Please join CPAESS for a virtual seminar talk with Ben Trabing, PH.D., CPAESS Associate Scientist III, National Hurricane Center (NHC)
Title: Are Forecasts of the Tropical Cyclone Radius of Maximum Wind Skillful?
When: Monday, June 17, 2024
11:00 AM MT (Virtual)
About Ben Trabing, Ph.D.
Ben Trabing, Ph.D., is an associate scientist at the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS). He is contracted to work in the Storm Surge Unit (SSU) at NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Trabing has authored and coauthored several peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. He is currently serving as an Associate Editor for the American Meteorological Society’s Monthly Weather Review and Weather and Forecasting journals. He is also on the planning committee for the Weather Analysis and Forecasting / Numerical Weather Prediction Conference. He has given dozens of presentations at scientific workshops and conferences on tropical cyclones and is an active member of the American Meteorological Society.
Description
The radius of maximum wind (RMW) is a key structural parameter of tropical cyclones that describes how far the strongest winds are from the storm’s center. The RMW is closely tied to significant hazards such as wind, storm surge, and rainfall. However, little forecast guidance is provided for the RMW resulting in forecasters using climatological estimates to help communicate hazard risk. In order to better forecast the RMW, we need to understand the performance of the few guidance techniques available. We compare RMW forecasts from the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) to two statistical models and a new climatological estimate. The performance of the models indicates that there is a strong need for improved guidance to predict tropical cyclone structure in addition to track and intensity.
In this presentation, we will discuss the current state of the art for RMW forecasting and how it has been motivated by storm surge modeling at the National Hurricane Center.
Watch the live webcast.
All participants will access the seminar via the webcast link and utilize Slido during the seminar for questions.
View the June flyer