Flight Number: 970205H1 Page 1 of
Date: February 6, 1997 Aircraft ID: 42RF Scientist: Jorgensen
Event Log
Time Approx. Location Event & Comments
(UTC) (Lat, Lon)
20:40:11 Shannon Engine Start
20:42:30 Shannon Block out
This is mission 7 and IOP11. Mission is LOW 30. Will
perform coordinated runs with UK C-130 near low center
20:54:02 52.709 -8.910 Take off
21:07:49 53.170 -9.790 radars are up
21:17:14 53.567 -10.512 contact with METMAN
21:51:16 TA apparently not working correctly - techs working on
it
21:54:53 55.366 -13.348 in extensive stratiform percip - mostly below 5 km.
See bright band about 1 km above sfc
21:55:59 55.426 -13.433 begin descent to 5 kft about 40 km from buoy
21:58:46 begin recording radar data-TA still being worked on
22:02:18 55.821 -13.975 at 5k ft-tracking toward the buoy
22:06:42 contact with 308D-they are still hunting for a good
band to work-we are in extensive stratiform precip
with a strong bright band
22:07:48 55.980 -14.445 now tracking 255 to the storm center
22:09:49 TA now apparently up and running
22:17:26 55.861 -15.355 curved bands of precip
22:21:59 55.816 -15.757 climbing up 1000 ft to get on top of the shear layer
22:27:05 55.762 -16.162 temps about 2 degrees warmer at 6k ft than at 5k ft -
turbulence much reduced too-may have cross on top of
the front
22:34:03 55.703 -16.705 more cellular precip as we proceed WSW
22:51:15 TA malfunctioning again radial velocities look bad
23:00:25 55.424 -18.776 curved bands 200-300 km to the north
23:03:40 G-IV apparently entered the box at the same altitude
as METMAN. The C-C-130 descended to 24k ft
23:09:55 contact with METMAN
23:13:55 techs will try to replace the Doppler signal processor
23:25:17 55.122 -20.779 radar system down as the DSP is replaced
23:25:44 55.115 -20.822 banded features to the NW might be cold front or bent
back region
23:29:38 55.068 -21.139 sfc pressures continue to fall as we get close to the
trough axis
23:47:47 54.818 -22.688 can't get far enough west to go through the front -
turning to track to our IP with METMAN
23:49:59 TA seems to be working better
23:51:17 55.007 -22.672 now tracking 020 toward pt 1
0:00:21 55.643 -22.308 descending back down to 5k ft
position report from 49: 54 44N 23 38W
0:10:04 56.214 -21.976 apparently through the front at this level as the
winds have shifted to the north and temps have dropped
to -4.2C
0:12:55 apparently 308D is heading back
0:31:47 57.401 -21.239 still in extensive stratiform precip-cold front well
marked on LF as band to our SE.
0:32:45 57.457 -21.202 at IP starting leg 1 with METMAN
0:44:41 57.050 -20.073 cloud deck coming down on TA - temps warming a few
degrees and winds shifting to SW
0:49:27 56.874 -19.641 more turbulent as we move into the warm side - more
convective type cells evident on TA
0:52:07 56.773 -19.396 pronounced slope to the echoes on the TA from S to N
1:01:28 56.410 -18.551 winds now up to 70 knots from 225 as we move into the
warmer air on the SE side of the front
1:03:34 METMAN reports sonde system failure, most of the
sondes on this run may be lost
1:12:13 55.979 -17.598 going through a field of shallow convective type cells
1:19:07 55.695 -16.984 going down to 1000 ft to check out the low level jet
strength
1:23:49 55.509 -16.605 at bottom of descet-climb up to 8 kft
1:26:05 55.444 -16.719 out of the turbulent boundary layer at1000 m altitude
(RA)
1:28:48 55.365 -16.878 now tracking 231 to point 3 end of leg 1
1:40:49 55.051 -17.631 at pt 3 turn to track 333 to pt 4 start of leg 2
1:43:03 METMAN reports its turn to the NW at 0131
1:50:11 55.645 -18.133 cold front curves to the east north of us - becoming a
warm front with wave development near us?
1:54:14 55.903 -18.351 some increase in turbulence
1:55:08 55.963 -18.402 back to calmer air
1:57:30 56.106 -18.535 entering stratiform precip
2:04:45 56.565 -18.945 very strong bright band now up to 35 dBZ
2:13:47 56.565 -18.945 precip decreasing in intensity
2:16:25 57.298 -19.637 there has been a change in the orientation of the sea
clutter from a maximum to the south to a maximum to
the north - change in sfc winds reflecting strong
northerlies behind the front?
2:17:41 57.375 -19.708 winds dropping off rapidly now
2:20:20 57.534 -19.856 small line line on LF immediaately ahead 5 nm
2:30:45 58.161 -20.462 extended the leg slightly to go through the narrow
thin reflectivity line
2:31:23 58.183 -20.521 end of the leg - turning to track 205 to pt 5
2:33:09 58.087 -20.625 never did get into the cold air at 8k ft
2:42:28 57.525 -21.083 end of cross leg at pt 5-trk 132 on leg 3
2:47:35 57.311 -20.616 winds now backing around to SW-wind speed now
increasing too-very light stratiform precip
3:01:38 56.761 -19.252 going through small band-looks fairly stratiform on TA
3:03:31 56.683 -19.071 sfc position of the front is apparently marked by a
sea clutter minimum
3:12:20 56.326 -18.229 through the last weak band indicating we're into the
warm side of the sfc position of the front.
Descending to 1000 ft in a mini-sounding to map the
low level jet
3:15:08 56.216 -17.981 now in precip free region
3:20:39 56.009 -17.533 at 1000 ft in turbulent air - climbing back up to 5k
ft. Low level jet max of 75 knots at 3000 ft.
Decreasing below
3:25:00 55.851 -17.184 cutting this leg a little short to save a little time.
End of Leg 3. Turn to trk 255 to new pt. 7
3:28:20 at 5k ft for rest of run
3:29:37 wind direction and the track are the same. Every bit
of the 72 knot wind is in our face
3:41:33 now trk 337 start of leg 4
3:52:25 56.250 -18.685 most turbulence so far as we go through the front for
the last time
3:54:08 56.360 -18.777 entering frontal precip zone
4:01:31 56.820 -19.157 turbulence decreasing as we apparantly moved through
the narrow cold front band
4:22:45 57.966 -20.142 at the final end point-extending the leg 20 nm farther
NW to examine secondary band of precip
4:29:26 58.328 -20.453 end of leg, climb to 15k ft for trek to buoy-the extra
altitude is for fuel economy
4:30:32 58.357 -20.366 still in light stratiform precip
4:36:53 58.122 -19.668 the frontal width is well marked by the lack of ground
return-approximately 20 nm wide
4:51:38 radar system locked up for a few minutes at 0445 Z
4:52:46 57.465 -17.936 getting into heavier stratiform precip as we move to
the south-bright band is well defined and >30 dBZ in
spots
4:58:17 57.226 -17.342 precip decreasing rapidly
over buoy at 15k ft
6:21:04 53.176 -9.724 begin descent
6:40:06 SNN land
6:45:40 SNN block in