Recently, American meteorologist Vernon Dvorak, credited with having developed ADT in the 1970s, passed away at the age of 100.
Dvorak Technique
The Dvorak Technique continues to be widely relied upon by forecasters till date, despite the developments in advanced satellite technology, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Dvorak Technique is a cloud pattern recognition technique based on a concept model of the development and decay of the tropical cyclone.
Dvorak Technique is s statistical method for estimating the intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs) from interpretation of satellite imagery.
Uses regular Infrared and Visible imagery.
Based on a “measurement” of the cyclone’s convective cloud pattern and a set of rules.
It is used at tropical cyclone warning centers around the world.
Significance
It helps forecasters to do a pattern recognition from the observed structure of the storm, locate its eye and estimate the intensity of the storm.
It enables scientists to measure the cyclone’s convective cloud pattern — curved bands, eye and central dense or cold region and shear.
It gives the best estimates of the cyclone intensity — a vital component while issuing weather warnings.
It is crucial for local administration in planning evacuation measures of coastal or other nearby residents.
However, it cannot make any predictions related to wind or pressure or any other meteorological parameters associated with the cyclone.
