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Pacific Jets Experiment 2003 (PACJET-03)
BACKGROUND
The Pacific Land-falling Jets Experiment (PACJET) is an ongoing study of
land-falling winter storms on the U.S. West
Coast. The project is operated by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in collaboration with a
number of universities and other government agencies. The field
research is designed to increase the scientific understanding of
these powerful and often destructive storms and to test the use of
new observing systems and products to aid National Weather
Service (NWS) forecasters.
PACJET-2003 FIELD OPERATIONS
As in past winters dating back to the 1997/98 El Niño, PACJET
will again this winter operate a network of 915-MHz wind
profiling radars along the Pacific coast from northern Oregon to
southern California, as well as others in California's central valley
and Sierra foothills. In Jan. and Feb. 2003, PACJET will also
conduct focused observations in the vicinity of Fort Ross, CA, on
the rugged coastline north of San Francisco, an area that has
particularly poor coverage by the NWS's operational network of
WSR-88D radars. These PACJET observations will employ
additional advanced-technology instruments, including a
polarimetric, Doppler X-band scanning weather radar, a pair of S-band
precipitation profiling radars, raindrop disdrometers, and special
high-resolution rain gauges.
PACJET-2003 GOALS
- Examine the structure and kinematics of storms as they
approach the coastline and ascend the coastal mountains, and
determine the role of low-level wind jets in precipitation formation
and location.
- Document storm features that slip beneath coverage of the
nearest WSR-88D radars, and send the PACJET radar images to
NWS forecast offices via the Web.
- Study the microphysical features and orographic precipitation
mechanisms in storm clouds over the coastal mountains.
- Continue testing experimental polarimetric radar estimations of
rainfall rate.
- Develop embryonic foundations for a regional Hydrometeorological
Testbed as a conduit to infuse new observing technology to
the NWS.
- Evaluate a suite of operational and research models
through comparison to radar wind profiler and surface
meteorological data.
Data Collection Dates
Core Season |
January 10 - February 17 2003 |
Intensive measurements at Fort Ross (FRS) and Cazadero (CZC/CZD), California |
Full Season |
December 11, 2002 - April 10 2003 |
Continuous operation of wind profilers and surface met stations
at several West Coast sites |
Intensive Operating Periods Within Core Season
1 |
11 JAN 03 - 14 JAN 03 |
5" rain at FRS; fluctuating periods of deep and shallow cloud |
2 |
21 JAN 03 - 23 JAN 03 |
1.5" rain at FRS; warm front followed by cold front; many sondes |
3 |
12 FEB 03 - 13 FEB 03 |
0.4" rain at FRS; disorganized showers |
4 |
15 FEB 03 - 16 FEB 03 |
1.4" rain at FRS; cold front and convective cells; persistent mid-
level dry layer |
Other Intense Weather Events Outside of the Core Season
A1 |
13 DEC 02 - 16 DEC 02 |
20" rain at CZC |
A2 |
26 DEC 02 - 31 DEC 02 |
10" rain at CZC |
A3 |
13 MAR 03 - 15 MAR 03 |
6" rain at CZC |
Instrumentation Operations Overview
Instrument |
Site |
Data Period |
Comments |
X-band Polarimetric Radar (ETL) |
FRS |
10 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
data collection mainly during precipitation |
S-band Precip Profiler (ETL) |
FRS |
10 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
amplifier problem
5 FEB 03 - 13 FEB 03 |
S-band Precip Profiler (ETL) |
CZC |
10 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
JW Raindrop Disdrometer (ETL) |
FRS |
10 JAN 03 - 6 FEB 03 |
|
FRS-Fort |
7 FEB 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
Call Ranch site |
CZC |
18 FEB 03 - 10 APR 03 |
|
JW Raindrop Disdrometer (UW) |
CZC |
10 JAN 03 - 10 APR 03 |
data problems until 23 JAN 03 |
Radiosonde Launches (ETL) |
FRS |
10 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
28 launches, episodic |
Hasse Ship Rain Gauge (UW) |
CZC |
10 JAN 03 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Qualimetrics 6" Rain Gauge (UW) |
CZC |
26 JAN 03 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Hot-Plate Precip Mass Gauge (DRI) |
FRS |
15 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
|
GWINDEX (CIMSS) |
Ocean |
6 JAN 03 - 31 MAR 03 |
GOES Satellite Winds |
8-inch Orifice Rain Gauges (ETL) |
#1 |
FRS |
10 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
|
#2 |
SLP |
10 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
Salt Point |
#3 |
FRS-VC |
10 JAN 03 - 17 FEB 03 |
Park Visitor Center |
Surface Met Stations (ETL) |
FRS |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
data outage 14 JAN 03 |
CZC |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
West Coast 915-MHz Wind Profilers + Surface Met Stations (ETL)
many sites operated beyond the Pacjet period |
Newport, OR |
NPT |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Eureka, CA |
ERK |
22 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Bodega Bay, CA |
BBY |
11 DEC 02 - 01 MAR 03 |
Profiler data problems |
Chico, CA |
CCO |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Grass Valley, CA |
GVY |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Pt. Piedras Blancas, CA |
PPB |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Lost Hills, CA |
LHS |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
Goleta, CA |
GLA |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
|
San Nicholas Is., CA |
SNI |
11 DEC 02 - 10 APR 03 |
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