PACJET Projects |
HMT 2004
PACJET 2003
PACJET 2002
PACJET 2001
CALJET 1998
|
PACJET 2001 IOPs |
IOP 1: 20 Jan 2001
IOP 2: 23 Jan 2001
IOP 3: 25 Jan 2001
IOP 4: 31 Jan 2001
IOP 5: 1 Feb 2001
IOP 6: 6 Feb 2001
IOP 7: 9 Feb 2001
IOP 8: 10 Feb 2001
IOP 9: 11 Feb 2001
IOP 10: 12 Feb 2001
IOP 11: 17 Feb 2001
IOP 12: 18 Feb 2001
IOP 13: 21 Feb 2001
IOP 14: 24 Feb 2001
IOP 15: 25 Feb 2001
IOP 16: 1 Mar 2001
|
Background |
About Pacjet
CALJET Summary
Societal Impacts and User Input
Linkages to National Priorities
USWRP
Data Assimilation Implementation Plan
March 2001 Program Status Report
PACJET 2001 Poster
NSSL Briefing
|
Program Documents |
PACJET and a Long-term Effort
to Improve 0-24 h West Coast Forecasts
Overview Poster
|
Research Participants |
NOAA Research
ETL,
NSSL,
FSL,
AL,
CDC
National Weather Service Western Region
Eureka,
Hanford,
Medford,
Monterey,
Oxnard,
Portland,
Reno,
Sacramento,
San Diego,
Seattle,
CNFRC
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
AOC
Naval Postgradute School
DRI CIASTA
CIRES
SUNY Stony Brook
National Centers for Environmental Prediction
EMC,
HPC,
MPC
National Environmental Satellite, Data
and Information Service
CIMSS,
CIRA
|
Operational Forecasting Components |
COMET Presentation
West Coast RUC
Aircraft Obs via AWIPS
GWINDEX Poster
Applications Development
|
Research Components |
Modeling Research Components
|
Related Experiments |
Winter Storm Reconnaissance (Central Pac.)
CRPAQS (CA Air Quality)
IMPROVE (Microphysics)
THORPEX (Synoptic Targeting)
|
Observing Systems |
AEROSONDE
NOAA P-3
Wind Profiler Network
Satellite Products
NOAA S-band Radar
|
Contacts |
Program
Media Contacts
Webmaster
|
Workshops |
2001 - Monterey, CA
July 13-14 2000 (Boulder, CO)
July Workshop Agenda
September 1999 - Monterey, CA
1999 Planning Workshop Figures
June 1998 - CALJET
|
|
Program Status for 21 February 2001
Status |
Observations |
Forecast Discussion |
Flight Plan |
Soundings Status
Status (Updated: 0700 PST Wednesday, 21 Feb)
Next Update: 22 Feb 1500 PST.
|
Wednesday, February 21 |
No weather briefing.
Flight completed for today.
|
Thursday, February 22 |
P3 hard down day.
Weather briefing 1000 PST.
|
Saturday, February 24 |
PACJET Open House: 12 - 4 near the Monterey, CA Airport.
|
Status |
Observations |
Forecast Discussion |
Flight Plan |
Soundings Status
Observations |
2339 UTC |
at 35.93N, 122.02W (reached pt 5'):
P(mb) Ht(m) T(C) Td(C) ff(kt) dd(deg)
800 2019 4.6 -32.0 20 228
825 1764 6.1 -31.8 17 227
850 1522 8.0 -31.6 15 237
875 1284 7.5 -26.5 16 197
900 1053 7.3 -1.6 19 184
925 827 8.0 2.9 10 143
950 604 8.9 7.0 13 153
975 386 9.9 9.2 17 145
985 297 10.4 10.1 16 143 (1000 ft)
Now heading to MRY at 1000 ft.
|
2323 UTC |
at 36.41N, 121.12W, 761 mb:
winds: 231 deg, 23kt
air temp: 1.9degC
dewpt temp: -32.6degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
|
2306 UTC |
at 36.70N, 120.57W, 761mb:
winds: 233deg, 26kt
air temp: 2.0degC
dewpt temp: -32.1degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
|
2306 UTC |
at 36.81N, 120.35W, 762 mb:
At porp bott ( 8000 ft):
winds: 230deg, 23kt
air temp: 1.3degC
dewpt temp: -37.5degC
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
Currently heading back to pt 5' at 8000 ft.
After pt 5', head to MRY over ocean at 1000 ft.
|
2302 UTC |
at 36.68N, 120.62W, 578 mb:
At porp top ( 14000 ft)
winds: 244deg, 37kt
air temp: -12.8degC
dewpt temp: -38.2deg
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
|
2254 UTC |
at 36.39N, 121.19W, 758 mb:
At porp bottom ( 8000 ft)
winds: 230deg, 32kt
air temp: 1.5degC
dewpt temp: -36.6degC
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
|
2241 UTC |
at 36N, 121.99W, 577 mb:
making drop at pt 5' from 15000 ft.
winds: 248deg, 37kt
air temp: -13.7degC
dewpt temp: -38.6degC
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
Drop winds look good.
|
2240 UTC |
at 35.95N, 121.96W
P(mb) Ht(m) T(degC) Td(degC) ff(kt) dd(deg)
1019.3 -SFC 10.4 9.3 17 125
925 840 7.2 5.9 16 190
850 1531 5.4 -36.6 22 225
700 3095 -3.3 -49.3 30 260
|
2222 UTC |
Spiral up at pt 14'.
P(mb) Ht(m) T(degC) Td(degC) ff(kt) dd(deg)
850 1542 5.0 3.9 22 257
800 2036 4.3 -18.9 15 246
750 2550 1.8 -28.3 15 264
700 3110 -1.6 -30.7 20 271
Have run into ATC problems. Could not spiral up
to 15000 ft. Touched 10000 ft before exiting pt 14'.
|
2221 UTC |
at 35N, 121.5W (pt 14'), 986 mb (1000 ft)
spiralling up to 15000 ft, then moving to pt 5'
winds:205deg, 14 kt
air temp:10.8degC
dewpt temp: 10.6degC
mix rat: 8.2g/kg
Old remnants of "front" only evident in moisture
gradient. Winds show no clear shift in direction or
speed.
|
2153 UTC |
36.06N, 123.13W (pt 13), 986 mb (1000 ft):
heading to pt 14' at 1000ft (reach 14' in ~27 min.)
winds: 177deg, 4kt
air temp: 10.4degC
dewpt temp: 4.0degC
mix rat: 5.2g/kg
|
2135 UTC |
at 36.54N, 122.36W, 925mb:
winds: 184deg, 15kt
air temp: 6.7degC
dewpt temp: 4.7degC
mix rat: 5.9g/kg
Currently spiralling down to 1000 ft at pt 11,
will move to pt 13, then to pt 14' (35N, 121.5W)
at 1000 ft, spiral up to 15000 ft at pt 14',
move to pt 5' at 15000 ft, drop a sonde, then
porpoise from 5' to 6', then head back to pt 5'
at MVA.
|
2130 UTC |
Got clearance to 14' (35N, 121.5W)
Will travel from 11 to 13 to 14' at 1000 ft
spiral up to 15000 ft at 14', travel over
to 5', drop a dropsonde at 5', porpoise in
from 5' to 6', transit back from 6' to 5'
at MVA, then home.
|
2059 UTC |
at 37.01N, 121.47W, 602 mb ( 14000 ft):
Running porpoise between pts 11 and 12
winds: 256deg, 42kt
air temp: -11.8degC
dewpt temp: -37.3degC
mix ratio: 0.3g/kg
|
2015 UTC |
At pt 8', downward spiral:
(completed at 2015 UTC):
P(mb) Ht(m) T(degC) Td(degC) ff(kt) dd(deg)
650 - -7.5 -39.2 36 246
700 - -3.0 -39.5 26 247
750 2545 0.5 -38.3 24 221
800 2028 3.8 -36.2 27 213
850 1529 4.8 -31.4 25 214
900 1061 5.1 4.9 20 201
925 762 7.0 5.4 18 196
950 622 8.4 7.2 20 200
975 404 9.6 9.5 20 167
1000 197 10.9 10.5 16 167
Heading to pt 11 at 1000 ft
|
2001 UTC |
at 36.24N, 122.23W, 601 mb (14000ft)
winds: 255deg, 42kt
air temp: -11.6degC
dewpt temp:-37.8degC
mixing ratio: 0.2g/kg
|
1954 UTC |
36.51N, 121.73W, 736 mb (9000 ft)
heading: 240deg to pt 8'
winds: 243deg, 24kt
air temp: -0.4degC
dewpt temp: -38.7degC
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
|
1947 UTC |
at 36.76N, 121.28W, 730 mb
porp bottom ( 9000 ft)
winds: 243deg, 26kt
air temp: -1.2degC
dewpt temp: -38.4degC
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
|
1942 UTC |
at 36.91N, 121.01W, 601 mb
porp top ( 14000 ft)
winds: 259deg, 38kt
air temp: -11.0degC
dewpt temp: -39.0degC
mix rat: 0.2g/kg
|
1918 UTC |
37.02N, 120.77W, 776mb:
At pt 9' beginning porpoise between 8' and 9'
winds: 230deg, 20kt
air temp: 1.7degC
dewpt temp: -34.7degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
|
1910 UTC |
at 36.32N, 122.15W, 790 mb:
heading: 68deg at 7000 ft
winds: 218deg, 27kt
air temp: 2.0degC
dewpt temp: -32.4degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
Just touched pt 8'.
Cruising at 7000 ft from pt 8' to 9'
|
1900 UTC |
At 36degN, 121deg59minW, 1000 ft
winds: 155deg, 27kt
air temp: 9.6degC
dewpt temp: 9.5degC
mix rat: 7.5g/kg
Observed wind speeds drop to below 10kt during descent
from 8500 to 1000 ft at pt 5'.
|
1851 UTC |
At 36degN, 121deg59minW, 745 mb
will now head to pt 8'
winds:239deg, 24kt
air temp:0.5degC
dewpt temp:-34.1degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
|
1839 UTC |
at 36.40N, 121.21W, 745mb:
winds: 253deg, 29kt
air temp: 0.1degC
dewpt temp: -35.1degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
|
1833 UTC |
On track between pts 5' and 6', mountain wave
clouds are evident outside P-3.
Had to change to 8500 ft at 1833UTC, 36.57N, 120.8W
due to ATC on leg outbound to pt5'.
|
1818 UTC |
at 36.78N, 120.46W, at 753 mb (8000ft)
During porpoise between pts 5' and 6'
winds: 246deg, 25kt
air temp: -0.2degC
dewpt temp: -12.4degC
mix rat: 2.6g/kg
Got only one porpoise in between pts 5' and 6'
due to air traffic conflicts. Will now head to
porpoise between points 7' and 8' after heading
out to point 5' at 8000 ft.
|
1810 UTC |
at 36.28N, 121.42W, 759 mb (porp bottom)
winds: 247deg, 30kt
air temp: 1.4degC
dewpt temp: -35.5degC
mix rat: 0.3g/kg
During porpoise between pts 5' and 6'.
|
1805 UTC |
at 36.49N, 121.05W, 595 mb (porp top)
winds: 249deg, 36kt
air temp: -13.3degC
dewpt temp:-30.0degC
mix rat: 0.6g/kg
During porpoise between pts 5' and 6'.
|
1751 UTC |
at 36.07N, 121.89W,
at 580 mb ( 15000 ft)
winds: 255deg, 37kt
air temp: -14.2degC
dewpt temp:-29.8degC
mix rat: 0.5g/kg
Modified pts 8 and 9 (pt 8' and pt 9')
pt 8' 36deg15minN, 122deg12minW
pt 9' 37deg7minN, 120deg41minW
|
1749 UTC |
at 36.07N, 121.89W,
at 750 mb ( 8000 ft)
winds: 246deg, 21kt
air temp: 0.2degC
dewpt temp: -29.6degC
mix rat: 0.4g/kg
|
1747 UTC |
at 36.07N, 121.89W,
at 800 mb ( 6000 ft)
winds: 217deg, 25kt
air temp: 1.6degC
dewpt temp:-0.7degC
mix rat:3.2g/kg
|
1745 UTC |
at 36.07N, 121.89W,
At 925 mb:
winds: 184deg, 22kt
air temp: 7.1degC
dewpt temp: 6.8degC
mix rat:6.8g/kg
|
1744 UTC |
at 36.07N, 121.89W,
at 500 ft (1006mb)
winds: 141deg, 27kt
air temp:10.1degC
dewpt temp: 9.7degC
mix rat: 7.5g/kg
Spiral up at pt5'.
|
1731 UTC |
at 35.62N, 121.78W, 763mb
winds: 241deg, 27kt
air temp: 0.6degC
dewpt temp: -29.0degC
mix rat: 0.4g/kg
Air space between pts 3 and 4
has been closed. Air space is also
closed between points 5 and 6. Will
move section 5-6 NW to 5'-6' where
pt 5' is 36degN, 121deg59minW and
pt 6' is 36degN51minN, 120deg22minW.
Will also move pts 8 and 9 to make
spacing more even between 3 NW-most
sections. Will then return to section
pts5'-6' for second sampling late in
flight, since airspace between points
3 and 4 will remain hot all day.
|
1715 UTC |
at 35.93N, 120.84W, 762 mb
At porp bottom (8000 ft)
winds: 251deg, 28kt
air temp: 0.2
dewpt temp: -3.2
mix rat: 3.8g/kg
|
1707 UTC |
at 36.26N, 120.25W, 578 mb:
At porp top (15000 ft)
winds:254deg, 34kt
air temp: -13.9degC
dewpt temp: -23.3degC
mix rat:1.1g/kg
|
1643 UTC |
at 36.02N, 120.70W, 760mb:
heading to pt 4 at 8000 ft
winds: 259deg, 25kt
air temp: -0.1degC
dewpt temp:-2.4degC
mix rat: 4.1g/kg
MVA has been changed on first cross-coast
leg to 8000 ft MSL.
|
1630 UTC |
AT 35.52N, 121.59W, 821mb:
at pt 3 (MVA is 6000 ft on leg1)
winds: 260deg, 24kt
air temp: 3.3degC
dewpt temp: 2.8degC
mix rat: 5.7g/kg
Evidence of shallow blocking west of coast.
winds at 1000 ft: 160-170deg, as high as 20kt
before spiral at pt 3.
|
1611 UTC |
at 35.38N, 122.52W, 987mb:
heading: 149deg at 1000 ft (2min from pt 2)
winds: 209deg, 19kt
air temp: 11.4degC
dewpt temp: 10.7degC
mix rat: 8.3g/kg
Winds back to Southwesterly.
Just passed through distinct moisture boundary.
Turbulence has picked up from non-existent to
some chop. ThetaE changed from 304K to 308K
within 10min of latitude.
|
1542 UTC |
at 36.6N, 123.41W, 987mb:
heading to pt 1 at 1000 ft
winds: 310deg, 7kt
air temp: 10.5degC
dewpt temp: 3.2degC
mix rat: 4.9g/kg
Winds have become Northwesterly.
|
1533 UTC |
at 36.69N, 122.78W, 987mb:
heading to pt 1 at 1000 ft
winds: 250deg, 11kt
air temp: 10.3degC
dewpt temp: 9.9degC
mix rat: 7.7g/kg
Winds have slacked and become Southwesterly.
|
1522 UTC |
36.71N, 122.01W, 937mb:
winds: 186deg, 29kt
air temp: 8.1degC
dewpt temp: N/A
|
Status |
Observations |
Forecast Discussion |
Flight Plan |
Soundings Status
Forecast Discussion |
1355
Shortwave moving into the northern California coast is still producing
some isolated lightning strikes. Visible imagery is showing a farily
vigorous band of showers extending from 39N to 43N along 125W poised to
hit the northern California and southern Oregon coastlines. Visible
imagery is also indicating signs of weakening in this shortwave south of
39N. Checking rainfall data west of current flight path...reports of
only .04" at Chews Ridge, Three Peaks, and Mining Ridge in the Santa
Lucia range over the pase 3 hrs. What is left of this mornings front is
now pushing south near 34.43N and 121.65W.
1340 PST
The upper level low off the coast of northern California circulating
near 40N/130W will gradually move towards the California/Oregon border
by Thursday morning. A rotating shortwave around this low will bring a
band of showers and isolated thunderstorms to northern California
through this evening. A stronger vort max will then reach the California
coast early Thursday morning associated with the upper level low. The
upper level low is then expected to track inland over Eureka Thursday
afternoon before heading south and digging a trough over southern
California by Friday morning. In the meantime expect showery conditions
to continue over northern California with sufficient instability and
moisture in place over the area.
In the extended...Weak ridging is expected to build over the area by
Friday afternoon. This ridging will be very short lived as another
system approaches the area on Saturday. The AVN is slightly quiker than
the MRF in the progression of this system...but this seems reasonable
considering the progressive flow of a zonal patter. Consequently expect
light over-running precip to reach the coast by early Saturday afternoon
with the associated cold front reaching the central California coast
sometime Saturday night. The upper level low with this system will
eventually move into southern Oregon by early Monday morning before yet
another storm drops south along the coast on Tuesday.
1220 Lightning returns have been spotted off the coast of Eureka at
40.82N/125.74W associated with a strengthening shortwave rotating around
the approaching upper level low. 3 - strikes have been detected in the
last 30 min.
1140 PST
A weak shortwave rotating around the upper level low is begining
to produce some precip off the northern California coast. Radar out of
Eureka is begining to show a broad area of light to moderate showers at
40N/125W moving towards the west at approximately 20 KT/hr. The southern
extend of this shortwave extends down to 37.35N/125.75W and this band
appears to be about 60 KM wide. Radar returns around the bay area at
this time have quited down with no significant returns found anywhere.
Latest hourly rainfall reports continue to confirm this with only a few
hundreths of an inch found anywhere.
1050 PST Satellite imagery continuing to indicate a large section of the
moisture plume thinning out as it approaches the California coast. Best
enhancement and organization continues to occur further west near
34N/128W south of the upper level low near 40N/133W. Diffuse frontal
boundary is currently tracking south through Monterey but few
significant rainfall reports can be found. A few hundreths to .10" of
rain have fallen in isolated locations in the Santa Cruz mountains the
past hour. The Santa Lucia mountains have been mostly dry for the past 2
hours.
0900
A thinning out of the moisture plume in IR and WV imagery is
now evident over a large area between 33.5N/122.5W and 35.27N/124.4W
extending out to 30.9N/127.57W and 33.16N/128.33W streaming rapidly
towards the west. Some enhancement in IR is now occuring farther
offshore near 31N/132W where -46C tops are now visible on IR imagery.
Current profiler data at GLA showing light (10kt or less) winds up to
1300m from the west. No new rainfall data to report. ROSSI
0830 PST
Latest Imagery clearly showing moisture plume begining to slowly
sag
southward as a result of upper level low near 39.82N/133.15W.
Hourly
rainfall reports ending at 1600Z indicating an additional .24"
rain fell
at Chews ridge (36.45N/121.30W) last hour and an additional .12"
at
Mining Ridge (36.35N/121.30W). Radar out of MTR is continuing to
show
widely scattered light returns this morning and no significant
enhancement or organization of of moisture plume is evident.
ROSSI
0749 PST
Moisture plume exending from approximately 37.10N down to 34.02N and out
past 140W will stream across the area today. Presently MTR radar is
indicating a few light showers embedded in this mass of clouds, but
large scale organized areas of precip. Isolated cloud tops in this plume
can be located in the -35C to -39C range...with the most widespread cold
cloud tops out near 31.5N and 133W. Precip reports last hour from RAWS
sites in the Santa Lucia Range indicate .20" rain fell at Chews Ridge
(5040FT) and .08" at Mining Ridge (4710 FT). 15Z sounding at OAK
indicating winds increasing to 40KT from the SW by 3500 FT.
ROSSI
|
Status |
Observations |
Forecast Discussion |
Flight Plan |
Soundings Status
Flight Plan |
The emphasis of the flight plan for 21 Feb 2001 (IOP-13)
will be to sample atmospheric flow along the Santa Lucia coastal
mountain range both before and after frontal passage. There will
also be legs of the flight track dedicated to frontal surveillance
offshore and to downslope frontal precipitation processes in
the lee of the Santa Lucia range, provided there is significant
precipitation associated with this frontal passage. The computer
models have been poorly initialized for this case, so the certainty
of having the right conditions at the right time is not high.
MRY - 1 - 2 -3
|
1,000 ft
|
3
|
spiral up to MVA
|
3 - 4
|
Level MVA
|
4 - 3
|
Propoise MVA + 7,000 ft
|
3
|
Spiral down to 1,000 ft.
|
3 - 5
|
1,000 ft.
|
5
|
spiral up to MVA
|
5 - 6
|
Level MVA
|
6 - 7
|
Porpoise MVA + 7,000 ft.
|
7
|
spiral down to 1,000 ft.
|
7 - 8
|
1,000 ft.
|
8
|
spiral up to MVA
|
8 - 9
|
Level MVA
|
9 - 10
|
Porpoise MVA + 7,000 ft.
|
10
|
spiral down to 1,000 ft.
|
10 - 11
|
1,000 ft.
|
11
|
spiral up to MVA
|
11 - 12
|
Level MVA
|
12 - 13
|
Porpoise MVA + 7,000 ft.
|
13
|
spiral down to 1,000 ft.
|
13 - 14 - 3
|
1,000 ft.
|
3
|
spiral up to MVA
|
3 - 15 - 16
|
Level MVA
|
16 - MRY
|
Return to MRY
|
|
Status |
Observations |
Forecast Discussion |
Soundings Status
Sounding Status |
21 February |
Bodega Bay | Soundings as event develops. |
Cazadero | Soundings as event develops. |
Oakland | 3 hourly soundings requested from 12 Z 21 Feb to 0Z 22 Feb. |
Reno | No special soundings requested. |
22 February |
Bodega Bay | Soundings as event develops. |
Cazadero | Soundings as event develops. |
Oakland | 3 hourly soundings from 21 Feb completed at 0Z 22 Feb. |
Reno | No special soundings requested. |
|
|