Dual–Doppler analysis of Hurricane Isabel at landfall: A Research Experience for Undergraduates

As part of a Research Experience for Undergraduates, a unique dual-Doppler data set of the landfall of Hurricane Isabel has been processed. These data were collected with the Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching (SMART) radars that were deployed in North Carolina along a 55 km north-south baseline. The radars collected more than 14 hours of coordinated dual-Doppler scans during the landfall of this category two hurricane, including the passage of the eye-wall that went through the dual-Doppler lobe. High spatial resolution volumes were collected every 2-4 minutes providing exceptional temporal resolution for future model validation studies.

This presentation, given by the REU student, will focus on the mesoscale evolution of several of the rainbands during landfall. In particular, variability in precipitation will be related to kinematics of the airflow through the forward right flank of the hurricane as the rainbands made landfall.