The U.S. Department of Defense announced it will not go through with a plan to cut hurricane forecasting satellite data. The information is used in both weather forecasting and U.S. Military operations but was facing termination due to cybersecurity concerns. LSU Public Health climatologist Barry Keim says this decision will save lives.
“This is a pretty big deal that they’re going to restore this, and it should definitely keep the forecasting at a very high level. So I’m very, very happy and thrilled to hear of this news,” Keim said.
The data is collected by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program which has capabilities other satellites do not. Keim says their most important feature is the ability to monitor storms at night.
“They’re out over the Gulf, and we go through one of these rapid intensification cycles. We wouldn’t be able to detect it. We would just be in the dark, so to speak, until morning and then we would have this big surprise on our hands,” Keim explained.
The crucial forecasting data will continue to be distributed for the foreseeable future. Keim says another significant advantage of these satellites is their ability to spot signs of rapid intensification.
“So the technology can kind of cut through the clouds a bit, and we’re able to see what the structure of the hurricane is and how it’s changing over time, so that we can better predict whether the storms are weakening or strengthening,” Keim noted.
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