Finding cold wakes of hurricanes Gustav, Hanna, and Ike (August – September, 2008) and Katrina (August 2005) using three-day composites of Sea Surface Temperature from TRMM's TMI

Abstract

In August and September 2008, three hurricanes (Gustav, Hanna, and Ike) formed in the western Atlantic, one right after the other, and headed for the U.S. Three-day composites of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) from The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission's (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) of the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic during the time of these hurricanes show cold wakes for all three hurricanes: SST after each hurricane is less than SST before each hurricane along and around the hurricane's path (especially to the right of the path) thus creating a cold wake. The cold wake for Ike in the Gulf of Mexico in mid-September has an area where the temperature difference is particularly great. Katrina, the hurricane that devastated New Orleans and parts of the Gulf Coast in August 2005, also has a pronounced cold wake.