April 19, 1995

Vortex NOAA Aircraft Mission #5

Flight ID:

950419I

Flight Track:


Click image for full resolution.

Flight Crew:

Chief Scientist: Watson/Ziegler         Flight Director:  Damiano
Doppler Radar:   Shepherd               Pilots:           Kennedy/Tenneson
Cloud Physics:   ---                    Data Technician:  Pradas
Radiometer:      Fedor                  Systems Engineer: Lynch/McNamara
Observer:        Irisov
Observer:        Cortinas
Observer:        Stogsdill
Observer:        Million

Takeoff Time: 2050 UTC                  Landing Time: 0115 UTC
Official Mission Duration: 4.7 hrs
Mission Breakdown VORTEX: 4.7 hrs       ARM: 0.0 hrs
Number of Data Tapes Used:  Radar: 1    Cloud Physics: 1        Video: 3

Data Systems Log

Radar Data System Log   Time On(UTC)    Time Off(UTC)   Comments
Tape #1                 2112                            Start LF&TA
                                        0059            End Record


Cloud Physics Log       Time On(UTC)    Time Off(UTC)   Comments
                        2100            0120


ETL Radiometer Log      Time On (UTC)   Time Off (UTC)  Comments
                        2045            0123            Some missing data
Erratic data early but recoverable.  One hour missing data

Summary:

Terrorism in the Heartland

A major shortware was advancing across New Mexico this morning. Weak convection also was developing in north and central Texas. Severe convective development was expected to form near the dryline in west Texas and move northeastward. The ground teams departed early for Wichita Falls.
The P-3's departure was delayed nearly 2 hours due to a fuel-flow control switch problem. Takeoff was at 2050 UTC, climbing to FL100 heading to Hobart, OK and then on to Benjamin, TX southwest of Wichita Falls. The NCAR Electra had departed 1.5 hours earlier. When we arrived in the vicinity of the ground intercept teams, they were beginning a ROT-R and TOR-R deployment on a storm near Knox City, TX. The P-3 team made several passes on the cell which appeared to decrease rapidly in intensity.
We moved on to a new convective cell near Throckmorton, TX making 4 Doppler passes when a new cell formed in front of the older cell. We made an additional 4 Doppler passes on the two cells which struggled to attain 10-km cloud tops.
After their demise, the ground teams decided to go southeast to wait for convection to develop along a rapidly approaching dryline/ cold front coming from the southwest. There were reports of a duststorm passing Abilene which extended to 20,000 ft. The P-3 was sent south to reconnoiter the area of the boundary near Albany, TX. We encountered moderate turbulence with a veil of dust and several thunderstorms forming along this boundary.
While the ground teams waited, the P-3 and Electra crews planned a practice coordinated multiple aircraft scanning test. It was executed, by accident, on a tornadic supercell moving northeast across the Red River south of Lawton, OK. Six coordinated Doppler legs were completed with great success. The southern portion of the Doppler passes had to be cut short due to flanking convection. However, some execiting data were collected. After the test, both aircraft broke for home, arriving at OKC during a thunderstorm at the field. The scientist radio on the Electra is still hampering communications. One of the ELDORA radar transmitters was malfunctioning during this period. 4.7 hours of P-3 time were consumed.

Irv Watson