CYGNSS Observations and Analysis of Low-Latitude Extratropical Cyclones

Latent and sensible heat fluxes over the oceans are thought to play an important role in the genesis and evolution of marine-based extratropical cyclones (ETCs), and to affect rapid cyclogenesis. Observations of ocean surface heat fluxes are limited from existing in-situ and remote sensing platforms, which may not offer sufficient spatial and temporal resolution. Additionally, substantial precipitation frequently veils the ocean surface around ETCs, limiting the capacity of space-borne instruments to observe the surface processes within maturing ETCs. While it was designed as a tropics-focused mission, the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) can observe ocean surface wind speed and heat fluxes within a notable quantity of low-latitude extratropical fronts and cyclones. These observations can assist in understanding how surface processes may play a role in cyclogenesis and ETC evolution. This paper illustrates CYGNSS’s capability to observe extratropical cyclones manifesting in various ocean basins throughout the globe, and shows that the observations provide a robust sample of ETCs winds and surface fluxes, as compared with a reanalysis dataset.