The Structure of a Small, Intense Hurricane—Inez 1966

Abstract

Abstract This is the third in a series of articles about hurricane structure and budgets. The two preceding articles, LeSeur and Hawkins (1963), and Hawkins and Rubsam (1968), dealt with a weak and a moderate hurricane (respectively). Hurricane Inez is described here in a very small, intense state and, as such, deserves its own place in the hierarchy of models. It is strongly recommended that the previous articles be kept available for comparison. On 28 September when the storm was most intense, the inflow layer appeared to extend no higher the 750 mb level. Budgets constructed for this layer suggested (when taken with other data) a nonlinear relationship between the drag coefficient and the wind speed, moisture convergence in the inflow layer led to postulated rainfall rates ranging from 0.15 in h−1 in the 40 to 50 n mi annulus to 1.9 in h−1 in the 0 to 10 n mi circle. Bowen ratios ranged from 0.11 to 0.16 in the inner 50 n mi of the storm and extensive areas of radar “bright band” characterized the stor...