"Hurricane & Typhoon Track" refers to the tracking of tropical cyclones (including hurricanes and typhoons). A tropical cyclone is a strong tropical storm system with different names depending on the geographical location where it occurs. In the North Atlantic, Central America, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, such storms are called hurricanes; in the northwest Pacific, they are called typhoons; in the Indian Ocean, they are called cyclonic storms; in the Southern Hemisphere (near Australia), they are also called cyclones.

Methods and tools for tracking tropical cyclones

Weather satellites: Satellite images can be used to observe the development of storms and the direction they move. Satellite images provide information such as cloud cover and storm intensity.

Ground observation stations: Weather stations on land can measure data such as wind speed and changes in air pressure to help analyze the location and intensity of storms.

Ocean buoys: Buoys located in the ocean can measure wave height, wind speed and other ocean parameters, which are very important for assessing the impact of storms.

Aircraft reconnaissance: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) and other agencies will send special aircraft into the center of the storm to directly measure the core data of the storm, including wind speed, air pressure, etc.

Radar monitoring: Doppler radar can detect the location, intensity and changes in the internal structure of the storm.

Computer models: Meteorologists use complex computer models to predict the future path and intensity changes of storms.

Applications: There are many applications developed specifically for tracking hurricanes and typhoons, such as Hurricane Tracker, WJXT Hurricane Tracker and NOAA Doppler, which allow users to view the latest developments of the storm in real time.

Real-time monitoring and early warning

Satellite remote sensing

High-resolution imaging: Use geosynchronous orbit satellites and polar orbit satellites to provide high-resolution cloud maps and surface images.

Multispectral analysis: Evaluate storm intensity and structural changes through spectral data in different bands.

Sea surface temperature monitoring: Monitor sea surface temperature and identify warm water areas that may promote storm formation.

Automatic weather station network

Ground observation data: Collect key meteorological parameters such as wind speed, air pressure, and humidity.

Real-time data transmission: Transmit data to the central database in real time through wireless communication technology.

Data fusion: Combine satellite data to improve the accuracy and timeliness of forecasts.

Radar system

Doppler radar: Measure the speed and direction of precipitation particles and evaluate the wind field structure inside the storm.

Weather radar network: Build a radar network covering a wide area to achieve continuous monitoring.

Storm surge warning: Combine terrain data to predict storm surge height and impact range.

II. Path prediction and simulation

Numerical weather forecast model

Global model: Such as GFS and ECMWF, providing large-scale circulation background.

Regional models: such as WRF, focus on fine-grained forecasts for specific areas.

Ensemble forecasting: Run multiple models or different initial conditions of the same model to generate a forecast ensemble and assess uncertainty.

Trajectory cluster analysis

Historical trajectory review: Analyze the paths of similar storms in the past and look for patterns.

Probabilistic forecasting: Based on statistical methods, it gives a probability distribution of the future location of the storm.

Risk assessment: Combine factors such as population density and economic value to assess potential impacts.