Tropical storm motion and structure in a fine mesh primitive equation model

Abstract

Convective to planetary scale processes govern the motion and structure of tropical storms. A model with a high resolution and a large domain is required for accurate prediction of a storm's track and intensity. A series of integrations are performed using a primitive equation model and an initial state that defines a tropical storm that later developed into a hurricane in the real atmosphere. Increasing the horizontal resolution or domain of the model improves the forecast track. However only the increase in the horizontal resolution produces a better hurricane structure.