CLEX-9 October 29th, 2001 Operations

Synopsis

• The CLEX-9 forecast team has decided to stand by all operations for Monday, October 29th.
  
  
• Weather Forecast (made at 1600 MST 10/28/01):

  
            We are on standby for possible WYKA only CLEX operations on Monday, 29 
            October 2001.  The SPEC Learjet will not be flying on Monday.  Earliest 
            GO decision will be at 0600 Local (MST or 1300z).  Latest GO/NO-GO decision 
            will be at 0900 MST (1600z).  We are targeting a possible late morning/early 
            afternoon operation time.  Operations over North Platte are possible but 
            conditions to north might be more favorable.
  
            WEATHER DISCUSSION:
  
            The CLEX region is currently on the backside of a flat, upper level (500-mb) 
            ridge.  The ridge is 'dirty' with some tongues of moisture rotating through.  
            Mid-upper level cloud conditions have been patchy and largely orographically 
            induced at the moment.  Not ideal CLEX conditions.
  
            Both the ETA and NGM have strong NVA and mid-level subsidence moving through 
            the CLEX region early in the morning (12z).  Hence, we have de-emphasized early 
            morning operations.  Both models show the possibility of PVA, upward vertical 
            velocities, and moistures re-establishing over the CLEX area of operations by 
            late morning to early afternoon in SW'ly flow aloft.  
  
            Mid-level clouds will likely be accompanied by patchy to solid cirrus.  This 
            may a good opportunity to continue looking at possible interactions between 
            mid and upper cloud layers (e.g., seeder/feeder for ice generation).
  
            So, we will make a GO/NO-GO decision sometime between 0600 and 0900 Local MST on Monday.
  
            OUTLOOK:
  
            General conditions for Tuesday will likely be similar to Monday afternoon.  CLEX 
            region will still be in SW'ly flow, upstream of an approaching trough.  There will 
            be small pockets of NVA/PVA moving through the area.  Timing will be critical.  On 
            Wednesday, conditions will be more complex as we come under influence of upper-level 
            trough with embedded short-waves.  Clouds may be favorable for CLEX operations as ETA 
            keeps plentiful 500-mb moisture.  Difficulty is in forecasting details of cloud 
            morphology this far out.
  
            Larry/Adam
  
    
  Morning Update (made at 0630 MST 10/29/01): 
  
            We are standing down all CLEX-9 operations on Monday, 29 October 2001.  
  
            WEATHER DISCUSSION: 
  
            Mid and upper-level moisture is continuing to stream in from the SW with a huge "bloom" 
            of orographically enhanced clouds occuring over the CLEX region at this time.  These 
            clouds have tops near 35-40 Kft with bases (extrapolated from soundings) near 15 Kft.  
            All the models continue to bring this moisture into the region through tomorrow (and 
            beyond).  
  
            With tomorrow looking to be very similar to today (in terms of available clouds), and 
            having the SPEC Lear Jet available to fly (in conjunction with a good TERRA overpass 
            in our region), we may decide to go after these elevated "thick" clouds tomorrow 
            morning.  The afternoon forecast today should give us a better handle on the conditions 
            expected for tomorrow morning.    
  
            Next update:  1500 MST this afternoon.
  
            Adam/Don 
  
  

Sunrise Information for North Platte, NE

Sunrise   
                     Central Standard Time          

        Begin civil twilight       6:43 a.m.                 
        Sunrise                    7:11 a.m.                 
        Sun transit               12:27 p.m.                 
        Sunset                     5:42 p.m.                 
        End civil twilight         6:11 p.m.                 
          

Weather Details

1200Z 500 mb Map



1215Z GOES IR Image


 

Aircraft Operations

• No UW King Air Operations

North Platte, NE Ground Operations

• Ground Instrument Status: Microwave Radiometer is still down.
  
  
  

Data Collection Highlights:

• Summary: Nothing to report