Satellite aspects of the extratropical transition of Hurricanes Maria and Helene

Atlantic hurricanes Maria (2005) and Helene (2006) underwent a slow process of extratropical transition (ET) over the North Atlantic Ocean. Both storms saw premature forecasts of the cyclone becoming extratropical with notable timing errors and biases. Satellite imagery indicates that both storms likely underwent a warm-core seclusion process, with deep-layer cooler and drier air wrapping around the tropical cyclone and leaving the convective and thermal structure of the cyclone at least somewhat intact. This poster examines conventional and microwave imagery of the two events and relates the satellite-observed features to those depicted in model forecasts and Cyclone Phase Space analyses.