Frontiers in Marine Science (Jan 2024)
Surface ocean warming near the core of hurricane Sam and its representation in forecast models
- Andrew M. Chiodi,
- Andrew M. Chiodi,
- Hristina Hristova,
- Hristina Hristova,
- Gregory R. Foltz,
- Jun A. Zhang,
- Jun A. Zhang,
- Calvin W. Mordy,
- Calvin W. Mordy,
- Catherine R. Edwards,
- Chidong Zhang,
- Christian Meinig,
- Dongxiao Zhang,
- Dongxiao Zhang,
- Edoardo Mazza,
- Edward D. Cokelet,
- Eugene F. Burger,
- Francis Bringas,
- Gustavo Goni,
- Hyun-Sook Kim,
- Sue Chen,
- Joaquin Triñanes,
- Joaquin Triñanes,
- Joaquin Triñanes,
- Kathleen Bailey,
- Kevin M. O’Brien,
- Kevin M. O’Brien,
- Maria Morales-Caez,
- Noah Lawrence-Slavas,
- Shuyi S. Chen,
- Xingchao Chen
Affiliations
- Andrew M. Chiodi
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Andrew M. Chiodi
- The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Hristina Hristova
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Hristina Hristova
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Gregory R. Foltz
- Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
- Jun A. Zhang
- Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
- Jun A. Zhang
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- Calvin W. Mordy
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Calvin W. Mordy
- The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Catherine R. Edwards
- Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, University of Georgia, Savannah, GA, United States
- Chidong Zhang
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Christian Meinig
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Dongxiao Zhang
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Dongxiao Zhang
- The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Edoardo Mazza
- The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Edward D. Cokelet
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Eugene F. Burger
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Francis Bringas
- Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
- Gustavo Goni
- Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
- Hyun-Sook Kim
- Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
- Sue Chen
- Marine Meteorology Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA, United States
- Joaquin Triñanes
- Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
- Joaquin Triñanes
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- Joaquin Triñanes
- Laboratory of Systems, Technological Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago, Spain
- Kathleen Bailey
- United States Integrated Ocean Observing System, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Kevin M. O’Brien
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Kevin M. O’Brien
- The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Maria Morales-Caez
- 0Penn State University, State College, PA, United States
- Noah Lawrence-Slavas
- Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, United States
- Shuyi S. Chen
- The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Xingchao Chen
- 0Penn State University, State College, PA, United States
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1297974
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 10
Abstract
On September 30, 2021, a saildrone uncrewed surface vehicle intercepted Hurricane Sam in the northwestern tropical Atlantic and provided continuous observations near the eyewall. Measured surface ocean temperature unexpectedly increased during the first half of the storm. Saildrone current shear and upper-ocean structure from the nearest Argo profiles show an initial trapping of wind momentum by a strong halocline in the upper 30 m, followed by deeper mixing and entrainment of warmer subsurface water into the mixed layer. The ocean initial conditions provided to operational forecast models failed to capture the observed upper-ocean structure. The forecast models failed to simulate the warming and developed a surface cold bias of ~0.5°C by the time peak winds were observed, resulting in a 12-17% underestimation of surface enthalpy flux near the eyewall. Results imply that enhanced upper-ocean observations and, critically, improved assimilation into the hurricane forecast systems, could directly benefit hurricane intensity forecasts.
Keywords
- tropical cyclones
- saildrone intercept
- enthalpy flux
- salinity stratification
- temperature inversions
- ARGO
