Tropical Wave Diagnostics: From Research to Operations

The research community focuses on understanding the dynamical processes of the atmosphere to study meteorology, while the operational community applies these ideas to forecast meteorology. To improve forecasts in the operational environment, there needs to be a conduit between the research sector and the operational sector: research to operations. The 2017 tropical cyclone season marked the transition of a set of tropical wave diagnostics, developed at the University at Albany, from the research environment into operations at the National Hurricane Center (NHC). These diagnostics were designed to track easterly waves, Kelvin waves, the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), and to identify Central American Gyres (CAG). These diagnostics provide forecasters at NHC the ability to observe and discern complex scenarios and interactions to better understand the evolving synoptic environment. This presentation will include examples of applying these diagnostics to real-time forecast scenarios from the 2017 hurricane season.