Program Status for 1 February 2001 : IOP 05

Status

0424 UTC	The P3 has concluded scientific operations for tonight. No further alerts are expected. The P3 is expected to land in Monterey at 2120 PST. A flight has been scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, February 2, starting no eariler than 1330 PST. Flight updates will be posted.
0130 UTC	Narrow cold frontal rainband position 0130UTC: from 42deg56min, 127deg49min to 43deg53min, 127deg15min The strongest sfc winds were observed over a 200 km area west of the warm sector rainband and east of narrow cold frontal rainband. At 400 m ASL (flight level) winds were 50 kts, 194 deg, with sheeting of waves. Current data: 0138UTC P3 at 43deg47minN, 125deg58minW at 964 mb (heading 12deg) winds: 185deg, 58.3kt air temp: 7.3 degC
0029 UTC 0036 UTC Image.	At 41deg52minN, 129deg17minW (warm sector) At 962mb: winds 227deg, 46.5 kt, air temp 10.2 deg C Passing through band parallel and NW of WSR: Crossed front at 41deg53minN, 129deg23minW Postfrontal winds 255deg, 44.2 kt, air temp= 7.8 deg C NCFR very weak echos on both tail and LF radar, orientation 30deg-210deg.
0020 UTC	Warm sector rainband info: location from 40degN, 128deg08min to 42deg40min, 126deg40min
2355 UTC Image of warm sector rainband from lower fuselage radar.	What had been interpreted previously as the NCFR appears now to be an unusually linear warm sector rainband. We are proceeding further west (heading 273 deg) to look for the NCFR. There was no distinct wind shift or temperature change after punching through the warm sector rainband. warm sector rainband info: tail radar: 9 km echo top, echo max=40dbz lower fuselage radar: echo max= 40-45 dbz
2319 UTC	At 41deg22min,126deg47min (prefrontal): At 933 mb: winds 44 kt at 208 deg
2310 UTC	NCFR extends from 40deg43min, 128deg31min to 42deg14min, 127deg46min. Estimated eastward motion in excess of 20 m/s, max echo intensity 35-40 dbz.
2240 UTC Image of NCFR from P3.	P3 position 41 deg 15' N 126 deg 48' W, reports narrow cold frontal rainband extending from 42 deg 11'N 128 deg 28'W to 41 deg 9'N 129 deg 5' W, peak echo 30 dBZ at long range. Additional Obs (pre-frontal): At 1000 mb: winds 28.3kt, 194 deg At 1500 ft: winds 43 kt, 210 deg, mixing ratio 5 g/kg, thetae 298 K at 41.3 N 126.7 W
February 1 0815 PST	Flight delayed until 1300 PST Mission: Storm surveillance, fluxes, IMPROVE coordination.
February 2	Proposed flight Earliest take-off 1330 PST Weather briefing at 1000 PST

Status | Forecast Discussion | Aircraft Status | Flight Plan | Soundings Status | Special Notes

PACJET IOP5 Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service/PACJET Operations Center, Monterey, CA
0320 UTC February 2, 2001

Discussion: Heaviest precip evident on coastal radars at this time is a band of 35-40 DBZ echoes moving into the Willamette Valley...and an area of 35-40 DBZ echoes about 50-100 nmi off the coast west and northwest of EKA. The large area of enhanced clouds along the WA coast and northern half of the OR coast continues to cool (-64 to -67C) as it spreads inland.

Turning the focus to tomorrow...new run of ETA/MesoETA continue to weaken the current front across far NW California tomorrow. MesoETA generates about a third of an inch of QPF along the far NW coast (vcnty EKA and CEC) and brings the 0.01 line about as far south as Point Arena.

More impressive development is taking place well to the west as a nice baroclinic leaf is taking shape associated with a wave near 32N/165W. The ETA generates quite a bit of precip between 18Z and 00Z (0.25 to 0.75 inches)...along 40N west of 135W...out ahead of this feature in the region of strong warm advection.

Rowe
NWS/PACJET Forecaster

Status | Forecast Discussion | Aircraft Status | Flight Plan | Soundings Status | Special Notes

Status | Forecast Discussion | Aircraft Status | Flight Plan | Soundings Status | Special Notes

Status | Forecast Discussion | Aircraft Status | Flight Plan | Soundings Status | Special Notes