Airborne Doppler Radar Observations of Tropical Cyclone Boundary Layer
Kinematic Structure and Evolution During Landfall
Abstract
Airborne Doppler radar observations of the wind field in the tropical
cyclone boundary layer (TCBL) during the landfall of Hurricane Ida
(2021) are examined here. Asymmetries in tangential and radial flow are
governed by TC motion and vertical wind shear prior to landfall, while
frictional effects dominate the asymmetry location during landfall.
Strong TCBL inflow on the offshore-flow side of Ida occurs during
landfall, while the location of the peak tangential wind at the top of
the TCBL during this period is located on the onshore-flow side. A
comparison of these observations with a numerical simulation of TC
landfall shows many consistencies with the modeling study, though there
are some notable differences that may be related to differences in the
characteristics of the land surface between the simulation and the
observations here.