Examination of the Coastal Transition Zone of Hurricane Frances

The structure of the coastal internal boundary layer (IBL) has important ramifications on operational forecasting, structural design, and post-storm damage assessment. Despite these important issues, it is unclear how the structure of the IBL evolves at the coastline on micro and mesoscales during a landfalling hurricane event. Changes in IBL structure are expected due to changes in coastal geometry and surface roughness, but other enhancements may also result from the passage of convective precipitation and associated downdrafts. Observations from the coastal transition zone in the onshore flow region of a hurricane are rare. The vast majority of surface observation platforms fail during landfall and only a limited number of mobile platforms are available for deployment by research groups. Logistical issues must also be taken into consideration in the immediate coastal area when attempting to safely operate manned mobile radars. Despite these challenges, a relatively comprehens