After a major blunder by the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) with the forecast challenges of Hurricane Sandy last fall prompting no hurricane warnings for the northeast coast, a major change was announced today that broadens the definition of the hurricane watches and warnings to allow them to continue to be issued or remain in effect after a tropical cyclone becomes post-tropical, when such a storm poses a significant threat to life and property.
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In addition, the National Weather Service would ensure a continuity of service by allowing the National Hurricane Center to issue advisories during the post-tropical stage, instead of issuing separate advisories on their own as was previously done.
"Our forecasters now have more flexibility to effectively communicate the threat posed by transitioning tropical systems,” said Louis W. Uccellini, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. “Sandy’s forecast was remarkably accurate and under a similar situation in the future, forecasters will be able to choose the best option to underscore the urgency involved."
Beginning on June 1st, the official start of the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, the following new watch/warning definitions will go into effect ... (source: NHC)
- Hurricane/Typhoon Warning: An announcement that sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph or 119 km/hr) or higher are expected somewhere within the specified area in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone. Because hurricane preparedness activities become difficult once winds reach tropical storm force, the warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds (24 hours for the Western North Pacific). The warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.
- Hurricane Watch: An announcement that sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph or 119 km/hr) or higher are possible within the specified area in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone. Because hurricane preparedness activities become difficult once winds reach tropical storm force, the hurricane watch is issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical storm force winds.
- Tropical Storm Warning: An announcement that sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph or 63 to 118 km/hr) are expected somewhere within the specified area within 36 hours (24 hours for the Western North Pacific) in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.
- Tropical Storm Watch: An announcement that sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph or 63 to 118 km/hr) are possible within the specified area within 48 hours in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.
- An example of the new advisory for a post-tropical cyclone can be found here.
The National Hurricane Center took a tremendous amount of criticism after Hurricane Sandy with the fact that there were no hurricane warnings in effect along the coast as the storm made landfall last October.
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