P2E.4 An extreme event during a research flight in Hurricane Felix (2008

P2E.4

An extreme event during a research flight in Hurricane Felix

Sim Aberson, Hurricane Research Division, AOML, Miami, FL; and R. Rogers, E. Uhlhorn, and J. Gamache

On 02 September, NOAA 42 encountered extreme horizontal and vertical

winds in the eyewall of Hurricane Felix (+31 m/s and -11 m/s)

resulting in accelerations of approximately 4G upward and downward in a

short period of time. The aircraft also encountered abundant graupel

and lightning during the penetration at 700 hPa. As a result, the

aircraft returned to St. Croix after exiting the eye. The story of the

mission and data and movies obtained during the flight will be

presented.