AL09 / ISAAC MISSION HIGHLIGHTS
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Five NHC-tasked reconnaissance NOAA P-3 missions were flown into Tropical
Storm (Depression) Isaac between 12 and 15 September.
- 20180912H1 was St. Croix (STX) to STX, taking off at 5:30 AM local
(0930 UTC).
- 20180912H2 was STX to STX, taking off at 5:30 PM local (2130 UTC).
- 20180913H1 was STX to Lakeland, FL (LAL), taking off at 6:00 AM
local
(1000 UTC). Recovery in LAL was necessitated by the possibility of St. Croix
experiencing tropical storm conditions.
- 20180914H1 was LAL to STX, taking off around 9:30 AM local (1330
UTC).
- 20180915H1 was STX to STX, taking off around 10:30 PM local (0230
UTC).
While flying these missions in support of NHC fix requirements, the storm
continually weakened from a 50 kt tropical storm to an open wave (no tropical
cyclone designation).
- Participating HRD P-3 Crew on the first three missions
Ghassan Alaka (Lead Project Scientist), Heather Holbach (Lead Project
Scientist), Jon Zawislak (Radar Scientist, Field Program Director), Hui
Christophersen (Radar Scientist), Kathryn Sellwood (Dropsonde Scientist), and
Kelly Ryan (Dropsonde Scientist) were on the P-3 crews. Nancy Griffin, Joe
Griffin, John Gamache, and Paul Reasor provided ground radar science support
for the P-3 missions. Lisa Bucci was acting Deputy Field Program Director, and
was responsible for logistics and crewing for these missions while FPD Zawislak
was deployed in the field.
- A total of 55 dropwindsondes were launched over the five P-3
missions into Isaac (19 in 20180912H1, 15 in 20180912H2, 9 in 20180913H1,
10 in 20180914H1, and 2 in 20180915H1). Most of the sondes were released from
an altitude of 5000 ft and below.
- Due to the resources required for Florence, EMC did not request,
nor receive Tail Doppler radar (TDR) data from the first three P-3
reconnaissance missions into Isaac for assimilation; however, HRD did support
transmission of TDR data to EMC on the final 2 missions, once requirements
ceased on Florence. In all missions, TDR data were transmitted for
visualization in AWIPS-II at NHC.
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Sequence of P-3 TDR analyses showing composite reflectivity at 2 km (top row)
and wind speed at 0.5 km (bottom row), for: 20180912H1, 20180912H2, 20180913H1,
20180914H1, 20180915H1, from left to right
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Jon Zawislak
Field Program Director
Return to Isaac Main page.
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