Doppler Velocities in Rain Bands of Hurricane Belle,
Abstract
Hurricane Belle skirted the east coast of the U.S. during the evening of 9 August 1976, crossed Long Island just east of New York City shortly after midnight, and dissipated in the mountainous country of western and northern New England. Several of the hurricane rain bands passed over the AFGL Doppler radar site at Sudbury, Mass., providing an excellent opportunity for monitoring local winds aloft in the hurricane circulation, using the VAD technique of Lhermitte and Atlas. In the outer and middle bands there was a low-level wind maximum from the northeast quadrant at heights well under 1 km, with strong directional shear up to 3-5 km where there was generally a wind maximum from the SSE. Generally the winds veered with height but during a brief period they backed. Winds at the cirrus level of 6-9 km were consistently from the south. Maximum wind speeds were 25 to 30 m/sec. Interesting velocity information was also acquired at low elevation angles in remote portions of bands. Velocity patterns in the innermost rain band indicated a period of intense deformation, pronounced curvature of the wind field, and speeds up to at least 35 m/sec, which is consistent with the proximity of the center of low pressure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA051944
Entities
People
- Michael J. Kraus
- Ralph J. Donaldson Jr.
- Rolandj. Boucher
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory