What Exactly is an "Annular" Hurricane

[debbiet]

I keep seeing this term...as a layperson, I have no idea what it means. Can someone please explain?

Thanks!

[JtSmarts]

hi debbiet check around page 2/3, someone posted a very informative article about Annular Hurrianes

[HurricaneQueen]

Alright no problem at all. Ive been talking this over with a few different people. An annular hurricane is a donut shaped storm.
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT ... -loop.html

Take a look at that loop. In the beginning you see a donut shaped convective storm(not the appearances of the oranges in a circular fashion). Advance to the end of the loop now and examine the appearance of the hurricane. Note the two blue bands, one to the north and one to the south. Also very characteristic is the Convective cluster feeding the northern band. The oranges are no longer in a circular fashion. When these bands become visible on Ir imagery, it is said that the system is no longer an annular hurricane.

Also, there was a very interesting piece done a couple of days ago but you'll have to look back to find it. Hope this helps. Look below-I found it!

[HurricaneQueen]

I found it on page three:

http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~kossin/articles/annularhurr.pdf

(Note, this is a PDF file, you will need Adobe's free Acrobat Reader to view.)

It's a technical academic paper, but 75% will be understandable to a serious weather enthusiast that isn't a meterologist.

Basically:

1) Isabel right now meets the classic criteria of an annular hurricane in every respect, it seems

2) Isabel would seem to be the strongest annular hurricane ever recorded

3) The key aspect of annular hurricanes is they seem to take MUCH longer to weaken than a normal hurricane of the same intensity.

[Anonymous]

Well then Izzy's an Annular hurricane, and it will take forever to weaken over VA. Well we are screwed. That doughnut cane will blow us right off the map.



-Jeb