SR1 Log

Melissa Bukovsky

070227

6:33 UTC SR1 up and running. Area of light precip directly to south. Forecast has changed from this morning and is now calling for a 70% chance of precip overnight; therefore, radar started sooner than planned.

Note: Oil/Water light blinks and beeps when truck turned on.

7:20 UTC Startup went smoothly and data is saving properly. Light/moderate precip areas still to south.

11:00 UTC (from hotel) Based on radar out of Vandenberg Air Force Base, looks like a line of heavy precip should be making its way over the pyramid lake site now.

14:00 UTC At SR1. Moved last night’s data to NAV computer. Spotty areas of light precip around.

Note: Radar was turning off last night to black out the truck cab, but not anymore. Maybe I should have brought my lead vest ;)

15:30 UTC Two spots of ~30dBz precip about 20-30 km to the north, nothing currently over burn area. Here: partly cloudy (i.e. the sun is still so low I am occasionally blinded by it).

15:45 UTC Just noticed that the transmitter is once again turning off at the truck cab – wasn’t 15 min ago. Aside: surprised there isn’t a space heater in here yet.

16:30 UTC Sun is finally starting to heat up the cab. Still partly cloudy, but less cloud. Area of precip to north still present, but smaller. Nothing elsewhere, but the band of towering cu directly to the SE looks like it may be precipitating, but blocked by a ridge.

17:40 UTC Tiny area of sprinkles to the SSE. Still some to the north. Otherwise, still partly cloudy here.

22:00 UTC Took a long lunch break and just came back expecting to shut the radar off b/c little was seen on satellite and radar at the hotel, but some light showers have developed over the burn area.

22:10 UTC Light rain at site.

22:35 UTC Region of precip over burn area has expanded some. Up to ~35 dBz. Precip at site just changed over to sleet.

22:40 UTC Moderate rain/sleet mix

23:20 UTC Moderate rain at site – as it has been, can still see blue sky to the north. Precip is south, extending W over burn area and to E, up almost to 40 dBz

070228

00:30 UTC Cell that has been passing over for about 2h now is letting up (very light rain at site). It has moved slightly north and east and has dissipated some but still present and over burn area. A few other smaller areas of precip are present over burn area. This last round left snow on the peaks surrounding Pyramid Lake – there was none previous to this. The large scarred peak across from the island in the middle of the lake (looking out of S facing window) has snow between 1/3 and ½ of the way down. Could not see this until recent clearing b/c of low cloud. Intuitively matches the obvious drop in temperature though. Also: transmitter has stopped turning off at cab again.

06:30 UTC Next line approaching. Echoes now 20-40 km to NW.

07:40 UTC Echoes to NW still present also some to E. None over burn area. Don’t know what happened to the line that should have made it here by now. Can actually see the moon clearly now through thin cloud/breaks in cloud. Will give it a bit more time, but if nothing shows and clearing continues, will shut down radar and assume that this round missed the area.

08:25 UTC Due to extensive clearing in all directions, no consequential echoes, and no expectations for anything else behind this last line, the radar has been shutdown. Goodnight.