CONTACT: Frank Lepore FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Ed Rappaport 8/20/96
New computer graphics that illustrate a hurricane's path, from areas already affected to areas expected to be struck, have been developed by the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center. The graphics are aimed at increasing public awareness of the threat of approaching tropical storms and hurricanes.
"Graphics help overcome some misconceptions--providing a ready, unambiguous description of what's going on," said Bob Burpee, National Hurricane Center director. "One illustration shows a cone-like area that encompasses the regions most likely to be at risk over the next three days. This conveys the uncertainty in the forecast track, and represents a more accurate portrayal of threat than does the thin line track of the hurricane's eye, so often overemphasized by the public and some weathercasters," he said. "The other two graphic displays reinforce this theme by showing the entire area covered by a storm's potentially damaging winds."
Now computer users and television viewers may see a set of three color illustrations join the satellite images of swirling cyclones and NWS advisories most commonly seen until now. For each tropical storm or hurricane, the new graphics will show the current coastal "watch" and "warning" zones in the threatened area; the probable areas to be affected during the next three days; and the areas affected so far.
"Because satellite images and computer models must be interpreted by trained professionals, the public, emergency managers, government officials and the media may find the new computer illustrations easier to understand," said NWS hurricane specialist and program designer, Ed Rappaport. "As a picture is worth a thousand words, these illustrations will greatly enhance our public advisories. "However, their real worth will be in the lives they may help save as part of the NWS hurricane warning program."
"These types of illustrations are necessary," said Burpee, "because other visual representations, such as satellite images on television news, show only part of the story. Often overlooked are the horizontal dimensions of deadly hurricane force winds that extend well beyond the hurricane's center. In fact, hurricanes come in many sizes. Andrew of 1992 was only as large as Connecticut, while big' Bertha (1996) was about 300 miles across, or about the size of Georgia."
The new array of graphic images are available on the National Hurricane Center's Internet home page at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov, and are planned for "mirror" Internet sites.
These graphics include:
"Coastal Watches and Warnings," which define the geographic areas to be threatened by a tropical storm or hurricane within 36 hours and 24 hours, respectively.
"Strike probabilities," which depict the 10%, 20%, 50% and 100% probabilities that the center of a tropical cyclone center will pass within 75 statute miles of a given location during the next three days.
"Cumulative wind distribution," which shows how the size of the tropical cyclone has changed since its inception, and the areas affected by tropical storm and hurricane force winds.
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