Naval Facility tracks Irma From Monterey

As Hurricane Irma approaches the U.S., experts from right here on the Central Coast have been tracking its every move.

The team at Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center have been tracking the storm since August 28th when it was in its earliest stages and will be following it to the very end.

With a hurricane the size of Irma headed towards the U.S., knowledge is power to keep those closest to it safe. Knowledge is exactly what Fleet Numerical is working to gather.

With advanced technology, they know what’s happening in the world’s climate now and how it can affect the future.

“Maybe the most important part of that is we turn that information into something that’s meaningful for naval operations,” said the center’s technical director Bill Kerr.

Information that’s more important now than ever.

“The navy is moving ships towards the Gulf Coast to support Harvey, there may be missions like that supporting whatever happens with Irma, you know they’re Navy efforts but we do things that support doing all of those things safely and providing more assistance in those areas,” Kerr said.

But it’s not only the nave that benefits from the center’s work.

“We’ll also share that support with other government agencies as well and local agencies so that they have the best weather models as well,” said Lieutenent Commander Matthew McKenzie, the center’s operations officer.

Though the center is always busy most would think that a hurricane like Irma would make things unusually hectic but the data they’re gathering is business as usual for them.

“We’re a little busier with the Atlantic season which tends to run June to November but not much because the Pacific has roughly ten times as many storms in a year and there isn’t really a season in the Pacific, they’ll happen all of the time,” Kerr said.

Once Irma is behind the U.S., operations at the center will continue just as they are today.

“The day after this dissipates and it goes away, we’re going to show up to work just like normal,” McKenzie said, “The mission here doesn’t change, doesn’t degrade and we’re always working to improve it and support the fleet better.”

Fleet Numerical employs around 180 and has someone on watch 24 hours a day.