Flight ID:
- 950506I
Flight Track:
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Chief Scientist: Watson/Ziegler Flight Director: Parrish Doppler Radar: Shepherd/Lewis Pilots: Kennedy/Tenneson Cloud Physics: --- Data Technician: McNamara Radiometer: Westwater Systems Engineer: Lynch Observers: Curl Takeoff Time: 1958 UTC Landing Time: 0109 UTC Official Mission Duration: 5.4 hrs Mission Breakdown VORTEX: 5.4 hrs ARM: 0.0 hrs Number of Data Tapes Used: Radar: 1 Cloud Physics: 0 Video: 2 Note: One video tape system inoperative...only side camera data recordedData Systems Log
Radar Data System Log Time On(UTC) Time Off(UTC) Comments Tape #1 2022 Begin LF/TA 2044 Stop rec TA 0047 Stop recording Cloud Physics Log Time On(UTC) Time Off(UTC) Comments No PMS data recorded ETL Radiometer Log Time On (UTC) Time Off (UTC) Comments 1950 0112 Excellent data
Same old story...CAPE and shear should be adequate for supercell
development in western Texas. Initiation should be along either the dryline,
warm front, or local escarpments.
After a 30 minute delay, we departed OKC at 1958 UTC with the
NCAR Electra following 30 minutes behind. The FC suggested a reconnoiter
leg west of Childress, TX along 34.5N to determine the location of the
dryline. The dryline was found at 101.2W on the caprock. One set
of stepped traverses was performed at 34.5N. Cu/Sc seemed more appealing
to the north, so we adjusted our stepped tranverses northward to 35.0N,
coordinating the INIT pattern with the Electra. Five complete stepped
traverses were accomplished well documenting the dryline with 2 aircraft,
CLASS sounding launches, and probe transects. Although the day was a
bust, a good dryline dataset, along with the data from the ETL radiometer,
was collected.
An interesting observation....the echoes which developed to our
south showed 6 old anvils and 2 towers as we tracked for OKC. The pulsing
nature of the multiple towers was clearly evident. We landed at OKC at
0109 UTC, along with the Electra, consuming 5.4 flight hours.
Irv Watson