Recon Reports Dennis

[HurryKane]

senorpepr, you da man. I'm grateful for all that you contribute to S2K.

[Anonymous]

So when is recon going back in?

[senorpepr]

Okay... here's the flight schedule for Dennis.

The mission yesterday that was flown by NOAA was not a scheduled flight, as Derek mentioned in his post.

Mission I - AF Low-level fix mission
Take off: 6/11:15am EDT
Time on target: 6/1:00 pm EDT - 6/9:30pm EDT

Mission II - NOAA High-level synoptic mission
Take off: 6/2:30 pm EDT

Mission III - AF Low-level fix mission
Take off: 6/11:15pm EDT
Time on target: 7/1:00am EDT - 7/8:30am EDT

6-hourly fixes are expected to continue thereafter.

[senorpepr]

This is a nice surprise for a change. This is a P3 so I'm sure they will do center fixes although I've found that sometimes with NOAA planes you don't always see all the reports for whatever reason. I think they hav direct links from the aircraft to the TPC.

Typically, when the AF does recon, they use the ICAO "KNHC" for their bulletins. (ie URNT11 KNHC) When NOAA does a fix mission, they'll use the KNHC location for VORTEX, but they'll use KWBC for observations.


Normally what I do is have two internet windows open. I'll go to the Texas A&M (Go Aggies!) Weather Interface: http://www.met.tamu.edu/personnel/stude ... rface.html

In one window I'll set the station as KNHC, time period for last three hours, select raw data and 5: Reconnaisance.

In the other window I'll select the same things, but instead of KNHC, I'll use KWBC. This'll hook me up.


(Oh, and don't worry, I'm not an Aggies fan. Woohoo Mizzourah!)

[ericinmia]

http://manati.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/img ... ap?464,224

Here is a link to the latest quickscat for dennis...
I didn't want to make another thread.
-Eric

[senorpepr]

http://manati.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/img/hires_cur_ds_qf.map?464,224

Here is a link to the latest quickscat for dennis...
I didn't want to make another thread.
-Eric

It gathering up power pretty well, but unfortunately a large percentage of those wind barbs were rain contaminated.

[senorpepr]

Storm Name: DENNIS (04L)
Mission Number: 01
Flight ID: AF302
Observation Number: 01
Time: 1657Z
Latitude: 17.7°N
Longitude: 66.8°W
Location: 73 mi SW of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Turbulence: None
Flight condition: In & out of clouds
Pressure Altitude: 24000 feet
Flight level wind: VRB @ 6 mph
Temperature: 1°F
Dewpoint: -6°F
Weather: Overcast Skies
400mb height: 25000 feet
Surface Wind: N/A
Remarks: None

[cycloneye]

URNT11 KNHC 061702
97779 16574 40177 66808 73200 99005 67713 /5763
RMK AF302 0104A DENNIS OB 01


Ok folks mission started as they just left ST Croix.

[loon]

HELL YEAH!! GO RECON GO!!

[Hurricanehink]

Will it be there for the 2 PM advisory?

[gkrangers]

Will it be there for the 2 PM advisory?

No. The 2PM advisory is likely already or close to being written.

[Brent]

Will it be there for the 2 PM advisory?

Doesn't look like it... might get into the outer bands but not the center.

[x-y-no]

Will it be there for the 2 PM advisory?

No, because they pretty much have to have the advisories wrapped up at least half an hour before the nominal time in order to distribute them properly.

[clfenwi]

Will it be there for the 2 PM advisory?

At approximately 1 PM they were about 300 nautical miles away from the reported center. They will get to the area by that time, but probably won't have obs from there...

That said I wouldn't be as quick to rule out the possibility of an ob getting into the 2 PM advisory. After all, the 8 PM advisory (Clarification: for Cindy) snuck in an ob that hadn't been transmitted publically at the time it was released.[/i]

[senorpepr]

Storm Name: DENNIS (04L)
Mission Number: 01
Flight ID: AF302
Observation Number: 02
Time: 1718Z
Latitude: 17.5°N
Longitude: 68.9°W
Location: 82 mi SE of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Turbulence: Moderate
Flight condition: In cloud
Pressure Altitude: 24000 feet
Flight level wind: ESE (120°) @ 26 mph
Temperature: 3°F
Dewpoint: 3°F
Weather: Thunderstorm
400mb height: 25000 feet
Surface Wind: N/A
Remarks: None

[clfenwi]

Based on the two obs, they appear to be traveling at top speed (Using the lat/long calculator on NHC site and the times of the two obs, I calculated 345 knots... a bit suspicious as that is well above their listed top speed).

[Steve Cosby]

Based on the two obs, they appear to be traveling at top speed (Using the lat/long calculator on NHC site and the times of the two obs, I calculated 345 knots... a bit suspicious as that is well above their listed top speed).

Tailwinds?

For that matter, are you looking at top air speed or top ground speed? At 25,000 feet, air speed is slower.

[clfenwi]

Based on the two obs, they appear to be traveling at top speed (Using the lat/long calculator on NHC site and the times of the two obs, I calculated 345 knots... a bit suspicious as that is well above their listed top speed).

Tailwinds?

For that matter, are you looking at top air speed or top ground speed? At 25,000 feet, air speed is slower.

Looking at upper air charts, they may be getting 20 knots of assistance.
I would think that the listed top speed is based on optimum conditions (i.e. low altitude).

[senorpepr]

Storm Name: DENNIS (04L)
Mission Number: 01
Flight ID: AF302
Observation Number: 03
Time: 1739Z
Latitude: 17.4°N
Longitude: 70.9°W
Location: 108 mi SW of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Turbulence: None
Flight condition: In cloud
Pressure Altitude: 10000 feet
Flight level wind: ESE (110°) @ 41 mph
Temperature: 45°F
Dewpoint: 45°F
Weather: Thunderstorm
700mb height: 10300 feet
Surface Wind: N/A
Remarks: None

[Steve Cosby]

Based on the two obs, they appear to be traveling at top speed (Using the lat/long calculator on NHC site and the times of the two obs, I calculated 345 knots... a bit suspicious as that is well above their listed top speed).

Tailwinds?

For that matter, are you looking at top air speed or top ground speed? At 25,000 feet, air speed is slower.

Looking at upper air charts, they may be getting 20 knots of assistance.
I would think that the listed top speed is based on optimum conditions (i.e. low altitude).

Well, hold the phone: here's the data from the Air Force fact sheet on the C-130J (AF302 is a J model).

Code: Select all

C-130J: 417 mph/362 ktas (Mach 0.59) at 22,000 feet (6,706 meters)
C-130J-30: 410 mph/356 ktas (Mach 0.58) at 22,000 feet (6,706 meters)


So, yeah, 345 knots is just under top speed.