Differential Absorption Microwave Radar Measurements for Remote Sensing of Barometric Pressure

As coastal regions around the world continue to grow and develop, the threat to these communities from tropical cyclones also increases. The predicted sea level rise over the next decades will certainly add to these risks. Developed low-lying coastal regions are already of major concern to emergency management professionals. While hurricane forecasting is available, improved predictions of storm intensity and track are needed to allow the time to prepare and evacuate larger cities. The predictions and forecasts of the intensity and track of tropical storms by regional numerical weather models can be improved with the addition of large spatial coverage and frequent sampling of sea surface barometry. These data are critically needed for use in models.