Synoptic and Kinetic Energy Analyses of Hurricane Camille (1969) during Transit Across the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Synoptic analyses of Camille depict the weakening cyclone after landfall, followed by intensification during merger with an extratropical baroclinic system. Vorticity and vertical motion analyses show good correspondence with flow features and attending weather events. Kinetic energy generation and vertical flux divergence are large-scale energy sinks in the vicinity of Camille, while horizontal flux divergence and subgrid-to-grid-scale transfer of energy are sources. It is hypothesized that this latter transfer of energy is related to the occurrence of convective events in the immediate cyclone region.