A Pronounced Bias in Tropical Cyclone Minimum Sea Level Pressure Estimation Based on the Dvorak Technique

A pronounced and highly significant bias is uncovered in tropical cyclone minimum sea level pressure (MSLP) estimates calculated using the Dvorak technique. The bias is present in operational estimates from each of the primary Atlantic tropical analysis centers (TACs). The bias can be approximated as a linear function of latitude and is caused by the dependence of tropopause temperature on latitude. On average, MSLP estimates from each TAC are consistently too high (compared to aircraft reconnaissance measurements) at higher latitudes and too low at lower latitudes. The latitude of zero bias is near 23N. Because the relationship between tropopause temperature and latitude is fairly robust among the global ocean basins, the latitude-dependent bias that exists in Dvorak technique MSLP estimates of Atlantic basin tropical cyclones should extend to Dvorak technique estimates in all ocean basins.