Of the most notable, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend on Thursday, September 19, 2024, bringing 140 mph winds and a 15-foot storm surge. The record storm caused severe infrastructural damage to roads, bridges, utilities, and dams; featured extensive flooding that caused widespread damage—particularly in North Carolina and the Appalachian regions; and was named the deadliest hurricane since 2017 with at least 230 deaths, surpassing Hurricane Maria.
This year’s 2025 Hurricane Outlook, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on May 22, estimates an “Above-Normal” season with a forecasted range of 13 to 19 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 6–10 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3–5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).
Submarine SMART cables—Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications—represent a transformative advance in ocean observing technology, with direct implications for improving hurricane forecasting. By integrating environmental sensors into global undersea telecommunications cables, SMART cables provide persistent, real-time data from the ocean’s depths, filling critical gaps in our ability to monitor and predict extreme weather events such as hurricanes.
Understanding the Role of Oceans in Hurricane Formation
Hurricanes are fueled by heat and moisture from the ocean surface. Accurate forecasting relies on understanding not only the surface conditions but also the deep ocean’s temperature structure, pressure variations, and how these interact with atmospheric systems. Traditionally, ocean observations have been limited by sparse in situ measurements (e.g., buoys, floats) and remote sensing (e.g., satellites), which struggle to capture the full complexity of the ocean, especially in the deep and remote regions where hurricanes often develop and intensify.
What Are SMART Cables?
SMART cables are next-generation submarine telecommunications cables equipped with environmental sensors at repeater stations spaced along their length, typically every 50–100 km. These sensors measure:
- Ocean bottom temperature
- Ocean bottom pressure
- Seismic acceleration
Data from these sensors are transmitted in real time to shore-based observatories, leveraging the cable’s existing power and communications infrastructure.
Filling Data Gaps in Ocean Observing
The global network of submarine cables already spans over a million kilometers, crossing all major ocean basins. By “piggybacking” sensors onto new and replacement cables, the SMART initiative aims to create a persistent, high-resolution, and cost-effective ocean observing system.
This is significant because the deep ocean remains heavily undersampled, yet it plays a critical role in modulating surface conditions that influence hurricane formation and intensity. SMART cables provide:
- Continuous, real-time measurements across vast, previously unmonitored regions
- High spatial and temporal resolution, capturing rapid changes and subtle trends
- Data from the deep ocean, complementing surface and satellite observations
Enhanced Ocean Heat Content Monitoring
Ocean heat content (OHC) is a key variable in hurricane forecasting. Warm water at depth can sustain and intensify hurricanes even after surface cooling by winds or rainfall. SMART cables’ bottom temperature sensors enable monitoring of heat anomalies propagating through ocean basins and along boundaries, providing a more complete picture of OHC. This helps forecasters assess whether conditions are favorable for hurricane intensification.
Sea Level and Pressure Changes
Ocean bottom pressure sensors track sea level rise, tides, and ocean circulation. These variables influence the structure of the upper ocean and, consequently, the energy available to hurricanes. By measuring pressure changes in real time, SMART cables improve models of ocean circulation and sea level, leading to more accurate predictions of storm surge and hurricane impacts.
Integrating Satellite and In-Situ observations
While satellites provide broad coverage of the ocean surface, they cannot penetrate below the surface or operate effectively under thick cloud cover—common during hurricanes. SMART cables complement satellite data by providing direct measurements from the seafloor, enabling better calibration and validation of remote sensing products and more robust data assimilation into forecasting models.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Deploying SMART cables at scale requires coordination among governments, industry, and the scientific community. Funding, technical integration, and data-sharing protocols are ongoing challenges, but pilot projects in regions like the Mediterranean, Pacific, and Indian Oceans demonstrate the feasibility and growing momentum.
Ocean Specialists, Inc. (OSI) OSI has supported the ocean and offshore industries with marine engineering and design services for nearly two decades. OSI works with commercial, government, and defense clients to deliver some of the most innovative systems and turnkey solutions for at-sea deployment. OSI also has an ongoing relationship with Subsea Data Systems—who provides SMART Cable hardware, software, and data management solutions—to provide a full spectrum of SMART Cable solutions for a broad customer base of telecommunications providers, US federal agencies, and international groups.
Each phase of your subsea cable project development can significantly impact the project schedule, project costs, and technical risks. Each phase must be managed and addressed early in the planning phase of the network to ensure the long-term viability of the subsea cable investment.
As the network expands, SMART cables are poised to become a backbone of the global ocean observing system, fundamentally enhancing our ability to forecast, prepare for, and respond to hurricanes and other ocean-related hazards.
To find out more about OSI’s subsea service offerings, visit: https://oceanspecialists.com/services