Numerical simulations of the hurricane intensity response to a warm ocean eddy

The anticyclonic circulation around a warm ocean eddy, also known as a warm core ring (WCR), may impact hurricane intensity by advecting the sea surface temperature towards or away from the storm core. Here, a coupled hurricane-ocean model is used to investigate the change in hurricane intensity when a warm ocean eddy is located to the left, right, and center of the storm track. Numerical simulations are performed using a one and three-dimensional version of the ocean model component, only the latter of which accounts for advection. The results indicate the location of the warm ocean eddy relative to the storm track impacts both the storm-core sea surface temperature and hurricane intensity. These simulations also provide evidence for the importance of horizontal advection due to the WCR's anticyclonic circulation when the WCR is located to the left or right of the storm track.