In an interview on October 28, ESSIC Research Associate Michael Folmer, spoke with WeatherNation on some of the new technology at NOAA that allowed scientists to better prepare the public for Hurricane Sandy.
Working as the satellite liaison at NOAA, Folmer discussed how NOAA’s satellite imagery is not only allowing them to better analyze the storm, but to better serve the public as well.
“We have a plethora of products that were able to show the forecasters that help to improve their forecasts and forecast philosophies to help give the public a much better understanding of what exactly is effecting them”
According to Folmer, a majority of the data being used at NOAA has been gathered using the GOES-14 satellite, after facing some difficulties with GOES-13.
In addition, much data has also been provided by the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership, a weather satellite opereated by NOAA, better known as the Suomi NPP.
With the Suomi NPP, Folmer said, scientists were able to take pictures of the storm in its entirety using light from the full moon.
“Growing up on the Jersey Shore, I always wondered if a hurricane could make landfall directly from the ocean. Here I am back on the east coast years later, after college, and I’m watching this occur,” Folmer said.
He continued, “it seems like the public is taking this seriously in the Baltimore area, which makes me happy as a meteorologist.”
