Data flow in forecasting and preventing hurricanes damages in Cuba

José Rubiera

National Forecasting Center, Instituto de Meteorología, Loma de Casa Blanca, Regla, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.

The forecast process of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) is a whole process of gathering data, an input and output of data of different kind. The result of a hurricane forecast is the warnings that must be rapidly distributed to the Government, Civil Defense and the residents to be useful in order to prevent loss of lives and properties. The Civil Defense also sends data from National level up to the neighborhood. After the storm, much data are needed from the affected areas to the Civil Defense and the Government in order to begin with the recovery phase. The main characteristic of all this data flow is its timeliness and speed, as well as the high amount of data needed to be sent, i.e. satellite or radars images and loops.

In this paper, the author introduces the basic ideas of this data flow and describes the way in which it is done in the Republic of Cuba. An important issue is also presented showing how the people receive meteorological data and warnings through television and Internet in an understandable manner and the good outcome of this in disaster prevention.

Keywords: Hurricane, Forecast, Warning, Data flow, Television, Internet, Disaster Reduction, Republic of Cuba