WASHINGTON, July 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s updated tropical cyclone prediction software becomes operational just before the first tropical system of the season to reach the U.S. makes landfall July 13.

The updated prediction model, one of a handful used by the National Hurricane Center, features updates to improve the accuracy of tropical cyclone intensity, track, and structure forecasts.

“Many people are unaware that the Navy is a contributor to the suite of models utilized by the National Hurricane Center,” said NRL Meteorologist, Jonathan R. Moskaitis. “We are working to predict tropical cyclones and contributing to the official forecasts released to and depended on by the public.”

The model, formally known as the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System-Tropical Cyclone (COAMPS-TC), is the Navy high-resolution regional operational prediction system dedicated to the prediction of tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones are a generic term that includes hurricanes and typhoons. They are an organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters. These weather events have many potential impacts, including damaging winds, coastal inundation, flooding rain, and large waves at sea.

Tracking these systems is of great interest to the Navy. Sailors and their families, civilians and contractors, and numerous Naval assets remain deployed world-wide, and rely on accurate weather prediction to stay out of harms way. The Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) uses COAMPS-TC as one of several tools to provide the highest quality, most relevant and timely worldwide meteorology and oceanography support to U.S. and coalition forces.

View data from the model at https://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/coamps-web/web/tc.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is a scientific and engineering Navy command dedicated to comprehensive knowledge of the earth, sea and space to enable Navy and Marine Corps success through science. Based in Washington, D.C., with field sites throughout the United States, NRL employs approximately 2,500 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory provides the advanced scientific capabilities required to bolster our country’s position of global naval leadership. With more than 2,500 personnel scientists, engineers and support staff, it has served the U.S. Navy and the nation for nearly 100 years, advancing research further than you can imagine. For more information, visit the NRL website and join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Editor Contact: Cassandra Eichner, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Public Affairs
cassandra.eichner@nrl.navy.mil
202-767-0514

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SOURCE U.S. Naval Research Laboratory