With an expected above-average hurricane season in full swing, all three satellites of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) will be deactivated on June 30, according to a June 25 public notice issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These polar-orbiting satellites will continue to map the entire Earth twice per day as usual, and continue to transmit very detailed weather data. However, the satellites are operated by the Defense Department, which will no longer make the data stream available to the NOAA or to the public. There is speculation that the issue may not be a question of funding, but rather a cybersecurity concern. The weather data will still be collected and used by the Defense Department, especially the U.S. Navy.
This system is vital for hurricane forecasting, because the satellites gather multiple wavelengths of light, including visible, infrared, and microwave. The microwaves are best for penetrating the tops of clouds, so scientists can better understand the inner workings of hurricanes and especially any activity at night. Forecasters are most interested in the “eye” of the hurricane which is the best indicator of the intensity and direction of the storm. Earlier in June this satellite system was critical in observing the formation of a new “eyewall” in the rapidly intensifying Hurricane Erick which slammed into Mexico’s southern Pacific coast. Although the storm rapidly intensified into a hurricane, this accurate understanding of the storm allowed Mexico to have 18,000 first responders in place on June 17, waiting for the storm to hit on June 18.
