An Update on Tropical Cyclone Intensity Estimation from Satellite Microwave Sounders

Microwave sounders on polar-orbiting satellites are an important tool for estimating tropical cyclone (TC) intensity by measuring the strength of the attendant warm core aloft. Regional TC warning agencies have increasingly used near real-time AMSU-based TC intensity estimates from NOAA satellites in a comprehensive intensity analysis approach alongside both subjective and objective IR-based Dvorak techniques. In the last several years additional sounders have been launched including SSMIS aboard the DMSP series of satellites and ATMS aboard the Suomi-NPP satellite. There are currently ten microwave sounding instruments in orbit that can be used for intensity estimates resulting in significant improvements in temporal sampling over previous years. Microwave sounder-based intensity estimates have steadily improved in skill as error characteristics have been quantified and instrument resolution improved. The CIMSS AMSU and SSMIS algorithms currently yield average MSLP estimate errors of about 5 hPa and absolute average error in Vmax of 4.5 m/s. This poster will present the latest advances in TC intensity estimation from microwave sounders including results from the experimental ATMS algorithm.