Stephen Kearney

This paper investigates relationships between tropical cyclone eye size, eye shape, and intensity. Eye size and shape are estimated from the Radius of Maximum Wind (RMW) measured by Hurricane Hunter aircraft during each pass through the storm. Intensity is estimated from both maximum sustained wind and minimum central pressure (MSLP). When comparing eye size and intensity, results generally agreed with previous studies, in that there was little to no correlation present.
A significant relationship was apparent between differences in RMW standard deviation to the MSLP changes. This relationship uses RMW standard deviation as a crude measure of eye shape. Results in this area show how much MSLP can fluctuate, providing a possible hurricane forecasting tool. Data used in this study are from storms in 1979 through the year 1995.