Advanced Wind Estimation (patent pending)

"Hurrtrak's unique Advanced Wind Estimation reduces wind estimate errors from 50% to 15%" *

"Generally" the forecast wind radii provided by the National Hurricane Center, and the resultant wind speed calculations, are for open lake/sea areas with little surface friction.  Advanced Wind Estimation (AWE) is a function of HURRTRAK RM/PRO and HURRTRAK Advanced that applies a wind speed correction factor to these "raw" forecast wind speeds based on the local “site” characteristics.  These characteristics include items such as land usage, vegetation types as well as the density of man made structures. 

HURRTRAK RM/Pro and Advanced utilize the USGS National Land Cover Database (NLCD) to determine the frictional characteristics for locations being analyzed.  The user also has the ability to override the information from the NLCD when the situation warrants (i.e. specific knowledge of a particular site).

Click here for more information on the NLCD

Advanced Wind Estimation is presented in the Hurrtrak system in several different ways.  Click on the following links to find out more.

	Reports.   Advanced Wind Estimation reports show both the unadjusted wind speed estimates as well as the Advanced wind estimates and wind gusts.
	Wind Arrows/Animation.  When viewing static or animated images using AWE, the wind speed and direction arrows displayed around the storm are adjusted to indicate the AWE wind speeds.
	Wind Pattern/Animation.  When viewing static or animated wind patterns using AWE, the color coded wind pattern around the storm are adjusted to show the AWE wind speed estimates. Click here for static image.

If you are still not convinced, click on the links below to view some studies of how Advanced Wind Estimation has performed with actual storms. *