Energy budget analysis of HWRF model hurricanes

Reruns of three selected Atlantic hurricanes, using the 2007 operational version of the HWRF model, are used in an energy budget analysis in an effort to achieve a better understanding of both the mechanisms behind the structural evolution of tropical cyclones, and the strengths, weaknesses and possible improvements to the HWRF model. This study uses Hurricane's Emily, Katrina, and Wilma from the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, and these storms have been specifically selected in order to represent a larger spectrum of track, intensity and structure evolutional attributes. The energy budget is done following methods similar to those used by Tuleya and Kurihara (1975). The conversions and transfer of eddy and mean kinetic and potential energy, as well as latent energy are analyzed within and between defined vertical levels and horizontal boundaries in the model storms. Additionally, the HWRF model mid-level inner core kinetic energy is calculated and compared to observations for each of the real case storms using aircraft reconnaissance flight level data.