WPAC Recon This Year ?

[Aslkahuna]

According to news reports, the PACAF (Pacific Air Forces) Commander has, in the wake of the havoc wreaked by STY Pongsona on Guam and some questionable forecasts in the hours immediately preceeding the strike, requested that Weather Recon resources be made available in the WPAC region this season (Primary WPAC season starts May 1). USAF has apparently concurred and accordingly 1/3 of the Hurricane Hunter Squadron will be deployed to Andersen AB, Guam until 15 December. This means that actual in-situ data will be available for our typhoons this year if this is true.

Steve
8)

[Stormsfury]

Well, I, for one, think that this is a good idea, because of the valuable datasets that can be complied to better understand and save lives.

[cycloneye]

That is indeed good news for those who live in the Marshall islands,Hawaii,Palau and other islands and countries in the WPAC because now they will have more precise information.

[ColdFront77]

It sounds great. Too bad they didn't start this when they started sending aircraft into the Atlantic Basin storms.

[Aslkahuna]

There WAS Recon of WPAC storms for a very long time from the end of WWII to the late 70's when it was decided that satellite recon would suffice for the needs of the US Military and aircraft recon was ended. There also used to be EPAC and CENPAC recon flights as well but those were terminated earlier. Hawaii will not benefit from this because it is in CENPAC and not WPAC.

Steve

[vbhoutex]

Sounds great to me! I have a concern though. How will this affect the Atlantic basin as far as ability to gather data? To say the least I feel we need this in every basin, but the Atlantic basin appears to be the one with the biggest need at this time of year at least due to the TENS OF MILLIONS living close to or on the coasts.

[ColdFront77]

It makes sense that they used to do this... it would be a good idea to bring it back, then.

I agree, David.

[Derek Ortt]

Recon still flies in the EPAC and CPAC. However, they only fly when either Mexico or Hawaii is threatened. Last year, Kenna was reconned. I beleive, that recon began again in the EPAC in 1998 for Mexican systems (some earlier were reconned if there was a threat to California) and CPAC systems have always been reconned if there is a threat to Hawaii. This does not affect them at all

[Aslkahuna]

one can not even come close to WPAC when it comes to numbers of people who are threatened by typhoons as the numbers would come out to Hundreds of Millions. Property losses would tend to be higher in the CONUS though a big hit on Hong Kong, Shanghai or Tokyo could be a really costly affair. Bottom line though, is that the US is the only Country with major weather recon resources for TC's and so those resources would be concentrated in areas of concern to us. In WPAC, it would be the US Territory of Guam, The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the US Protectorates in the Pacific (Marshalls, etc.) and places where we have Military Bases (Okinawa, Japanese Home Islands and ROK). The Bay of Bengal is another place where the population at risk from TC's far exceeds that of the US.

Steve

[vbhoutex]

You are so right Steve!! When we are not exposed to the news, etc. about these other population centers we tend to be forgetful(or maybe it is just my old age ). Anyway I really did misspeak in my post!!! Heck, Tokyo and Shanghai combined would have almost the population of the whole NE maegalopolis and they are only 2 cities!! And there are many more major population centers around the Pacific and of course India and Bangladesh.

[pojo]

that is a good idea to recon WPAC storms. Some storms are so strong that it is hard to determine the data via satellite. Recon dropsonde reports bring the information down to earth that way the most valuable info can be passed out to residents living within the possible strike destination of the TC's.