Hurricane intensity and motion – an educational applet

Satellite remote sensing data, provided by NASA and NOAA, play a critical role in diagnosing Hurricane position, intensity changes, and movement. This information is provided to the public; however, the information is so extensive that comprehension is often difficult. In this paper, a weather-wise applet, a computer-based simulation of a hurricane's strength and movement, is presented to demonstrate how sea surface temperatures, environmental wind circulation, and frontal boundaries impact a hurricane's intensity and track as it approaches landfall. The user can learn about the importance of these environmental factors by varying one factor or another to visually see the resulting variations in the hurricane's intensity and track. The Hurricane Applet can be used as an aid in the teaching of students and the public, bringing complex ideas to basic levels of education.