Underwater Gliders Promise More Accurate Hurricane Forecasting

So-called underwater gliders were first deployed in 2018 to gather more accurate ocean temperature data and improve forecasting models in advance of oncoming hurricane activity.  Historically, forecasters have been able to predict hurricane paths with relative certainty, but hurricane intensity has been difficult to predict with accuracy.  Now, thanks to underwater gliders, storm intensity can be predicted in a much more accurate manner.

Primer on Underwater Gliders

The main benefit of underwater gliders, each of which costs around $270,000 to manufacture, is that they can obtain accurate ocean temperature data.  This is critical – water temperature is a key variable in forecasting models because it indicates the potential strength of a hurricane (warm water fuels the storm, cold water has the opposite effect). 

Traditionally, whenever a hurricane is approaching, satellite technology has been used to measure the temperature of the ocean surface and transmit these readings into the ocean temperature model, but the gliders provide a more accurate read because they operate beneath the surface of the water.  Gliders provide real time data as well, which is another benefit.

The underwater gliders are controlled remotely, and once the necessary data is collected, they rise to the surface and transmit the data gathered via satellite phones.  Although they are typically deployed in the days prior to the advent of a hurricane, sometimes they can be deployed for months at a time.

Recent results demonstrate the value of using underwater gliders.  During the Hurricane Florence deployment, gliders determined that the ocean’s subsurface temperatures were a whopping 25 degrees colder than the ocean modeling predicted.  The gliders also helped define the Gulf Stream, another extremely important variable in the southeast that cannot be accurately measured by satellites. 

Three additional underwater gliders are being developed for deployment in North Carolina and Florida, with more to come afterward.  I, for one, applaud these efforts.  More accurate predictions of storm intensity will help improve evacuation decisions, safety, and of course, utility emergency preparedness.