the different means you can use to determine its stage of development?
Be VERY careful to not get confused between “midlatitude” cyclones and “tropical” cyclones.
Also, you may use the NRL Monterey (Satellite Division) “Tropical Cyclones” section to help you in this activity.
2. You are in charge of a freighter that is low on fuel and caught in the vicinity of an
approaching hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Before running out of fuel, you can
position your vessel in one of the three positions (A, B, or C) shown in Figure 11.1.
Rank from best to worst, the safety of the three positions. Justify your reasoning.
Hurricane figure from:
A World of Weather: Fundamentals of Meteorology. Lee M. Grenci & Jon M. Nese. Kendall/Hunt Publishing.
3. The tracks of the Atlantic tropical systems during the historic 2005 hurricane season are displayed in Figure 11.2.
Figure 11.2
Hurricane map summary from:
NOAA National Weather Service – National Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tracks/tracks-at-2005.png
a. What is the official duration of the ‘Atlantic Hurricane Season’?
b. When does a tropical system receive a name? How many tropical systems were
named in 2005?
c. How many Atlantic hurricanes formed in 2005?
d. Which tropical system revealed the most erratic track? Explain your choice.
e. Which tropical system held the longest life span?
f. Which tropical system experienced the lowest atmospheric pressure within its eye?
g. Which tropical system ended up with the strongest sustained winds?
4. Figure 11.3 displays the track for Atlantic Hurricane Isabel in September of 2003 as it approached the U.S. East Coast. The position of the hurricane’s center is at time 1800Z 17 September 2003 (displayed on the map as 1718Z). All positions (in blue) depict actual past hurricane positions, while all positions after 1800Z 17 September are forecasted positions. All positions (past and forecasted) are spaced 12 hours apart.
Figure 11.3
Hurricane Isabel Track; September 2003
Hurricane Track Map from:
NRL Monterey Satellite Division (Tropical Cyclones),
http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html
a. What is the estimated position (latitude & longitude) of the hurricane eye at 1800Z
17 September 2003?
b. What is the estimated movement of the hurricane eye (direction & speed) at
1800Z 17 September 2003?
(Note that hurricane eye movement is not the same as hurricane wind speed)
c. What is the forecasted time/date and location of hurricane “landfall”?
(Use time & date format: “TimeZ, DayMonthYear” –
for example: 0200Z 02Feb2003)
d. After 1800Z 17 September 2003, is the hurricane eye movement forecasted to slow
down or speed up? Explain.
(Note that hurricane eye movement is not the same as hurricane wind speed)
e. What is the forecasted movement of the hurricane eye (direction & speed) right after
predicted landfall?
(Note that hurricane eye movement is not the same as hurricane wind speed)
Explanation / Answer
1. the typical pattern associated with the tropical storm is the curved band patterns. As the storm intensifies it band or coils around the cloud. Once the coil is completely wrapped around the center, the intensification of the storm is marked by the formation of an eye at the center or with increasing cold deep convection around the center
2. The b postion is the worst position because it comes directly under the eyewall of the storm. The eye wall of the storm is the destructive and dangerous part of tropical cyclone. It is associated with turbulent weather with strongest wind and heavy precpitation. After that A postion is relatively safer because of some distance from the cyclone. At last C position is the safest since the direction of winds are in opposite direction and also its distance from the cyclone.
3.a. The time of the year on which hurricanes form in the Atlantic ocean. There is a distinct hurricane season in Atlantic which occurs from June 1- november 30. The peak seasons are late august to september.
b. These tropical systems are given names when they shows a wind speed of 39 miles/hour and rotating circulation patterns. In 2005 28 of the tropical storms were given a name eg. Ten, Gert, Harvey
c. Out of the 28 tropical storms 15 formed hurricane eg. hurricane katrina, wilma, ophelia, wilma etc. Most of the hurricanes formed were category 4 and 5.
d. The hurricane has the most erratic track because here the wind velocity and turbulence in the atmosphere is highest
g. The most intensive storm with stongest sustained wind in 2005 was the Hurricane Wilma. It was the category 5 storm with 185 mph wind speed
4. a the estimated latitude and longitude of the hurricane eye at 1800Z is 33 degree N and 75 degree west
b. The hurricane has moved about 70 miles towards north