Early use of 'hurricane hunter' data improves hurricane intensity predictions
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Data collected via airplane when a hurricane is developing can improve hurricane intensity predictions by up to 15 percent, according to Penn State researcher Yonghui Weng and Fuqing Zhang, professor of meteorology.
The research team found that airborne reconnaissance data reduced forecast errors by more than 10 percent for both wind speed and sea level pressure, two major components of a hurricane's intensity. Image: © iStock Photo Cheryl Casey
By Liam Jackson, May 25, 2016