Tracking Hurricane Anita by HF skywave radar

Abstract

Hurricane Anita was tracked across the Gulf of Mexico from August 29, 1977, to September 2, 1977, by using an HF skywave radar. The radar position estimates were made from California, three to five times per day, at the SRI‐operated Wide Aperture Research Facility (WARF). The storm center was located by using the WARF‐derived ocean surface wind direction maps. Seventeen independent wind maps were used to develop the WARF‐derived track. The WARF‐derived positions were compared to coincident temporal positions on the official track produced by the National Hurricane Center, and the relative agreement was 19 km.