Since the modern satellite era began in the 1960s, advancements in weather observations and forecasting have become exponential. Today, NASA\u2019s satellites can take high-resolution images of hurricanes as frequently as every 30 seconds. Hurricane hunters routinely fly planes into storms to take measurements. We also have weather models and computers that help forecast a storm\u2019s path and intensity.<\/p>\n
All this technology makes tracking storms a lot easier. But how did meteorologists track storms and create forecasts before weather satellites and computers? It wasn\u2019t so easy.<\/p>\n
Before modern weather technology, hurricanes were often a surprise to people who lived on the coast. Can you imagine a major hurricane arriving with no warning?
\nIt wasn\u2019t as simple as looking at a satellite picture of the Atlantic Ocean in the 1800s and earlier. Before plane travel, unless a storm affected a populated land area or encountered an unlucky ship in the Atlantic, storms could go unnoticed.
\nSpectrum News Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson says experienced sailors could recognize the signs of a big storm as early as the 1500s. \u201cChristopher Columbus encountered a hurricane in 1502. He saw signs of the storm developing and approaching, and sought shelter for his fleet before the storm hit,\u201d he added.
\nThis drawing shows the U.S. Mail ship S.S. Central America, which sank after sailing into a hurricane in September 1857 in one of the worst maritime disasters in American history. (AP Photo\/Library of Congress)
\nEventually, in the 1800s, the United States established a network of weather observation sites. The government set up the first formal hurricane warning service ever in Cuba in the 1870s.
\nThe understanding of pressure systems and fronts evolved in the late 1800s thanks to daily observations. Stephenson says that gave forecasters an idea of weather patterns and how tropical systems might move and the tracks they would take.
\nEventually, in the early 1900s, wireless communications became more reliable. \u201cShips could report storm position and information in real time when they encountered a storm. The same occurred if a storm struck land,\u201d said Stephenson.
\nShips utilized the same communication system that was used on land. If a storm made landfall on an island or moved inland, that information could be passed along. It allowed broadened storm warnings for extensive areas that a storm might affect.
\nBy 1935, there were regional offices in Jacksonville, Fla., Washington, D.C., San Juan, Puerto Rico and New Orleans, La. The offices comprised the nation\u2019s first hurricane warning program. Even with all the improvements in the early 1900s, hurricane forecasting was far from perfect.
\nIn 1938, a storm known as the \u2018Great New England Hurricane\u2019 or the \u2018Long Island Express Hurricane\u2019 made landfall in the Northeast. It made landfall on Long Island, N.Y. and moved across New England, estimated to have made landfall as a category 3 hurricane.
\nMain street in Greenport, Long Island, at the height of the storm as the Peconic Bays were driven inland. (Image: NWS Boston)
\nAs it was approaching the Northeast U.S., forecasters knew that there was a storm in the Atlantic, but had very few reports of its exact strength and location. It turned out that it was much stronger and larger than anyone had known.
\nAdvisories and warnings were too late, coming in as the major hurricane was making landfall. It ended up killing over 500 people and damaging and destroying over 50,000 homes.
\nRemains of substantial houses along Beach Lane Rd., Westhampton, Long Island. (Image: NWS Boston)<\/p>\n
Weather technology continued to blossom in the mid-1900s.
\nAs air travel became more reliable in the 40s and 50s, the hurricane hunters were born. Aircraft would fly across the Atlantic during hurricane season looking for potential tropical systems.
\nStorm naming began in 1947, and female names were introduced in 1953. In 1956, the National Hurricane Center that we\u2019re familiar with today became established in Miami, Fla.
\nIn 1959, the U.S. put the first weather surveillance radar into operation in Miami. Radars weren\u2019t nearly as advanced as they are today, but they became another crucial tool in tracking storms and hurricanes as they neared land.
\nRadar image of Category 4 Hurricane Donna over the Florida Keys on Sept. 10, 1960. (Image: NOAA)
\nStorm track and position forecasts continued to extend further into the future during the 1960s as hurricane research improved. Computer models were built to simulate hurricane tracks for the first time.
\nThe 1960s became a pivotal turning point in the world of hurricane forecasting and meteorology. The first geostationary satellite for weather purposes was launched into orbit in Dec. 1966., marking the beginning of the modern-day satellite era.<\/p>\n
The 1967 Atlantic hurricane season was the first in the modern-day satellite era.
\nATS-1 was the first geostationary satellite for weather, launched in Dec. 1966. It was fully operational for the 1967 hurricane season, able to send images back to earth of the western hemisphere up to every 30 minutes.
\nThe Applications Technology Satellite (ATS-1) was the first geosynchronous satellite which helped meteorologists determine weather patterns since photos of the same area of the earth were taken as often as every 30 minutes showing the changes in cloud cover. (Image: NASA)
\nThe satellite was in a fixed position over the western hemisphere. The pictures allowed meteorologists to see changes in cloud cover over the same area, making identifying and tracking storms a lot easier.
\nATS-1 provided this image on Dec. 11, 1966- the first full disk image of Earth ever taken from geostationary orbit. (Image: NASA)
\nThrough the late 1900s, computer power, weather observations and satellite data all increased. As computers became faster and more powerful, so did weather models.
\nToday, meteorologists have an abundance of tools we can use to predict hurricanes days in advance with more accuracy than ever before. Models can warn meteorologists before a storm has even developed of where atmospheric conditions are most favorable.
\nWeather satellites today can take high-resolution pictures of storms up to every 30 seconds, tracking every movement and wobble. In addition to taking pictures of what they look like from space, satellites can detect lightning activity, infrared radiation to determine temperatures and much more.
\nSatellite imagery of Hurricane Ian making in southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022. (NOAA\/College of DuPage)
\nDoppler radars around the country in the Caribbean can also show us when rain and storms in a hurricane\u2019s outer bands move in.
\nOur extensive network of weather observation sites and hurricane hunter data provide us with real-time wind speed and storm strength estimates.<\/p>\n
So, next time you see a hurricane\u2019s \u2018cone of uncertainty\u2019 and wonder why the forecast isn\u2019t always perfect, remember how far it\u2019s come in such a short time.
\nOur team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.<\/p>\n
Q: What was the main challenge in forecasting hurricanes before the satellite era?
\nA: The main challenge was the lack of reliable data and observations, making it difficult to track and predict storms.
\nQ: How did the introduction of satellites improve hurricane forecasting?
\nA: Satellites provided a significant improvement in tracking and predicting hurricanes by allowing for real-time observations and data collection.
\nQ: What is the role of computer models in hurricane forecasting?
\nA: Computer models help simulate hurricane tracks and predict storm behavior, allowing for more accurate forecasts and warnings.
\nQ: How has hurricane forecasting evolved over time?
\nA: Hurricane forecasting has evolved significantly over time, from relying on ship reports and observations to using advanced satellites, computer models, and weather radar to predict storms with greater accuracy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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