New Mexico professors using $2.8M grant to study hurricanes

SOCORRO, N.M. (AP) — Two New Mexico professors will be studying how hurricanes are formed under a $2.8 million grant. A New Mexico Tech news release says that the physics researchers have used the funds from the National Science Foundation to create the Climate and Water Center to oversee their atmospheric field project. With an aircraft from the foundation, Dr. Zeljka (zel-KUH') Fuchs and David Raymond plan to get close to hurricane breeding grounds in the tropical East Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The hope is to improve weather predictions around the world. Vice President of Research Dr. Van Romero says the center will also study New Mexico weather and advise farmers on when to plant, when to water and when to harvest to maximize their productivity.