WMOD00174 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

w 0/ WEEr~Y NEWSLETTER 94-11 r,_. PERIOD JULY 11 - JULY 17, 1994 General Interest: Teats are being made with continuous reading weather instruments linked to a computer. The equipment measures meteorological variables such as temperature, humidity dew point, wind direction and speed, temperature, pressure, humidity, dew point and rainfall then display them in a variety Of ways on a computer screen, continuously updating as conditions change with time. One of the best things about the equipment is that these meteorological measurements archive data on a computer at pre- determined time intervals for future reference and display instead of having to use a strip chart wrapped around a wind-up. or electrically-driven mechanical instrument...virtually a hands-off operation. It will give us the capability to look at any imEortant oh.sn!lee in variables at any past time; !Ol: example, maximum windspeeds from thunderstorm outflows, maximum temperatures, etc. Presently, our data collection effort only makes reoords of temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. Charts need to be changed weekly and requires an inking mechanism to record the data on a paper chart. Since there are minimum dollar orders required when charts, pens, ink or maintenance is needed, at times we tend to be loaded with years of supplies, or pay an exorbitant price for the faw items needed at the time. The equipment is on loan to the WKWM Pr09ram until the end of the season. ~~~~~~c~~~:mc:~==~=~==~~==~~===~;:=~~==~=3~~=~==~=:=~~~~a~~~~~~=~ OPERATIONS (All times given are CDT): This was a rough week for operations because of recurring radar problems. Maintenance appeared to correct the problems, ini tially, for a short time; however, as time passed during operat:l.ons we lost the capability to make oorrect radar measurements of storms and generally lost most radar signals by the end of operations. This happened each day of operation last Week. This made seriously. compromised the proper placement of aircraft and decision-making ca~ah1l1ty to 6up~resB hail. We strongly believe the problems with the radar are behind us now. JULY 12th - OPERATIONAL DAY #28~ High moisture, high afternoon surface temperatures, low and mid-level forcing by easterly moving winds and upper troughing appeared to caUse thunderstorm develop~ ment along an extensive line running from North Dakota to the south-aouthwest into Colorado and New Mexico. As it approached Kansas from ColoradO, aircraft began being launched. The cloud top aircraft was still out of commission due to the damaged elevator caused by turbulence on July 3rd. After operations ended later in the evening, the repaired cloud top aircraft was just returning home from Colorado. '!'wo cloud base planes were scrambled at 6:55 p.m. and two more at 7 p.m. The first two aircraft were sent to that part of the line moving into Wallace, Greeley and northern Hamilton counties.