Lesson 1
Meteorological Satellite Orbits
Lesson 2
Review of Radiative Transfer
Lesson 3
Visible Image Interpretation
Lesson 4
Infrared Image Interpretation
Lesson 5
Multispectral Image Interpretation
Lesson 6
Fires & Aerosols
Lesson 7
Winds
Lesson 8
Sounders
Lesson 9
Fog and Stratus
Lesson 10
Thunderstorm
Lesson 11
Energy Budget
Lesson 12
Hurricanes
Lesson 13
Global Circulation
Lesson 14
Synoptic Scale
Lesson 15
Local Circulation
Lesson 16
Satellite Oceanography
Lesson 17
Precipitation

Lesson 12: Hurricanes


Objective: Use satellite images to identify and track a hurricane. Determine the surface pressure of a storm using the Dvorak technique.

Use McIDAS to analysis a hurricane identifying the location of the eye, convective bands and other features of the storm. Apply the Dvorak technique to estimate the surface pressure.

In your write-up include:

  1. Introduction: Discuss the importance of hurricanes and where they typically occur and when they typically occur. Discuss what features are required to get a hurrican to form.
  2. Data: Discuss the images you will be using, the time of year, the region and the storm you will be analyzing. What wavelengths will you be using to study the storm? Briefly outline the purpose and value of the Dvorak technique.
  3. Results: Discuss the results of your investigation. Include figures that are labeled with the storm features. Include a figure that tracks the path of the storm and determine when it was landfall. Include the results of your Dvorak analysis (but put table in the appendix). What is unique about the storm you are investigating?
  4. Summary: What did you learn from this study?
  5. References: As appropriate.

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