Tropical cyclone (TC) observations are of critical importance in not only providing real-time data for operational needs, including assimilation into TC forecast models, but also in providing increased situational awareness of these catastrophic storms to forecasters and decision makers. Due to the intense nature of TCs, obtaining observations is incredibly challenging, particularly within the air-sea transition zone, which is inclusive of the upper ocean, air-sea interface, and the marine atmospheric boundary layer. In recent years, there have been great strides in the capability to observe TCs within this zone. This session places particular emphasis on the advancements and rising capabilities of observing techniques for the air-sea transition zone within TCs.

This session aims to highlight emerging, innovative atmosphere and ocean observing systems including, but not limited to, airborne technologies, profilers and profiling floats, buoys, and uncrewed and autonomous systems, specifically for TCs. We encourage presentations that 1) elucidate the role of atmospheric observations near the ocean surface in improving the understanding of the physical processes occurring within the air-sea transition zone and serving as critical inputs for operational forecast models, 2) emphasize the importance of ocean observations for providing insight on the ocean’s stratification and thermal structure, two components that play a role in indicating potential TC intensity changes, including rapid intensification, and 3) demonstrate the significance of collocated efforts between these atmospheric and ocean observations that provide critical information needed to evaluate coupled atmosphere-ocean processes that are paramount in examining, predicting, and analyzing TCs.

Presentations should focus on emerging and/or innovative technologies with the potential to improve the accuracy, reliability, spatial coverage, cost effectiveness, deployability, safety, and sustainability of ocean and atmosphere observations, focusing on the air-sea transition zone, for eventual use by operational forecast and research TC products. We encourage the submission of presentation abstracts, but do not limit to, that highlight integrated efforts between both atmospheric and oceanic technologies in relation to TC observing. Satellite-based sensors are not included in the primary scope of this session, only for calibration, validation, or integration with in-situ observations as a secondary objective. Early career researchers and members of other under-represented groups are encouraged to submit to this session.

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