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Assessing Hurricane Intensity Using Satellites

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Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change

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Abstract

Tropical cyclones spend most of their life cycle over the tropical and subtropical oceans. Because of the lack of in situ data in these regions, satellite observations are fundamental for tracking and estimating the intensity of these storms for real-time forecasting and monitoring climate trends. This chapter reviews methods for estimating tropical cyclone intensity from satellites, including those based on visible, infrared, and microwave instruments. Satellite intensity estimates are transitioning from subjective to objective methods, and new instruments on the next generation of NOAA low-earth orbiting and geostationary satellites hold promise for continued improvement in satellite analysis of tropical cyclones.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. RAMMB Branch, NOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Mark DeMaria & John A. Knaff

  2. Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Raymond Zehr

Authors
  1. Mark DeMaria
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  2. John A. Knaff
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  3. Raymond Zehr
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark DeMaria .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Environmental Science and Technology, George Mason University, Fairfax, 22030, USA

    John Qu

  2. Administration, NOAA/NESDIS, Center for Satellite Application and Res, National Oceanic & Atmospheric, Auth Road 5200, Camp Springs, 20746, Maryland, USA

    Alfred Powell

  3. , Climate and Water Programme, World Meteorological Organization, 7bis, Avenue de la Paix, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland

    M.V.K. Sivakumar

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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DeMaria, M., Knaff, J.A., Zehr, R. (2013). Assessing Hurricane Intensity Using Satellites. In: Qu, J., Powell, A., Sivakumar, M. (eds) Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_10

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