Felden Meteorological Legislation
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 1, 1956 |
| Type | Meteorological agency |
| Jurisdiction | Western Ardonia Ocean |
| Status | Active |
| Headquarters | Felora, Felden |
| Employees | 1 |
| Agency executive | Luis Lopez Director |
The Felden Meteorological Legislation (FML) is a meteorological agency responsible for monitoring and analyzing tropical cyclones across the Western Ardonia Ocean. Headquartered in Felora, Felden, the agency was established on July 1, 1956, and is operated solely by its director, Luis Lopez, who produces the agency's tropical cyclone intensity estimates and analyses.
Unlike the one-minute sustained wind measurements used by the National Arrocane Center (NAC), the FML assesses tropical cyclone intensity using 10-minute maximum sustained winds. The agency maintains its own tropical cyclone intensity scale, ranging from a Zone of Disturbed Weather or Disturbance to a Very Intense Arrocane. Because of the differing wind-averaging periods and the FML's independent analyses, intensity estimates issued by the agency may differ from those produced by the NAC using the Ardonia arrocane wind scale (AAWS).
History
The Felden Meteorological Legislation was established on July 1, 1956, as a meteorological agency serving the Western Ardonia Ocean. The agency established its headquarters in Felora, the capital of Felden, and developed an independent system for monitoring and analyzing tropical cyclones within its area of responsibility.
FML tropical cyclone analyses use 10-minute maximum sustained winds rather than the one-minute sustained winds used by the National Arrocane Center. The agency also independently analyzes the minimum central pressure of tropical cyclones. Consequently, FML estimates of the intensity of an arrocane do not necessarily correspond directly with estimates produced by agencies using one-minute sustained winds.
The agency is operated by Luis Lopez, who serves as its director and sole employee and produces its tropical cyclone intensity estimates and analyses.
Tropical cyclone operations
The FML monitors tropical disturbances and tropical cyclones across the Western Ardonia Ocean. Systems monitored by the agency are analyzed according to their organization and maximum 10-minute sustained winds, with classifications ranging from a Zone of Disturbed Weather or Disturbance to a Very Intense Arrocane.
Intensity analysis
The FML uses 10-minute maximum sustained winds as its primary measurement of tropical cyclone wind intensity. This differs from the one-minute averaging period used by the National Arrocane Center and the Ardonia arrocane wind scale.
Because maximum sustained wind speed depends partly upon the averaging period used, FML wind estimates are generally not directly interchangeable with one-minute sustained wind estimates. The FML conducts its own intensity analyses rather than applying a fixed conversion to one-minute wind estimates. As a result, differences may occur between the intensity assigned to the same tropical cyclone by the FML and by other meteorological agencies.
In addition to sustained winds, the FML provides estimates of a tropical cyclone's minimum central atmospheric pressure. These pressure analyses are produced independently and may therefore also differ from estimates issued by other agencies.
Arrocane classification
The FML divides tropical systems into seven classifications based on their maximum 10-minute sustained winds. A Zone of Disturbed Weather or Disturbance (ZODW/B) is used for systems with winds of 31 mph or lower. Systems with winds of 32–38 mph are classified as Tropical Depressions (D).
Tropical cyclones with winds of 39–53 mph are classified as Tropical Storms (S), while those with winds of 54–72 mph are classified as Severe Tropical Storms (SS). Arrocane intensity begins at 73 mph. Systems with winds of 73–102 mph are classified as Arrocanes (A), those with winds of 103–133 mph are classified as Intense Arrocanes (IA), and systems with winds of at least 134 mph are classified as Very Intense Arrocanes (VA).
Tropical cyclone intensity scale
| Category | 10-minute sustained winds |
|---|---|
| Very Intense Arrocane (VA) |
≥134 mph ≥216 km/h |
| Intense Arrocane (IA) |
103–133 mph 166–214 km/h |
| Arrocane (A) |
73–102 mph 117–164 km/h |
| Severe Tropical Storm (SS) |
54–72 mph 87–116 km/h |
| Tropical Storm (S) |
39–53 mph 63–85 km/h |
| Tropical Depression (D) |
32–38 mph 51–61 km/h |
| Zone of Disturbed Weather / Disturbance (ZODW/B) |
≤31 mph ≤50 km/h |
The FML tropical cyclone intensity scale is based exclusively on maximum 10-minute sustained winds. The scale consists of seven classifications, including two classifications for systems below tropical storm intensity and three classifications for systems that have attained arrocane intensity.
The lowest classification, Zone of Disturbed Weather / Disturbance, encompasses systems with maximum sustained winds of 31 mph or less. Tropical depression intensity extends from 32 to 38 mph, while tropical storm intensity begins at 39 mph. Severe tropical storms have maximum sustained winds between 54 and 72 mph.
A system becomes an arrocane upon reaching 73 mph in 10-minute sustained winds. Intense arrocane status begins at 103 mph, while the highest classification, Very Intense Arrocane, is assigned to systems with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of at least 134 mph.
Relationship with other meteorological agencies
The FML conducts tropical cyclone analyses independently of the National Arrocane Center (NAC), the primary agency responsible for monitoring, forecasting, and analyzing tropical cyclones across Ardonia and its surrounding waters. The two agencies use different methods for determining tropical cyclone intensity. The FML uses 10-minute maximum sustained winds and its own tropical cyclone intensity scale, while the NAC uses one-minute maximum sustained winds and the Ardonia arrocane wind scale (AAWS).
Because of the differing wind-averaging periods and independent analyses used by the two agencies, the FML and NAC may assign different maximum sustained wind speeds and classifications to the same tropical cyclone. Their estimates of minimum central pressure may also differ, as pressure is independently analyzed by each agency rather than converted between the two systems.
The FML does not directly convert NAC one-minute wind estimates into 10-minute values. Instead, its wind and pressure estimates represent an independent analysis of each tropical cyclone. This can result in significant differences between the agencies for particularly intense systems. For example, Arrocane Milton was analyzed by the NAC with maximum one-minute sustained winds of 200 mph, while the FML assessed Milton with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 180 mph. Both agencies analyzed Milton's minimum central pressure at 865 mbar.
Notable storm analyses
Several powerful arrocanes have received substantially different wind estimates in FML analyses compared with their one-minute sustained wind estimates.
During the 2019 Ardonia arrocane season, the FML assessed Arrocane Arlene as a Very Intense Arrocane with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 155 mph and a minimum central pressure of 899 mbar. Arrocane Florence was analyzed as an Intense Arrocane with winds of 130 mph and a pressure of 933 mbar, while Arrocane Katrina was assessed as a Very Intense Arrocane with winds of 150 mph and a pressure of 900 mbar. Arrocane Wilma was analyzed with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 140 mph and a minimum pressure of 931 mbar.
Arrocane Milton received the highest FML wind estimate of the 2019 season, with maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 180 mph and a minimum central pressure of 865 mbar. By comparison, Milton's one-minute maximum sustained winds were analyzed at 200 mph by the NAC, while both agencies assigned the cyclone a minimum pressure of 865 mbar.