Field Projects

DOPLIGHT-87 (NSSL's 1987 storm intercept project), Norman, OK, 1987:

• Provided forecast and nowcast support for NSSL storm intercept operations from the Norman, OK National Weather Service Forecast Office.
• Provided severe weather warning information to Oklahoma civil defense network via amateur radio (call sign N5KCT) from the Norman, OK WSFO.
• Participated in storm intercept operations as a NSSL mobile laboratory crew member (mobile laboratory hereafter referred to as NSSL1; see Rust, 1989 for a discussion of the mobile laboratory and it's instrumentation).

• Participated in storm intercept operations as NSSL1 crew member. Worked at all equipment racks (see Rust, 1989) with primary emphasis on the operation of the mobile Cross-Chain Loran Atmospheric Sounding System (M-CLASS).
• Worked in NSSL's Storm Electricity Building providing support for NSSL chase crews and/or provided nowcast support from Norman,OK Weather Service Forecast Office..
• Participated in balloon-borne electric field meter launches.
• Assisted in the construction, installation and testing of instrumentation.

• Participated in storm intercept operations as NSSL1 crew member.
• Served as NSSL1 navigator and data manager.
• Provided communications support and coordination with NOAA WP-3D aircraft.

• Provided field support/verification for algorithm tests of the Next Generation Weather Radar (now known as WSR-88D).

• Operated NOAA WP-3D aircaft cloud physics and/or radar stations during research flights over Arizona and the Sierra Madre region of Mexico.
• Participated on mobile ballooning crew as M-CLASS operator during diurnal investigations of the Phoenix urban heat island.
• Provided pre-storm forecast sounding support for the Phoenix, AZ National Weather Service Forecast Office.

• Provided sounding and forecasting support for the 1990 test of the Federal Aviation Administration's Terminal Doppler Weather Radar.

• Took part in project planning and coordination.
• Served as the NOAA WP-3D aircraft radar scientist during the convective portion of the project; participated on mobile intercept crew during mesoscale convective system portion of the project.
• Occasionally served as NSSL1 chief scientist during storm intercept operations. Also led pre-storm forecast sounding missions to the Texas panhandle during dry-line studies.

• Served as NOAA WP-3D radar scientist during the second Intesive Observation Period. Participated in pre and post-flight briefings.

• Provided limited "hail-chase" support for the Colorado State University 1995 Summer Thunderstorm Experiment.

• Evaluated polarimetric radar products and algorithm performance at National Center for Atmospheric Research S-POL radar site.

• Took lead role in scientific and logistical planning of MEaPRS field project.
• Assisted in the development of NOAA P-3 flight tracks.
• Wrote MEaPRS Operations Plan.
• Developed and maintained MEaPRS web page.
• Participated in data collection in several capacities (primarily as NOAA P-3 cloud physics scientist).
• Provided quality control P-3 cloud physics and Cimarron radar data after every mission.
• Interacted with SPC to configure SSA for MEaPRS forecasting operations.
• Served as Cimarron radar liaison.
• Coordinated local recording of KTLX level-II data.

• Evaluated polarimetric radar products and algorithm performance at National Center for Atmospheric Research S-POL radar site.

• NOAA WP-3D cloud physics scientist on flight into Hurricane Bonnie.

• Evaluated polarimetric radar products and algorithm performance at National Center for Atmospheric Research S-POL radar site.
• Provided real-time radar product interpretation and input to the MAP Project Operations Center (POC).

• Evaluated polarimetric radar products and algorithm performance at National Center for Atmospheric Research S-POL radar site.

Rust, W. D., 1989: Utilization of a Mobile Laboratory for Storm Electricity Measurements. J. Geophys. Res., 94, 13305-13311.