Hurricane Weather

Hurricane Weather terms

1. Advisory (Abbrev. ADVY)- Highlights special weather conditions that are less serious than a warning.
2. Best Track A subjectively-smoothed representation of a tropical cyclone's location and intensity over its lifetime.
3. Center Generally speaking, the vertical axis of a tropical cyclone, usually defined by the location of minimum wind or minimum pressure.
4. Center / Vortex Fix The location of the center of a tropical or subtropical cyclone obtained by reconnaissance aircraft penetration, satellite, radar, or synoptic data.
5. Central North Pacific Basin The region north of the Equator between 140W and the International Dateline. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) in Honolulu, Hawaii is…
6. Cyclone (abbrev. CYC) - A large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere…
7. Direct Hit A close approach of a tropical cyclone to a particular location. For locations on the left-hand side of a tropical cyclone's track (looking in the…
8. Eastern North Pacific Basin The portion of the North Pacific Ocean east of 140W. The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida is responsible for tracking tropical cyclones in this…
9. Extratropical A term used in advisories and tropical summaries to indicate that a cyclone has lost its "tropical" characteristics.
10. Extratropical Cyclone A cyclone in the middle and high latitudes often being 2000 kilometers in diameter and usually containing a cold front that extends toward the equator for…
11. Eye The relatively calm center in a hurricane that is more than one half surrounded by wall cloud.
12. Eyewall / Wall Cloud An organized band or ring of cumulonimbus clouds that surround the eye, or light-wind center of a tropical cyclone.
13. Fujiwhara Effect A binary interaction where tropical cyclones within a certain distance (300-750 nm depending on the sizes of the cyclones) of each other begin to rotate…
14. Gale Warning A warning of sustained surface winds, or frequent gusts, in the range of 34 knots (39 mph) to 47 knots (54 mph) inclusive, either predicted or occurring…
15. High Wind Warning This product is issued by the National Weather Service when high wind speeds may pose a hazard or is life threatening.
16. Hurricane / Typhoon A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind (using the U.S. 1-minute average) is 64 kt (74 mph or 119 km/hr) or more.
17. Hurricane Local Statement A public release prepared by local National Weather Service offices in or near a threatened area giving specific details for its county/parish warning…
18. Hurricane Season The part of the year having a relatively high incidence of tropical cyclones. In the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, and central North Pacific…
19. Hurricane Warning A warning that sustained winds 64 kt (74 mph or 119 kph) or higher associated with a hurricane are expected in a specified coastal area in 24 hours or…
20. Hurricane Watch An announcement of specific coastal areas that a hurricane or an incipient hurricane condition poses a possible threat, generally within 36 hours
21. Indirect Hit Generally refers to locations that do not experience a direct hit from a tropical cyclone, but do experience hurricane force winds (either sustained or…
22. Inundation The flooding of normally dry land, primarily caused by severe weather events along the coasts, estuaries, and adjoining rivers.
23. Invest A weather system for which a tropical cyclone forecast center (NHC, CPHC, or JTWC) is interested in collecting specialized data sets (e.g.
24. Landfall The intersection of the surface center of a tropical cyclone with a coastline. Because the strongest winds in a tropical cyclone are not located precisely…
25. Major Hurricane A hurricane which reaches Category 3 (sustained winds greater than 110 mph) on the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale.
26. National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929 [NGVD 1929] (NGVD) A fixed reference adopted as a standard geodetic datum for elevations determined by leveling.
27. Post-storm Report A report issued by a local National Weather Service office summarizing the impact of a tropical cyclone on it's forecast area.
28. Post-tropical Cyclone A former tropical cyclone. This generic term describes a cyclone that no longer possesses sufficient tropical characteristics to be considered a tropical…
29. Preliminary Report Now known as the "Tropical Cyclone Report". A report summarizing the life history and effects of an Atlantic or eastern Pacific tropical cyclone.
30. Present Movement The best estimate of the movement of the center of a tropical cyclone at a given time and given position.
31. Radius of Maximum Winds The distance from the center of a tropical cyclone to the location of the cyclone's maximum winds.
32. Rapid Intensification An increase in the maximum sustained winds of a tropical cyclone of at least 30 kt in a 24-h period.
33. Relocated A term used in an advisory to indicate that a vector drawn from the preceding advisory position to the latest known position is not necessarily a…
34. Remnant Low A post-tropical cyclone that no longer possesses the convective organization required of a tropical cyclone...
35. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 categorization based on the hurricane's intensity at the indicated time.
36. Storm Surge An abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane or other intense storm, whose height is the difference between the observed level of the sea…
37. Storm Tide The actual level of sea water resulting from the astronomic tide combined with the storm surge.
38. Storm Warning A warning of sustained surface winds, or frequent gusts, in the range of 48 knots (55 mph) to 63 knots (73 mph) inclusive, either predicted or occurring…
39. Strike Strike means a labor dispute wherein employees engage in a concerted stoppage of work (including stoppage by reason of the expiration of a collective…
40. Subtropical Cyclone A non-frontal low pressure system that has characteristics of both tropical and extratropical cyclones.
41. Subtropical Depression A subtropical cyclone in which the maximum 1-minute sustained surface wind is 33 knots (38 mph) or less.
42. Subtropical Storm A subtropical cyclone in which the maximum 1-minute sustained surface wind is 34 knots (39 mph) or more.
43. Synoptic Track Weather reconnaissance mission flown to provide vital meteorological information in data sparse ocean areas as a supplement to existing surface, radar…
44. Tropical Cyclone A warm-core, non-frontal synoptic-scale cyclone, originating over tropical or subtropical waters with organized deep convection and a closed surface wind…
45. Tropical Cyclone Plan of the Day A coordinated mission plan that tasks operational weather reconnaissance requirements during the next 1100 to 1100 UTC day or as required, describes…
46. Tropical Depression A tropical cyclone in which the maximum 1-minute sustained surface wind is 33 knots (38 mph) or less.
47. Tropical Disturbance A discrete tropical weather system of apparently organized convection--generally 100 to 300 mi in diameter--originating in the tropics or subtropics…
48. Tropical Storm A tropical cyclone in which the maximum 1-minute sustained surface wind ranges from 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph) inclusive.
49. Tropical Storm Warning A warning for sustained surface winds, associated with a tropical cyclone, within the range of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph), expected in a specified…
50. Tropical Storm Watch An announcement that a tropical storm poses or tropical storm conditions pose a threat to coastal areas generally within 36 hours.
51. Tropical Wave (formerly known as inverted trough) - A trough or cyclonic curvature maximum in the trade wind easterlies.