May 27, 1995

Vortex NCAR Aircraft Mission #11


Takeoff time - 1906 UTC
Landing Time - 0112 UTC

Summary:

A moderate risk for severe weather was forecast for Kansas and Nebraska. The Electra flew over Enid before heading north into Kansas. The jet axis appeared to be over Manhattan based on the flight level data at 12,000'. The Electra followed a line on towering cumuli from Wichita, Kansas into Nebraska. At approximately 40.3 degrees latitude we encountered a number of thunderstorms with tops only to 11 km. Several racetrack patterns were set up on these storms at 1000' AGL. The Electra climbed back up to 12,000' to examine what was now a fairly continuous line of showers that extended southward to Topeka. A final series of racetrack patterns were set up on a storm near Topeka at 1000'. Operations were terminated at 2340 UTC.

Roger Wakimoto