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<br />'" <br />. <br /> <br />RECEIVED ,,'DI'i:Lj_.. <br />JI sc <br />SEP 25 1999 1,.!sC (- <br />_ _ -CAlllm!lo Waler 11 r <br />WESTERN KANSAS W~MliRticM(t.latd Ii L <br />MODIFICATION PROGRAM .!..r.~_,., <br />e-u11: hailun@pld. call --.- . <br />Internet: http://www.pld.cOlI/users/hailman/master.htal <br /> <br />WEEKLY. NEWSLETTER <br />96-23 <br /> <br />Faa THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 13 - SJtP'l'EMBER 20, 1996 <br /> <br />~tneral Interest: ,The length of the WKWM prograroto reduce hail and <br />stimulate rainfall was extended thi~ season by about 2 weeks on <br />both ends of our normal season startup and end dates. 'We began this <br />",,..v..-..;,. :!.....r~'l l....h J.'n~t^aA -~ ..~.. ,_..._~... 0"'1' ""nd it"^epte-'''''~r'' <br />.~,,__;~.,~;-.._w ..~ ~ ,.,.I~. 0;;. c:: ~ _""'. .......: _....-,... ~..,n... .....L ..1... 111::0'.1 . ;:) IIlIJll:I <br />30th~instead of September 15th. <br /> <br />Climatologically, each year there is a high expectation for <br />severe weather at least once after September 15th. This past week <br />proved climatOlogy correct again as severe storms developed before <br />m5,dnight on the 17th and continuedintQ the early morning hours of <br />the 18th. Then, later that same day on the 18th, more severe storms <br />pounded us in the late afternoon and evening. The cloud base planes <br />could not seed properly during this time and for most of the period <br />the planes were grounded due to thL weather itself. On the eveninq <br />of the 17th and the evening of the 18th the prevailing conditions <br />were that cloud bases were at veri low altitudes, generally less <br />than 400 feet above ground level, and visibilities were variable, <br />in some areas down to almost nothing. Cloud bases found at such low <br />altitudes makes our type of flying extremely hazardous and unsate <br />and reasons for keeping the planes grounded. Similar conditions <br />such as these have been occurred several times this Year, many more <br />times than normally experienced other years, but this bas been an <br />unusual year, weatherwise. <br /> <br />,It I S ironic that, despi te our best intentions to be prepared to <br />combat severe storms in this ~ate~season part of the year--~for the <br />iirst tiNe in many years---natural events prevented us from being <br />',able to 'carry out our lUission to deter crop-hail dalUage and it <br />occurred anyway. Although the crop-damage statistics are not yet <br />cOlUpiled, it looks certain it occurred over much of the target area <br />during this two day period. <br /> <br />OPERATIONS: There were three operational periods within two days <br />this past week. The operational periods were regulated by an upper <br />closed low pressure center which developed in the Western U.S. and <br />drifted easterly toward the Midwest. Accompanying the low was a <br />relatively slow-moving Pacific cold front which eventually moved <br />through western Kansas TueSday and Wednesday. Just ahead ot the <br />frontal passage, southeasterly low level winds were lifted upslope <br />causing widespread low cloudiness, fog and drizzle in the mornings <br />and evenings. With the frontal passage, a day of clearing went by <br />then a cold pool of air in the upper levels dropped into Western <br />Kansas triggering storms on Fridav. <br />