Synthetic Aperture Radar Data Analysis on Tropical Cyclone Wind Structure

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data provide tropical cyclone (TC) wind structure information with very high detail resolution (up to 500 m) and derived products that include full storm radial wind profiles and maximum winds. The Joint Typhoon Weather Center (JTWC) has been using SAR data operationally. At the National Hurricane Center (NHC), hurricane specialists seek to understand how to best utilize SAR data in their tropical cyclone analysis and forecast operations. This study aimed to validate SAR TC size measurements in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins from 2020-2023 by comparing 34-, 50-, and 64-kt wind radii estimates and the radius of maximum wind (RMW) derived from SAR data to the NHC Best Track. The results show the best correlation values occurred between SAR and Best Track RMW estimates of hurricane-strength TCs. In addition, SAR TC size estimates agree much better with the NHC Best Track in organized systems and for images that capture a centralized and symmetric wind field.