Trajectory of Hurricane Dean

Lively Data : October 2, 2007

Trajectory of Hurricane Dean plotted with Google Earth.

Initially classified as a tropical storm during its formation off the Cap Verde on August 13, 2007, the hurricane Dean crossed the West-Indies between the 16th and the 17th of August while being classified category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. It finished its trajectory on the Mexican coasts of Yucatan on 22 and 23 of August while being classified category 5 with winds blowing faster than 260 km/h. Violent winds, strong swell and heavy rains were measured in the area. The maxima wind speed and significant wave height over the period between the 14th and the 24th of August, computed with the LAS from altimetry data, not only make it possible to see forces motion but moreover to plot the trajectory of Hurricane Dean. Between the 14th and the 24th of August, the centers of the swirls drawn with the LAS, which correspond to the maxima wind and wave values, are very well correlated with the moving of the cyclone.

Maxima of the wind speed modulus computed from merged altimetry data over the period between the 14th and the 24th of August, in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Choose Global - near-real time - Wind / Waves, then Wind speed modulus merged, Define variable and Maximum in Select analysis type. Choose the time "T" in Apply to these Axes, then choose the region and the period. Because winds are stronger near Yucatan Peninsula than those of the Caribbean Sea, it is necessary to saturate the palette colors (parameter fill levels in Output Options).
Maxima of the Significant Wave Height computed from merged altimetry data over the period between the 14th and the 24th of August, in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (same process than the previous map).

By estimating wind speeds and wave heights but also by identifying anticyclonic eddies where the cyclones may intensify, altimetry satellites improve significantly their predictions.

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