The Convection and Precipitation/Electrification Experiment (CaPE) was conducted in the central Florida region during the period 8 July through 18 August, 1991. The CaPE was a cooperative multi-agency field project sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the United States Air Force (USAF).
The CaPE focused on five main objectives that have been the basis of extensive research activity in recent years:
The CaPE was held in Florida for a number of reasons:
Aircraft | ER-2 (NASA); Sailplane (NCAR); King Airs (NCAR and University of Wyoming); Learjet (NASA); T-39 (NASA); T-28 (SDSM&T); and P-3 (NOAA) |
Radar | CP-2, CP-3, CP-4 (NCAR); FL-2, FL-3, UND (FAA TDWR); Tampa Bay RADAP (NOAA/NWS); Patrick AFB radar (USAF); NMINT mobile radar (New Mexico Tech); and P-3 aircraft (NOAA) |
Surface | PAM network (NCAR), FLOWS mesonet (MIT); LLWAS and AWOS (FAA); WINDS Towers (NASA/USAF); SEBN and TRMM networks (NASA); Florida Water District precipitation networks (SJRWMD/SFWMD/SWFWMD); Fire Network (Florida Division of Forestry); Agricultural Network (University of Florida); and routine operational NOAA and USGS networks |
Upper Air | CLASS network (NCAR); MSS and RATS stations (USAF); Rawinsonde station (University of Lowell); Minisonde station (North Carolina State); and KSC Profiler (NASA) |
Electrical | Surface Electric Field Mill (NASA); Airborne Electric Field Mill (SDSM&T/NCAR/NASA); LDAR (NASA); RTLP Program (NASA); Wideband Electric Field-Change (NMIMT); Interferometer (ONERA/NMIMT); VHF and Wideband TOA (University of Florida); Corona Point (MIT); Lightning Photography (NOAA/SUNYA); and National LLP network |
![]() |
CaPE data: reflectivity plot. Photo courtesy UCAR.
|
Tammy Weckworth, a graduate student at the time, monitoring cloud formations from within one of the data sites on District property near Melbourne. Photo courtesy Carlos Rodriguez.
|
Photo courtesy Bob Bumpas.
|
Chester McNeese of the FAA's Miami center briefs Teddie Keller (left, NCAR's RAP), sailplane pilot Bruce Miller, and Glenn Gordon (University of Wyoming) on air traffic routes in the CaPE area.
|
All photos copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research unless otherwise noted.