An update on scatterometer data exploitation at NHC

The decade of QuikSCAT ocean surface wind vector acquisitions, with almost global and twice daily coverage, was a boon for operational forecasters. Although that era ended in November 2009, its legacy is a better understanding and treatment of today's European Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) and Indian Oceansat-2 Scatterometer (OSCAT). It may be fair to say that our use of raw Normalized Radar Cross Section (NRCS, or backscatter) remains somewhat rudimentary however, under most high wind conditions of interest. QuikSCAT, ASCAT, and OSCAT acquisitions are thus continuing to facilitate advances in the treatment of scatterometer data. This work focuses on the utility of satellites and wind retrieval methods that are already, or may soon be, operational. Detection of storm-force (48-63kt) gap wind events in the Gulf of Tehuantepec and the assessment of tropical cyclone intensity and 34/50/64-kt wind radii (subject to resolution limitations and the presence of rain) are the main operational challenges examined, both in the context of the most recent year of warning events and earlier. The ASCAT high-wind bias (low) relative to QuikSCAT has been reduced. Although QuikSCAT's coverage near the satellite ground track is desirable, it has only been possible to extend ASCAT's coverage more toward the coast. The potential for OSCAT to deliver both the high resolution and coverage of QuikSCAT is explored, along with a proposed treatment of rain contamination.