The Hurricane’s Inner Core Region. I. Symmetric and Asymmetric Structure

Abstract

Abstract Observational information from 533 radial flight legs executed by the National Hurricane Research Laboratory over a 13-year period (1957–69) is used to present the structural characteristics and the variability of the hurricane’s inner core region. Tangential and radial winds, D-values, and adjusted temperatures are composited with respect to the Radius of Maximum Wind (RMW) in order to construct a five-level mean symmetric storm and a five-level mean asymmetric storm. The slope of the RMW with height and the position of the RMW relative to the inner cloud wall are presented. Utilizing these results, an idealized, steady-state schematic model of the flow conditions in the inner hurricane core is presented. Storms are stratified by deepening and filling tendency, intensity and storm speed. Finally, the variations of the RMW with latitude, maximum wind, inner radar radius, central pressure, and other features are discussed. Many significant features are noted: 1) storm inflow is confined almost exc...