2005 Invests

[Ed Schoenborn]

Is there an archive on invests? How many L invests formed in the atlantic basin in 2005. According to Unisys 30 tropical cyclones formed including depressions but how many invests fizzled out before becoming depressions? Ed

 

[Gregg Gallina]

Ed,
I was out of town when you posted, but do you want L invests from the ATCF or systems given a Dvorak classification, because I have that info. I do not have all the invests, but I can presume. Note: not all invests were worth classifying, while there were others that were not officially invested, that were classified.

Gregg

 

[Ed Schoenborn]

Gregg, my understanding is that TS Edourd started out as invest 91 L and thus is the twelth invest of 2008 in the atlantic basin. I would like to compare 2008 with 2005. Unisys lists the depressions and stronger tropical systems but does not list the invests (numbered 90 to 99). I first heard about invests about three years ago. BTW what does ATCF stand for? So I guess I am asking for the number of 2005 invests that were numbered 90 L to 99 L. Also where can I get the history of invests? Thanks. Ed

 

[Gregg Gallina]

Ed,

Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecasting system. This system coordinates all tropical cyclone products, databases, and help initiate forecast model runs (say the GFDL). To track and start looking at hurricane models the specialists at NHC, CPHC and JTWC will start these invest systems. Still a weak disturbance can be "tracked" w/o being started in the ATCF. JTWC has a history file back through disturbance IF the cyclone becomes warned upon ie given an alphanumeric (01W or 01L) on their web page. I don't believe finding NHC's ATCF information is very easy, even after the season. Still I can give you some of the information you seek.

In 2005, 30 systems had bulletins issued on them in real-time indicating TD strength or higher. 1 system was "upgraded" into the historical database (HURDAT) as a Sub-tropical Storm ("31"L)...you can find a write up on NHC 2005 historical archive page.

I cannot be 100% sure, because I only keep track of Dvorak classification statistics for SAB... but I believe we went through the list 90L-99L Four times, and I have a 96L just before 28L, 29L, and 30L... so assume we got to 99L (as Zeta would have formed from 99L). So that would be 50 total invests. 30 were warned upon, and I have 14 invest areas that were classified by SAB and/or TAFB. This would logically lead to 6 systems that were invests that never were Dvorak classified (or Sub-tropically classified). Yet, 27L (Gamma) was actually an invest area twice... so after all this I have a grand total of
19 Invest areas that did not reach bulletin strength.
Additional to that, there were 3 other systems (that were not designated as invests) but were classified by SAB/TAFB. This included the STS 31L that was later added to the official 2005 storm list.

So were there 22? How about other storm clusters that were not tracked, classified or invested but may have been worth noting? The options are endless and to the point of getting into back ground noise. So it may be a point of note or interest, but I hope you don't try to make some scientific theory or hypothesis based on these stats

Not trying to be a spoil-sport, but don't want you to go to too much effort over something that is arbitrarily determined.

 

[Ed Schoenborn]

Thanks Gregg. You answered a number of my questions. Since then a couple more have risen. Since Katrina started out as TD 10 ( 10 L ) and TD 12 (12 L ), what were her invest numbers prior to becoming TD 10 and TD 12? Also is there a link I can use to look up more invest statstics from the archives? Thanks Ed

 

[MatthewCarman]

There is a site in the NOAA website that has the OSIE (Spelled right?) image of the day and they have alot of satalite images of tropical storms and hurricanes and I believe some invests exspeacially with the more powerfull hurricanes. There is many pictures for the Atlantic ocean for 2005. I have not checked the Pacific ocean but it probibly has alot of satalite pictures aswell. Here is the link: http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Tropical/Atlantic/2005/

I hope that helps you out.

Edit: There is not realy any pics of invests but the site may be usefull to see how many TS/H'S there was for 2005 as there is a satalite picture for every single one I think.

 

[Ed Schoenborn]

For my purposes an invest is any tropical and/or subtropical entity that has been given a number between 90 L and 99 L that might be tracked today by internet sites such as Weather Underground, Colo. State (Vigh), etc. The Unisys and NHC archives show all those storms that were depressions and stronger. I am looking for a site showing invests as defined above. The Weather Channel often gives the average number of named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes over different time periods. I would like to calculate the same for invests as defined above. Is there a link I can use to make the desired calculations? Thanks. Ed

 

[Gregg Gallina]

Ed,

Sorry, I disappeared for a few days... but here are your answers.

10L developed out of 96L but 12L actually developed out of 10L... so it was not officially "invested". There was a determination at NHC that the circulation had dissipated between 10L and 12L, but I know here, there was a bit of confusion for a time, as we classified the invest for 12L AS 10L when we posted our Dvorak classifications to our website at SAB.

As for an archive... the simple answer is no. However, 90L will remain in the ATCF archive UNTIL the next 90L system is started (ie after 99L is used)...so in actuality the last iterations of 90-99L will remain in the year's archive. I doubt that will be particularly useful to you, since you want the entire season.

So if you want the info, you have to find an archive generated by someone that I am not familiar with.