Southwest Aviation Southwest Aviation Weather Safety WorkshopWeather Safety Workshop
David Runyan
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
Aviationweather.gov
Aviationweather.gov
METAR KDVT 181653Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 17/04 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP237 T01720044
METAR KSDL 181053Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 11/03 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP208 T01060028
ASOS – Automated Surface Observations System
AWOS III – Automated Weather Observation System
Warning and Forecast Operations
• 24 Hour Ops • 2 Meteorologists and 1
data technician• Tornado, Severe
Thunderstorm and Flash Flood Watches
• Public Forecasts• Aviation Forecasts• Fire Weather • Severe Weather and
Hydrological Warnings
PHX Web pageWEATHER.GOV
Current AdvisoriesWatches & Warnings
Current Satellite and Radar
WEATHER RADAR
• ON LINE TUTORIAL
• 6 TO 15 MINUTES OLD
• GO TO ANY NWS RADAR!
WARNINGWARNINGAZC013-040230-
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTEDSEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ646 PM MST SUN MAY 2 2005
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… CENTRAL MARICOPA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA
* UNTIL 730 PM MST
* AT 642 PM MST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER PERRYVILLE…OR ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF GOODYEAR…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR… LUKE AFB AT 700 PM MST WADDELL AT 705 PM MST
METAR and TAFS• ASOS METAR Observations
– 061755Z AUTO 22015G25KT 3/4SM +TSRA OVC004 18/16 A2994 RMK SLP013 T01760158
• TAF– 061818 22015G25KT P6SM SCT080 BKN140CB
BKN250
TEMPO 1824 VRB35G50KT ½ +TSRAGR BLDU SCT010 OVC080CB
VCTS
5 10
Flying Weather Basics
Life Cycle
Cumulus Stage Mature Stage
High Based Thunderstorms
Funnel CloudDescends
Months
Winter Spring Summer Fall Winter
ProbabilityOf Occurrence
Low
High
Arizona Tornadoes
StrongSupercellHigh Winds Aloft
WeakPulseLight MonsoonEasterlyWinds Aloft
StrongSupercellHigh Winds Aloft
Funnel Cloud
Funnel Cloud
Macroburst > 2.5 mi.Microburst < 2.5 mi.
Visual Clue Wispy Virga “Foot” of
highest Winds
Downburst
July 14th 800 pm – 900 pm Sky Harbor Airport Microburst
Damage
Ground Zero north of center north runway, at the Honeywell Bldg. Estimated winds 100 mph.
Looking east on Airlane Rd, north of Honeywell Bldg.
Power poles snapped 10 to 20 ft above road on Airlane Rd
West side of Airport, by Post Office just south of West Economy Parking Lot.
Empty Cargo Containers Fiberglass 150-250 lbsAluminum 300-500 lbs
Aircraft Damage – Kitty Hawk Mail Plane
Aircraft Tug Damage
Months
Winter Spring Summer Fall Winter
ProbabilityOf Occurrence
Low
High
Arizona Downbursts
PulseLight MonsoonEasterlyWinds Aloft
Downburst Microburst < 2.5 Macroburst > 2.5 Wet or Dry
Mountain Waves
• Mountain Wave: a stationary atmospheric wave pattern caused by high winds in a stable airmass crossing a mountain barrier
Diurnal Winds
Monsoon Behavior
• Mexican or Southwest Monsoon
Monsoon Behavior
National Weather Service
Phoenix Weather Forecast Office
David Runyan
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
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