Mission Plan :

Perform TDR/lifecycle monitoring into T. S. Danny (See proposed track above), butterfly pattern at 12000 ft. with IP approx. 120 nm west of low level circulation. Fly standard 105 nm legs (See Turns table below) with possibly extended legs to the north and northeast to oversample convection in this area and possibly shorten legs to the south where dry tongue and shear are inhibiting convection. Roughly same as previous flight with dropsondes at endpoints and midpoints of legs and a center drop, also 7 BT's on way to storm 6 at endpoints and 7 returning from storm.

Mission Summary :

Takeoff was at 075450 UTC. A modified version of the butterfly pattern was flown to try to account for the asymmetric precipitation and changing structure of Danny (See actual track). Satellite imagery showed the LLCC displaced to the SW of the convection. We overflew the estimated LLCC on the inbound leg searched briefly for the mid or flight-level circulation, returning to the LLCC before continuing west to continue the pattern. Legs were extended on the east and northeast side of the pattern both to avoid turning in heavy convection and to sample the more convective cells to the NE of the centers with the doppler radar. On the inbound NE/SW leg we jogged right (West) from the estimated mid-level to the estimated LLCC. There were limited scatterers in the pattern on the southwest and southeast quadrants from a dry tongue extending into the center so the westbound downwind leg was shortened. We dropped sondes at the endpoints and midpoints with a total of 14 with 2 not being sent. Also, the first four were sent with an incorrect date, these were not re-transmitted per the flight director's request. We dropped 19 AXBTs at 1° longitude spacings on the ferries to and from the storm avoiding land masses. Sea-surface temperatures were about 28°C. The aircraft returned to Tampa at 151000 UTC.

20090827I1 actual track

Mission Evaluation:

Three doppler wind analysis legs were completed and sent in real-time. They show an asymmetric storm pattern with limited reflectors to the south of centers(LLCC west/SW of MLCC).

Paul Leighton
10/19/2009