| Wind and Structures Volume 12, Number 4, July 2009, pages 349-381 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/was.2009.12.4.349 | |
Observed tropical cyclone wind flow characteristics | |
John L. Schroeder, Becca P. Edwards and Ian M. Giammanco
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| Abstract [Buy Article] | |
| Since 1998, several institutions have deployed mobile instrumented towers to collect research-grade meteorological data from landfalling tropical cyclones. This study examines the wind flow characteristics from seven landfalling tropical cyclones using data collected from eight individual mobile tower deployments which occurred from 1998-2005. Gust factor, turbulence intensity, and integral scale statistics are inspected relative to changing surface roughness, mean wind speed and storm-relative position. Radar data, acquired from the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Surveillance Radar - 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) network, are examined to explore potential relationships with respect to radar reflectivity and precipitation structure (convective versus stratiform). The results indicate tropical cyclone wind flow characteristics are strongly influenced by the surrounding surface roughness (i.e., exposure) at each observation site, but some secondary storm dependencies are also documented. | |
| Key Words | |
| tropical cyclones; radar; tower measurements; wind; gust factors; integral scales; turbulence intensity; roughness lengths. | |
| Address | |
| John L. Schroeder; Atmospheric Science Group, Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, U.S.A. Becca P. Edwards and Ian M. Giammanco; Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, U.S.A. | |
