HOURLY INTERPOLATED BEST TRACK DATA

The comma-delimited file HourlyMaxWinds18512006.csv contains spline interpolated wind speeds and positions (latitude & longitude) for all tropical cyclones in the Atlantic best track file. The columns include year (Yr), storm number (Sn), storm name (name), month (Mo), day (Da), hour (hr), longitude in degrees east (lon), latitude in degrees north (lat), the number of hours after the first record (Shours), and maximum sustained near-surface wind speed in knots (Wmax). The file size is 18.8 MB. Please use the following citation for these data:

• Jagger, T.H., and J.B. Elsner, 2006: Climatology models for extreme hurricane winds near the United States. Journal of Climate, v19, 3220-3236, July 2006.

HISTORICAL HURRICANE INFORMATION TOOL (HHIT)

The HHIT provides information on some early American (1800-1850) hurricanes (Bossak and Elsner 2004, EOS Transactions, v85).

HURRICANE WIND SPEED PROBABILITY MODEL

Annual probabilities of tropical-cyclone-force wind speeds for coastal counties using a probability model. Details of the model are provided in Jagger et al. (2001).

• Probabilities of wind speeds exceeding 64kt, 100kt, 135kt.

HISTORICAL TRACK ANALOGS

R code for generating historical track analogs.

FLORIDA HURRICANE & MAJOR HURRICANE RETURN PERIODS

The number in each county is the return period in years for experiencing hurricane (or major hurricane) force winds somewhere in the county. The data are from Elsner and Kara (1999). The multiplicative inverse of the return period is a reasonable estimate of the annual probability for long record lengths.

• Northwestern counties: H, MH.
• Southwestern counties: H, MH.
• Eastern counties: H, MH.

GENETIC HURRICANE CLASSIFICATION

A genetic hurricane classification is based on formation and development mechanisms of North Atlantic hurricanes. Definitions and procedures of the classification are outlined in Elsner et al. (1996). The term "baroclinically-enhanced" describes hurricanes that originate or develop as a consequence of baroclinic influences. The original classification was made by Jason Hess and Noel LaSeur. The term "baroclinically-initiated" describes hurricanes that originate from a middle-latitude disturbance. Hurricanes were classified as baroclinically initiated by Todd Kimberlain.

• North Atlantic Hurricanes (1944-2000) (excel file): Begin, Max Intensity, and Final positions by type; Code: TO=tropical-only (0), BI=baroclinically-initiated (3), BE=baroclinically-enhanced (1).
• List of BI hurricanes (1950-2006).

HURRICANE LANDFALL COUNTS

List of annual landfall hurricane counts based on the NHC best track record. Corresponding climate covariates NAO, SOI, AMO. The NAO and SOI are from the Climatic Research Unit and the AMO is from the Climate Diagnostic Center.

PER STORM MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS (North Atlantic)

List of per cyclone maximum wind speeds for all tropical cyclones in the NHC best track record over the period 1899-2006.

LIFETIME MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS (Global)

• List of tropical cyclones over the North Atlantic basin used to train the regression model to generate satellite-derived lifetime maximum wind speeds over the period 1988-2006.

• List of tropical cyclones over the globe with a satellite-derived lifetime maximum wind speeds (WmaxST) and the corresponding best-track maximum wind speeds (WmaxBT) over the period 1981-2006.