P-3 Chief
Scientist Event/Radar Log
Flight
Number: 011208H
IMPROVE-II Flight
#4
Date: December 8, 2001 Aircraft
ID: N42RF
Chief Scientist: Bond
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doppler Scientist: Colle Radar Tech: McMillan
Cloud Physics Sci: Colman Data Tech: XXX
Radar parameters: PRF1=PRF2
=1600, 0.50 microsecond pulse
Setup file = IMPR1
Pulses/sample = 32
Threshold on REF
Alternate Setup = IMPR2
Mission
Description:
Scientific
Crew: Nick Bond (PI), Brian Colle (radar), Tony Eckel (radar), Don Atkinson
(cloud physics)
AOC
Crew: Taggart (P), Halverson (P), Wade (FE), Damiano (FD), Newman (N),
Rogers (tech), Lynch (data), McNamara (tech), Delgado (dropsonde)
Event
Log
|
Time (Lat, Lon), Track (deg), Static Pressure (mb), Radar
Alt (m) |
Event & Comments |
|
193042 Z (47.0024, -122.28056) 348.466°, 990.1 mb, 9.0 m |
Engine Start |
|
193746 Z (47.90020, -122.28056) 178.822°, 989.9 mb, 9.0 m |
Block Out |
|
194929 Z (47.91655, -122.28580) 178.704°, 991.2 mb, 8.0 m |
Takeoff
temp 8.2C, 185/12 kts |
|
195119 Z (47.85594, -122.33766) 235.451°, 915.1 mb, 826.0 m |
at 700 m, 190/43kts temp 4.3deg C; cloud base 1000
m; 210/40kts at 1500 m, temp 2.6/0.4 |
|
195928 Z (47.55371, -122.66574) 195.373°, 654.2 mb, 3474.0 m |
radar up, 217/55kts at 3600 m; winds at 700 mb
10-20deg more southerly than progged by models. |
|
200853 Z (47.07281, -122.91345) 180.152°, 570.6 mb, 4545.0 m |
FSSP has been in zero bin (default) (not much except
for top bin). 220/65Kts and temp -15.5/-15.8, flying through mid-level ice,
see precip 60 km to west over coastal mts. |
|
202002 Z (46.41760, -123.12372) 194.735°, 573.5 mb, 4103.0 m |
switched FSSP to bin 3 (seeing 4-5 bins) at 570 mb. 216/56kts |
|
203052 Z (45.76229, -123.04787) 174.400°, 585.2 mb, 3930.0 m |
start decent down to 6 kft. |
|
203913 Z (45.24809, -123.01306) 184.851°, 813.5 mb, 1780.0 m |
reached 6kft at point A; switched FSSP back to 1 bin
as we descend into precip. -8C at 3500m plan to head west to the coast at 44
23". |
|
205349 Z (44.34367, -123.03656) 187.153°, 813.8 mb, 1727.0 m |
turning towards west, will track along lat to 124.5
at 7kt ft, temp at 7kft is -2.2degC, well defined precip band 25 km west of
coast |
|
210051 Z (44.31748, -123.62224) 268.013°, 756.2 mb, 2252.0 m |
temp dropped to -4.8deg at 7kft. Entering the
leading edge of band. |
|
210424 Z (44.31105, -123.92717) 269.664°, 756.3 mb, 2044.0 m |
encountered some mod turbulence over coastal range.
Well defined ne-SW band 20 nmi from coast. Near the coast, there is cyclonic
shear, wind reduction to 226/12kts |
|
211219 Z (44.29455, -124.59361) 266.523°, 754.2 mb, 2422.0 m |
pentrating band at 7kft. Winds slowly coming up to
240/33kts. Temp at -5.0C. going to 125W then turning back to east. |
|
212711 Z (44.30285, -124.21559) 88.861°, 622.4 mb, 3915.0 m |
at the coast heading west at 13kft, temp -10.5C,
precip band not as well defined near coast. FSSP set to level 1 a few minutes
ago. |
|
213240 Z (44.30750, -123.61615) 90.302°, 629.5 mb, 3571.0 m |
started decent down to 7kft. A lot of SCW at -8C,
not much ice. |
|
213612 Z (44.35722, -123.29138) .689°, 745.9 mb, 2428.0 m |
started turn to the northwest. Not much precip just
to the east of coastal mnts. |
|
214020 Z (44.59759, -123.48404) 326.896°, 784.3 mb, 1740.0 m |
getting a lot of needles here at -4C. Heading to 123
50" to start first N-S leg. |
|
214720 Z (44.94147, -123.80867) 325.684°, 784.5 mb, 1636.0 m |
entering band. Mod turb. Winds came around to 280/20kts. Decending down to 6kft. |
|
215032 Z (45.03992, -123.79863) 153.784°, 815.6 mb, 1629.0 m |
heading south for doppler leg at 6kft. Lots of nice
dentrites at -3 deg C. |
|
215655 Z (44.62613, -123.84238) 180.432°, 815.8 mb, 1552.0 m |
back in the needles. At -3 degC. Winds 280/38kts. A
nice sloping echo of leading edge of precip 20 nm east of plane |
|
220607 Z (44.03448, -123.84196) 177.844°, 815.3 mb, 1722.0 m |
winds have decreased 300/11kts. More SCW and some
needles |
|
221023 Z (43.75362, -123.83566) 219.179°, 815.4 mb, 1453.0 m |
stared turn to west at 6fkt. |
|
221447 Z (43.74487, -124.17946) 329.985°, 815.1 mb, 1790.0 m |
heading north along band at 6kft. Right along precip
band (to 25 dbZ), which has broadened as it made landfall. Temp -3.5
283/35kts |
|
221832 Z (43.97832, -124.17075) 359.193°, 815.7 mb, 1806.0 m |
right in frontal band, nice dendrites, 280/43kts.
Some mod bumps. Winds down to 304/12kts 8 minutes later. |
|
222950 Z (44.65799, -124.16823) 359.817°, 816.8 mb, 1783.0 m |
precip is quite stratiform (no defined band
anymore). Very little or no enhancement of precip over coastal range even
though winds 280/12kts. |
|
223518 Z (44.99809, -124.15778) 42.150°, 816.8 mb, 1782.0 m |
started turn to east. 293/21Kts at 6kft. Temp -3.5
nice dendrite-like particles. |
|
223837 Z (44.98188, -123.84419) 147.255°, 816.9 mb, 1500.0 m |
turn to south. Retracing previously done southbound
leg. Wind 300/23kts. Precip enhancement more evident over coastal range. |
|
225430 Z (43.91177, -123.82748) 185.301°, 816.6 mb, 1534.0 m |
winds increasing again to 290/35kts |
|
225603 Z (43.81120, -123.83583) 195.913°, 816.2 mb, 1463.0 m |
turn to head west back to coast for another box.
Winds 288/37kts temp -3.8C. Within a broad straitform band to 30 dBZ near
surface. |
|
225852 Z (43.76714, -124.04846) 258.232°, 816.4 mb, 1635.0 m |
radar taken down (LF was frozen). Winds up to
280/43kts at 6kt ft |
|
230227 Z (43.90622, -124.16901) 1.529°, 816.8 mb, 1791.0 m |
made turn to north a few minutes ago. Radar back up. |
|
232009 Z (44.99059, -124.15999) 27.526°, 816.3 mb, 1790.0 m |
start turn to east at 6kft. Temp -4.0. 262/14kts. |
|
232849 Z (44.64435, -123.83098) 179.288°, 816.7 mb, 1682.0 m |
aircraft turned to south ~10 min ago along same
southbound leg. |
|
233214 Z (44.41893, -123.81813) 124.741°, 816.8 mb, 1571.0 m |
turn to east half way through track. Report of fropa
at spol and precip is at the Casacade foothills. Still in widespread
stratiform echo to25 dBZ. |
|
233643 Z (44.38310, -123.40706) 164.631°, 816.6 mb, 1459.0 m |
turn to south to finish leg in the lee of the
coastal range. Temp -2.6 degC 290/27kts |
|
234650 Z (43.76064, -123.32285) 84.884°, 816.4 mb, 1436.0 m |
turn east to head towards point to start lawnmower
patterns. 266/17Kts some needles and SWC drops. |
|
234953 Z (43.78027, -123.03145) 34.979°, 816.7 mb, 1569.0 m |
heading north at point F. 264/10Kts. Broader precip
band orientrated NNE-SSW. |
|
000518 Z (44.74072, -123.03261) 357.737°, 816.8 mb, 1723.0 m |
nice overhanging echo in the lee of the coastal
range to the west of track. 270/14Kts. Temp -3.0C |
|
000859 Z (44.98566, -123.03218) 15.608°, 816.0 mb, 1750.0 m |
started east turn at point A. Ascending up to 8kt
ft. At 8kft, temp -6.3C, 275/39kts. |
|
001259 Z (45.01235, -122.60570) 107.345°, 756.6 mb, 2016.0 m |
At point B, heading south at 8kft. 274/33Kts temp
-6.2, platelike ice particles. Good radar coverage on either side of plane. |
|
001546 Z (44.83629, -122.56950) 180.569°, 757.2 mb, 1641.0 m |
radar down at 00:15:00, back up at 00:18:22Z |
|
003042 Z (43.88220, -122.56665) 179.995°, 757.1 mb, 1632.0 m |
penentrated through front at 8kft 10 min ago. Winds
now 235/24kts. Downward sloping echo over windward slope (front?) |
|
003208 Z (43.79451, -122.56262) 151.953°, 755.1 mb, 1889.0 m |
At point G, heading east. Ascended up through shear
layer. 218/47Kts at 11kft temp -9.0 |
|
003726 Z (43.80333, -122.05820) 8.581°, 674.0 mb, 1853.0 m |
At point H, heading north. Echo very weak (5DBZ)
under plane, but some enhancement (to 25 dBZ) over windward slopes |
|
005308 Z (44.97742, -122.08389) 353.379°, 674.2 mb, 2660.0 m |
At point C, heading west back to point B. At 11kft,
temp -11.3 242/30kts. Start decent to 8kft at 00:56:00Z |
|
005849 Z (45.00520, -122.53674) 245.799°, 747.5 mb, 1932.0 m |
At point B, heading south at 8kft. Temp -7.0C 286/30kts |
|
011735 Z (43.79920, -122.56389) 152.371°, 756.3 mb, 1947.0 m |
At point G, heading east to point H, climbing to 11
kft. At 11kft, winds 222/43kts, temp -10.5C |
|
012206 Z (43.77466, -122.12546) 75.845°, 675.4 mb, 1608.0 m |
At point H, heading north to point C. Start of echo
20 nmi to the east of plane (which is
near the crest),. Some spillover evident. |
|
014008 Z (45.00423, -122.17944) 272.472°, 706.2 mb, 1664.0 m |
At point C, heading west to point B. Descending down
to 8kft. |
|
014412 Z (45.00835, -122.50406) 261.594°, 756.5 mb, 1869.0 m |
At point B, heading south to point G at 8 kft. 285/17Kts, temp -7.1 C |
|
020310 Z (43.78083, -122.55771) |
At point G, heading to point H, ascending to 11 kft.
At 11kft, 245/27kts. |
|
020834 Z (43.78786, -122.07257) 358.298°, 674.1 mb, 1863.0 m |
At opint H, heading north. 238/35Kts. Temp -11.8C.
echo extends to crest, but fairly weak to 24 dBZ, tops to 17 kft. |
|
021406 Z (44.18874, -122.08324) .261°, 674.0 mb, 2815.0 m |
winds slowly veerring to 255/23kts. Temp -12.0C.
Echo tops becoming more shallow. Some enhancement over ridges. |
|
022708 Z (45.11547, -122.10173) 336.687°, 648.0 mb, 2305.0 m |
At C, heading home. Interesting case, great
documentation of microphysical/precip evolution of a landfalling front. |
|
025645 Z (47.23756, -122.78838) 15.834°, 856.3 mb, 1344.0 m |
radar taken down. Freezing level 1200 m. |
|
032022 Z (47.91183, -122.28566) 179.097°, 991.3 mb, 9.0 m |
landed. Pentrated nice PSCZ to the north of Paine.
+- 3-4 m/s vertical motion. Nice shear layer from 270/20 kts at 900 m to
220/12kts at 200 m |
|
032440 Z (47.90025, -122.28049) 260.359°, 250.6 mb, 9.0 m |
block in |