WMOD00424

• Project Name: 1978 Delaware Rain Augmentation Project
• Title: 1978 Delaware Rain Augmentation Project - Condensed Report
• Prepared For: Secretary of Agriculture, State of Delaware
• Prepared By: Dr. Larry G. Davis, Lawrence B. Youngren
• Date: 12/1/1978
• State: DE
• Country: United States
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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0704
0832
0938

1000

Radar turned on to m:mi tor cells tracking to oortheast.
Seeding aircraft dispatched.
A'JX: cleared aircraft to top of stratiflonn c1000s at
21,000 feet.
Pilot and radar meteorologist oonfinn lcell east of
Salisbury is seedable, tops at 35,000 feet with very
light (?) rain. Cell measures 4.5 by :2 RoI and is
breaking into two parts.

1014- Pilot unable to locate favorable updraft on first
16 penetration but seeded two flares (40 qrams) on second
pass into t:he northermnst very small feeder cells
hidden in stratus at 21,000 feet. Meb~ro1ogist repJrts
radar indicates "growth has been quick:~ 2,500 to 4,000
feet in a minute or so". ~te rain at surface.
1018 Northermost seeded cell expanding rap:ldly.

1016 Seeded three no:r:e flares (60 grams) to south of
original seed in an attsrpt to merge the two cells.
Heavy turbulence inside c1ou:l.
1030 Radar Wicates cells nergi.ng into a 6 by 3 NM
CCI'IP1ex. Heavy rain at surface.
1032 Radar Wicates tops greater than 38,000 feet. picture
taken at 21,000 feet shows feeder cell.s on north edge
of rain cx:op1ex grarlng through stratw;. COntinoous
heavy rain at surface.

1040 Radar indicates feeder cells topping out at 32,500
feet. picture taken at 21,000 feet shows northern .
edge feeder cells werqing into main ~)tem.
1045 picture at 21,000 feet shows main feedE!r cells alnDst
CCI'IP1ete1y merged with main system and no:r:e new feeder
cells developing on nort:l1ern edge of oc:rrp1ex.
1048- Radar indicates main cells in excess of 41,000 feet
49 & covering an area 9.5 by 4 NM. COntinoous heavy rain.

1101 Heaviest rain of entire stonn as tops lower to
30,000 feet.
1117 Cloud system regenerating as tops <JrCM to 36,000 feet
with no:r:e heavy rain.
1130- Radar indicates ocrrp1ex llG\' 7.5 by 5 ~I. Another
32 surge of heavy rain at surface as c1ou:l tops decrease
'to 27,500 feet.

1147 Radar indicates rain intensity decreasing slightly,
but still heavy, as cloud tops lower t:o 17,000 feet.

1200 Radar indicates carp1ex 8.5 by 7 m with OCI'ltinoous
heavy rain as the stann is ncving out t:o sea.

Figure 13. PPIand Narrative of 2 August Storm.

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