8
Wild Weather
Hurricanes - III
Observing the "Eye"
Below are a visible image and an enhanced infrared (IR) image of Hurricane Iris. In
the enhanced IR image, the eye is especially evident because the satellite is able
to see all the way down to the warm ocean waters. In the visible image, the texture
in the eye wall region suggests strong cumulonimbus clouds.
Note that the single surface observation plotted on the images signifies counterclockwise
(cyclonic) wind rotation. The scarcity of weather observations over the ocean is one
reason why satellite derived winds are so important for forecasting the path of a hurricane.
Use the following fader to shift from a visible image to an enhanced infrared (IR) image.
Use your mouse or finger and slide across the image to fade between the different images.
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