The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season begins today, June 1, and runs through Nov. 30 and NASA is once again prepared to help understand and monitor storms from its unique vantage point of space.
As the 2021 hurricane season brought the third-highest number of named storms, NASA experts are available for interviews throughout the 2022 season.
The agency plays a foundational role in the science of hurricanes, using data from its 20-plus Earth-observing satellites, including Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, Global Precipitation Measurement, Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, and the soon-to-be launched Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission.
“Along with millions of Americans, I know firsthand the devastation caused by hurricanes. These climate-related events are growing more frequent and powerful, underscoring the need for greater action to improve our nation’s response and resilience to hurricanes,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Addressing and mitigating the effects of climate change like hurricanes are at the core of NASA’s mission. From the agency’s upcoming TROPICS mission that will help scientists understand the factors driving storm intensification and contribute to weather forecasting models, to the creation of the Earth Information Center to ensure game-changing NASA climate data is accessible and understandable to decision-makers, NASA will continue to help communities better prepare for and recover from these weather events.”
NASA’s goal for American disaster preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery is bringing data to people who need it. Before, during, and after a hurricane makes landfall, NASA satellites are in prime positions to identify impacts.
The following NASA scientists represent a cross-section of expertise in hurricane science and application and are available for live or taped media interviews as scheduling allows:
- Mara Cordero-Fuentes, a bilingual (Spanish and English) atmospheric scientist/meteorologist with published research in hurricane science, plus 10 years’ experience in data assimilation systems, tropical meteorology, climate interpretation, and weather forecasting.
- Scott Braun, a research meteorologist who specializes in using satellite observations and computer modeling to improve understanding of how hurricanes form and intensify along with related changes in precipitation structure.
- Dalia Kirschbaum, the director of the Earth Sciences Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, whose expertise focuses on extreme rainfall and landslide modeling, monitoring, and mapping.
- Will McCarty, the NASA Headquarters program manager for weather, atmospheric dynamics, and precipitation science.
- Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, the NASA Headquarters program manager of the physical oceanography program, who also has a background in applied mathematics.
- Shanna McClain, the disasters program manager for NASA’s Earth Science Applied Sciences Program.
- Mayra Oyola-Merced, a bilingual (Spanish and English) expert in atmospheric physics, field research, numerical weather prediction, and operational forecasting.
- Patrick Duran, who specializes in the synthesis of satellite observations with idealized modeling to explore the dynamics of tropical cyclone intensification.
- Ben Hamlington, who studies the ocean and how storm surge is tied to sea level variability.
To inquire about interview availability with one or more of these scientists, media must contact Tylar Greene at: tylar.j.greene@nasa.gov.
NASA supports risk reduction, response, and recovery for hurricanes and tropical cyclones. NASA works with local officials and first responders, federal agencies such as FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and infrastructure experts to determine what information they need and supply it in usable formats in real time. Examples include information on infrastructure failures and disruptions, contaminated water supplies and other hotspots for urgent response needs.
When it comes to operational forecasting, the agency’s main role is through its partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NASA designs, builds, and launches NOAA’s suite of satellites whose data specifically feed numerical weather prediction models.
For general NASA hurricane science reference material, visit:
