Ocean and Atmosphere Relationship as it relates to Tropical Cyclone Intensity Forecasting

Tropical cyclone preparedness is not only important to residents of coastal regions, but to all of those involved in efforts before, during and after the storm. Before a natural disaster occurs, countless man hours and resources go into planning evacuations, performing rescue and recovery missions and sending aid and supply to those whose may be displaced. This makes it essential to be as accurate as possible in all aspects of tropical cyclone forecasting. In order to do so, there must be an ongoing effort to analyze every possible contributor to the path, timing and in the interest of this paper, the intensity of tropical cyclones. This paper will focus on the behavior and characteristics of the upper ocean during El Nino and La Nina events, and discuss the relationship, beyond sea surface temperatures, as it relates to tropical cyclone intensity forecasting.