The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its partners are looking to harness new technologies and techniques to improve hurricane forecasting across the board.
They include the ability to determine hurricane track and intensity, as well as how rapidly the intensity will grow.
The new modeling and methods involve uncrewed sensor systems and NOAA’s world-famous Hurricane Hunter aircraft. NOAA put some of its new equipment on display at its Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida. These included:
- Air and ocean drones glider dropsondes.
- Uncrewed aircraft made by Black Swift, the Blackswift S0.
- The Altius 600, which was flown into the eye of a Hurricane last year.
- The land-launched Dragoon uncrewed aircraft system
- The new lightweight Streamsondes weather dropsondes.
- Underwater gliders to track storm tracks.
NOAA hopes that the tools will allow for better forecasting, ultimately leading to better protection of coastal communities from the devastating effects of hurricanes.
