Weather Radar Studies.
Abstract
The test-bed Doppler weather radar system making measurements in Olive Branch, Mississippi, was fully operational. Additionally, the University of North Dakota C-Band Doppler weather radar completed its 1985 measurements. Weather measurements were conducted on a number of frontal showers and thunderstorms and on numerous scattered air mass thunderstorms. Some 68 microbursts were observed during the radar operation with the bulk of the microbursts occurring in July to mid September. Thirty-six gust fronts were observed as well. The University of North Dakota Citation aircraft made airborne turbulence microburst and gust front measurements on nine days in the period 30 July to 19 August. The aircraft lost 500 ft of altitude and encountered downdrafts of 50 knots in penetrating the downdraft region of one microburst. The Lincoln mesonet was fully operational throughout the period. The 1984 peak wind speed data from the mesonet and the Memphis International Airport LLWSAS data have been analyzed to determine ground level wind-shear characteristics in the Memphis area.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA169063
Entities
People
- David M. Bernella
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology