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<br />: I <br />, <br />I <br />I <br />\ <br />I <br /> <br />Crop-hail damage this year was distributed differently than most other years and the supply of <br />flares was adequate through June. On just one major hail day we were short of flares due to late <br />delivery from Canada. After the flare supply effectively ended on July 10th, hail claim data <br />indicated no really big hail damage days occurring. . <br /> <br />A second type of flare was used only for rain stimulation last year, but in significant <br />numbers in 1999. Only 3 re-worked dud flares were used in 1999. These flares were a 500-gram <br />unit distributed by Atmospherics, Inc., from Fresno, CA. <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />-I <br />I <br />I <br />1 <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />The Dodge City-based Navajo used the past several years was sold shortly after the end of <br />the 1998 program and a Cheyenne II turboprop aircraft was acquired in 1999. It was equipped <br />with the same dry ice dispenser used on the Navajo that was capable of carrying nearly 200 <br />pounds and which was dispensed at 5 pounds per minute. Almost another full load of dry ice was <br />carried aboard in Styrofoam containers to extend its in-flight seeding capability. The aircraft was <br />able to remain aloft longer than did the Navajo used last year and greatly improved our <br />operational capability. Reaction time getting to and from storm regions were noticeably faster this <br />year. Seeding was done where the -IOC temperature level was found. This altitude varies . <br />throughout the summer but often is around 20,000 feet. Cloud-top flight paths are either through <br />the tops of newly developing clouds close to theparenf storm, or through new storm growth on <br />multi-celled lines (see Figure 2 on page 8). In the last half of the season, we began to test the new <br />seeding method suggested.by Dr. N. Fukuta (see Sec. VII, on page 57). Rain stimulation flights <br />were made with the Cheyenne making cloud penetrations near -2C. The apparent success of the <br />tests encouraged us to try seeding for hail at low cloud altitudes. Since Dr. FUkuta suggests using <br />liquid carbon dioxide (LC) instead of dry ice pellets (CO,), we compensated for the fact that some <br />dry ice pellets may fall a couple of thousand feet by flying around -3C to -4C for hail suppression. <br />Again, apparent results are encouraging but more testing remains to be done. <br /> <br />This season another dry ice reloading base was built in Scott City to provide an alternate, <br />more centrally located supply area within the total WKWMP target area. As a result, the c1oud- <br />top aircraft was able to stay aloft much longer on several occasions before having to descend for <br />fuel; turn-around times were faster than last year's as well. <br /> <br />The design of the WKWMP is similar to other seeding programs of its kind: The <br />meteorologist makes the decision to launch aircraft, then guide them to the desired seeding <br />positions during operations. Once a pilot arrives at a storm, he confers with his meteorologist and <br />a seeding decision is made. Unless an aircraft tUns into emergencies, tUns out of seeding agent or <br />is low on fuel, flight termination decisions are made by the meteorologist. WKWMP pilots are <br />well-trained and most obtain a season of seeding experience as an intern prior to flying as <br />pilot-in-command. Communications and teamwork must work well in order for the WKWMP to <br />operate effectively and be successful. <br /> <br />The two-target area approach to the current WKWMP design appears to be continuing to <br />work quite well again. The target areas divide responsibility as follows: the original13-county <br /> <br />20 <br />