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