A Short Note on the Rapid Intensification of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Hurricanes Harvey and Irma had a huge impact on the Southern United States and in the case of Irma, also parts of the Caribbean Islands. Here we focus on the impact of both hurricanes following a period of rapid intensification. The structure of hurricanes were examined using wind data made available from aircraft reconnaissance missions. Intense convection developed in a region where the winds in the lower to middle levels turned anticyclonically with height. Earlier studies showed that this wind structure was similar to that would be found in an ascent region theoretically associated with Quasi-Geostrophic warm air advection. Keywords: anticyclonic turning, convection, winds