The
Hurricane Research Division (HRD) is a section
of the
Atlantic
Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami,
Florida, and is the
National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) focus for tropical
cyclone research. The thirty member division is not a part of the
National Hurricane Center
but cooperates closely with them in carrying out its annual field
program and in transitioning research results into operational
tools for hurricane forecasters. HRD was formed from the
National Hurricane
Research Laboratory in 1984, when it was transferred to AOML
and unified with the oceanographic laboratories.
In August,
1992, the AOML/HRD facility sustained moderate damage after the
passage of Hurricane Andrew across
southern Dade County,
Florida
, however, despite significant personal disruption
to the lives of almost all of its staff members, HRD reconnaissance
flights continued into Andrew until it made a final landfall along
the Louisiana coastline several days later.
During the 1990's the HRD staff continued to refine its forecasting
models, and although a period that included the retirement or
transfer of several long-time key research staff members, flew
research flights into a number of notable hurricanes of that
decade, including
Hurricane Opal
(1995) and
Hurricane Georges
(1998).
During the disastrous
2005 Atlantic hurricane
season, the HRD staff flew ongoing missions into infamous
Hurricane Katrina, which provided
invaluable data that continues to be studied at their Miami
facility.
Every hurricane season, HRD carries out an annual field program
during which it collects information on tropical cyclones
(especially, but not limited to, Atlantic hurricanes) in order to
improve scientific understanding of their formation, structure, and
dynamics. Data is collected from satellites, land-based radar, wind
towers, and from aircraft. They archive flight information from Air
Force Reserve
Hurricane Hunters,
and plan and participate in research flights on NOAA's
Aircraft Operations Center
planes. The present fleet consists of two Orion P-3 four-engine
turboprops, which can fly directly into the eye of hurricanes, and
a Gulfstream IV high-altitude jet, which is used to fly around
tropical cyclones, dropping instrument packages called
dropsondes.
When not engaged in field operations, HRD scientists and computer
programmers process and interpret the information they have
gathered. They also work on theoretical studies and produce
computer simulations of tropical cyclones and tropical weather. In
this work, they collaborate with scientists from many other
government and academic institutions from around the globe. The
results of their research are presented at conferences and
published in the scientific literature.
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