Mission Summary
20020922N1 Aircraft 49RF
Synoptic Surveillance flight
around Hurricane Isidore 2002

Scientific Crew (49RF)

Sonde Scientist	Sean White
Visiting Scientist	Pay-Liam Lin

The G-IV jet, with scientific crew of Sean White and a guest scientist conducted an NHC-tasked synoptic surveillance mission around Hurricane Isidore at the nominal time of 00 UTC/September 22. Take-off time was at 1:30 PM EDT from MacDill AFB and landed at 10:00 PM EDT at MacDill AFB, FL.

Mission Summary :

A phone call was made to the Hurricane Specialist on Duty, Richard Pasch. The following important information was relayed :

1. The circulation is clearly seen in the deep-layer mean. The deep-layer cyclonic circulation is north of the Bahamas. There is no sign of a deep-layer ridge axis to the north of the storm.
2. There is a strong cyclonic circulation at 200 mb north of the Bahamas which extends down to 700 mb. The trough extends southeast from the circulation from 200 mb to 400 mb.
3. There is a break in the subtropical ridge axis north of the storm from 300 mb to 500 mb.
4. There is some dry air in the western Gulf of Mexico at 700 mb and 850 mb away from the storm.
5. A good number of the Air Force dropwindsondes identify the 35 kt wind radius. The 200 mb trough extends northeastward from the storm. There is an outflow channel north of Cuba at 200 mb and 250 mb.
6. There is a weak cyclonic circulation at 200 mb to 250 mb 250 km south of the storm.
7. A 250 mb anticyclonic circulation is in the central Gulf of Mexico.
8. The circulation extends up to 300 mb.
9. A 300 mb to 400 mb trough extends to the southeast of the storm.
10. There is dry air at 700 mb over eastern Cuba, near the storm to southwest of the Cayman Islands, and the western Gulf of Mexico. There is little dry air at 850 mb.
11. There is a strong low-level inflow in the western Caribbean Sea.

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