Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

We are looking at the relationship between Hurricane Strength and Sea water temperature. We are measuring sea temperature from the buoys that are close by the hurricane when it is at it's strongest.

My question - how close does the buoy need to be? Is there a limit to the distance? We are having difficulty finding buoys fairly close to the point where the hurricane is the strongest... so most of our hurricanes are not part of the project, as some are 5+ degrees on either side (latitudually and longitudinally). Is this okay? Or do they need to be within, say, 2 degrees?

Thank you for your quick response!

Jackson

Hi Jackson,

This is an interesting question and I will try to answer it.

At what point in the development of the storm did you plan on measuring water temp? The storms go through several stages--tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane--and I would think water temp is important for each stage. I’m not a meteorologist but from what I have read of oceanography, the water temp at the ocean surface is fairly constant over a large area. The eye of a hurricane can be 20-50 miles across, but I think the water temp at the eye and even 5 degrees (about 350 miles) away should be about the same. Sure you would like to get the reading as close to the eye as possible, but my feeling is that the temp does not change significantly with changes in longitude, and since most hurricanes form east to west, then your use of buoys 5 or more degrees away should be valid. Why don’t you compare the buoy temperatures over a range of degrees of longitude and see what the difference is. Going north in latitude, the temp would eventually decrease, but even there I think you have to go quite a distance, especially in the Gulf Stream, before there’s much of a change.

Hope this helps a little. Maybe someone else with better meteorological knowledge can chime in here.

Best wishes,

Sybee

You make some very good points. Thank you! It was very helpful!
Jackson