Big Kahuna
Weather Hobbyist
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Posts: 52
Loc: DeLand, Florida
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How is it you measure the size of a hurricane. For instance if I'm looking at a visable loop and click on the" Latt. on " button what is the distance between 20N and 30N?
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Clark
Meteorologist
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Posts: 1710
Loc:
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The distance between points of longitude varies with how close to the poles you are. Between latitudes, it is generally about 111km/69mi. Between longitudes, you have to multiply it by the cosine of the latitude (in degrees).
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Current Tropical Model Output Plots
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danielw
Moderator
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Posts: 3525
Loc: Hattiesburg,MS (31.3N 89.3W)
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Here is a link that has the mathematical formula built in.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gccalc.shtml?
At 60.0 W, the distance between 20.0 N and 30.0 N is 600nm. Using this calculator.
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Clark
Meteorologist
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Posts: 1710
Loc:
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Yep -- it's 60nm between 1 deg. of latitude, while it is 69 statute miles. The great circle calculator is really useful...does a good job of doing those calculations pretty simply.
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Current Tropical Model Output Plots
(or view them on the main page for any active Atlantic storms!)
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Big Kahuna
Weather Hobbyist
Reged:
Posts: 52
Loc: DeLand, Florida
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Thanks for the help. I tried to research it before asking and on some sites they (like the ) would just say that the typical hurricane was 300 miles wide but gave no explination on how they can to that conclusion. When I would look at a Sat. Loop without a point of reference (land mass, recon flight) I couldnt tell. I know that sometimes size (of the cyclone ) does'nt matter as explained in the link attached.
http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/prepare/structure.htm
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