Accuracy of hurricane surface windspeed analyses

What is it about?

Sometimes, the wind at the surface around a hurricane is the same around the storm center (what we call a symmetric pattern), and at other times, it is different (what we call an asymmetric pattern). In addition, sometimes the wind pattern stays the same, and sometimes it changes quickly. This study looks at how accurate analyses of the wind at the surface are likely to be based on how symmetric it is and how much it changes in time.

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Why is it important?

Important Conclusions: - Analyses of surface wind speed from hurricane hunter aircraft observations are more accurate the more symmetric the surface wind field is. - If the storm’s surface wind is changing in time, these analyses will not be as accurate as when it is not changing. - This finding can be used to tell hurricane forecasters how accurate an individual analysis is likely to be.