Joint Hurricane Testbed: Mid-year Progress Report Objective and Automated Assessment of Operational Global Forecast Model predictions of Tropical Cyclone Formation and Life Cycle

TASK: Implementation of a prototype system at the Naval Postgraduate School and processing of 2002-2003 model analysis and forecast data. PROGRESS: This task has been completed. Results of the initial findings based on the application of the Tropical Cyclone Vortex Tracking Program (TCVTP) to the NCEP GFS model and FNMOC NOGAPS operational fields will be presented at the Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference. In this report, details of the implementation and current configuration of the TCVTP and its output are provided as a guide for eventual implementation at the National Hurricane Center