WSR2008 SPECIFICS

In the winter of 2008 the Winter Storm Recon Program is operational at the National Weather Service. The program will be organized similarly as in 2007. In case of a need for extra observations to be taken with the aim of reducing forecast uncertainty for threatening winter weather events, forecasters at WFO field offices can contact the WSR focal point in their respective region:
Alaska:     James Partain
Pacific:    Ken Waters
Western Region:    Andy Edman Warren Blier
Central Region:    Peter Browning
Southern Region:    Rusty Billingsley
Eastern Region:    Ken Johnson
The regional focal points, along with NCEP Service Center focal points, will forward the pertinent information on the forecast event to the Senior Duty Meteorologist at NCEP/NCO by 9:30 am eastern time.

The WSR08 program is expected to start in January 17, 2008. Approximately 140 flight hours (18-20 missions) will be available on the P-3 plane through March 15. In addition, flight hours will be available with 1 USAF C130 planes from January 17, 2008 through March 10 . The C130 will be based in Honolulu, while the P-3 will be based in Portland, OR. The planes will take dropsonde observations in areas identified by the SDM as the most relevant for improving the forecasts for events requested by the field and NCEP forecasters.

Aircraft schedules:
C-130: First flight is possible at 2008011700. Last possible flight is at 2008031000. All flights are out of Honolulu .
P-3: First flight is possible at 2008020100. Last flight is possible at 2008031000. Flights are from Portland.

Comments on the P-3:
Winter Storm Reconnaissance program 2008 will be using the P3 to replace G-IV which is not available due to issues related to installation of new instruments. Through discussion with HMT, we agreed on the following items:

1. Request for regular (objective) targeting

On a regular daily basis, depending on the heavy impact weather event conditions, a HMT chief scientist will send a request for regular operational flight. The request will be considered along with other requests from NCEP & NWS by SDM following the WSR protocol. For a detailed SDM procedure, read http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/targobs/target/sdmmanual.html

2. Request for special flight(s)

On one or two occasions, the special coordinator for observations from HMT (David Kingsmill, Gary Wick and Paul Neiman) will contact EMC (Zoltan Toth and Yucheng Song) 4-5 days in advance of a major event that is of special interest to HMT. EMC will explore if the HMT request for a special, subjectively designed flight can be carried out without compromising WSR objectives, and if so, will work with SDM, HMT, & other parties on related flight scheduling and planning.

For Plan of Day (POD), containing used/remaining flight our information, see:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/reconlist.html
or www.hurricanehunters.com/wxdata.htm
or call up the bulletin NOUS42 KNHC

PROCEDURES FOR SDM

CHANGES FOR 2008

REFERENCE DATA

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