Air-Sea Observations in Hurricane Edouard of 2014 and Comparison with Operational Coupled Numerical Model Forecast

A comprehensive set of meteorological and oceanographic data was obtained in Hurricane Edouard of 2014. Scientists from the NOAA/AOML and NOAA/ESRL collected these observations primarily using NOAA aircraft operating during the annual Hurricane Field Program, in close collaboration with NASA’s Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel field experiment. Of particular interest is the large number of acquired ocean temperature, salinity, and current profiles which provide a detailed view of the upper ocean evolution in response to a major Category-3 hurricane. Additionally, dense atmospheric sampling near the sea surface provides high quality estimates of surface energy and momentum fluxes. Observational data indicate sea surface temperature (SST) cooling of 1-2 deg. C in the inner core of the storm as a result of vertical current shear-induced mixing was partly responsible for limiting surface heat and moisture fluxes; however, large variability in near-surface temperature and humidity also played a significant role in modulating the flux distributions independent of SST and winds. Along with the analysis of observational data, we are evaluating physical details of the operational coupled hurricane forecast model (HWRF+POM-TC) which is used by the National Hurricane Center to issue forecasts of storm track and intensity.