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Post by tornado on Feb 24, 2016 15:00:00 GMT -5
791. Burke-Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, 12 Jun 2015:
Between 1800-2000Z on June 12th, Burke-Lakefront Airport (KBKL) in Cleveland reported gusty winds, wind shifts, and some light rain:
METAR KBKL 121753Z 23014G24KT 10SM FEW055 SCT110 31/19 A2979 RMK AO2 PK WND 20028/1654 SLP084 T03110194 10322 20256 58015
SPECI KBKL 121810Z 26010KT 10SM BKN050 BKN070 BKN110 26/18 A2980 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1750 T02560183
SPECI KBKL 121828Z 31017G26KT 6SM -RA BKN050 BKN055 OVC070 22/18 A2981 RMK AO2 PK WND 30028/1818 WSHFT 1808 RAB20 P0001 T02170178
METAR KBKL 121853Z 27008G22KT 10SM -RA FEW035 SCT046 OVC055 23/19 A2985 RMK AO2 PK WND 30028/1818 WSHFT 1808 RAB20 PRESRR SLP105 P0002 T02280194
METAR KBKL 121953Z 24012G16KT 6SM -RA FEW036 BKN050 OVC110 23/20 A2986 RMK AO2 PRESRR SLP108 P0002 T02280200
No thunder or lightning was mentioned in any of the reports above. Lightning data for the same period, contradicts the official reports:
Of the 41 lightning bolts that struck within 10 miles; 18 bolts also struck inside the red 5-mile range ring around KBKL. Nor were any of the lightning strikes 10-30 miles away, mentioned in remarks as LTG DSNT. There was just no direct mention of thunderstorm activity in the reports, even though the winds and rain were clues that convective activity could have been taking place in the area. The biggest cluster of lightning strikes, was fairly close to the airport:
A couple of lightning bolts, struck within ½ mile of the airport. Pilots and users on the ground, didn’t get proper notification of the thunderstorm hazards from KBKL that day. See next case.
792. Cuyahoga County Airport, Ohio, 12 Jun 2015:
Cuyahoga County Airport (KCGF) is located about 10 miles ENE of Burke-Lakefront Airport (KBKL):
It would be expected that KCGF would have had similar weather to KBKL during the same 2-hour period. Cuyahoga County Airport reported moderate rain at one point:
METAR KCGF 121745Z 230212G24KT 7SM SCT040 BKN060 32/19 A2982
SPECI KCGF 121827Z 270212G24KT 2SM RA SCT010 BKN 030 OVC050 22/20 A2982
METAR KCGF 121845Z 28014KT 2SM -RA SCT012 BKN040 OVC060 22/201 A2986
METAR KCGF 121915Z 23012KT 4SM -RA BR SCT012 BKN040 OVC060 23/21 A2989
METAR KCGF 121945Z 24008KT 4SM -SHRA BR SCT012 BKN040 OVC060 24/21 A2987
Was the lightning activity also similar? Yes:
Certainly, both VCTS and TS criteria were met. KCGF is a level D site, and is not required to report thunderstorms. It’s a shame that this much lightning activity, close to an airport, can legally go unreported:
If the FAA was serious about safety in all of the NAS- not just larger airports- it would:
a) Require that D level sites report thunderstorms
b) Not rely on limited or unreliable programs, such as ASOS, ALDARS & LAWRS
Instead, the possibility of unreported thunderstorms will increase, if LAWRS replaces CWOs at larger airports.
793. Decatur, Illinois, 12 Jun 2015:
Decatur (KDEC) reported VCTS from 1929-2113Z:
METAR KDEC 121754Z 23017KT 10SM SCT033 BKN043 BKN065 30/23 A2984 RMK AO2 PK WND 21026/1731 SLP097 60000 T03000228 10311 20217 55000
METAR KDEC 121854Z 21018G23KT 10SM SCT032 31/23 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP088 T03110233
SPECI KDEC 121929Z 22016G25KT 10SM VCTS SCT036 BKN048 BKN070 31/23 A2980 RMK AO2 PK WND 22027/1911 T03060228
METAR KDEC 121954Z 28010G18KT 10SM VCTS SCT036 BKN044 BKN055 28/23 A2982 RMK AO2 PK WND 22027/1911 SLP090 T02830233
METAR KDEC 122054Z 28009KT 240V300 10SM VCTS FEW050 FEW060 SCT095 31/24 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP093 T03060239 55005
SPECI KDEC 122113Z 29009G16KT 10SM FEW095 30/24 A2982 RMK AO2 T03000239
However, during part of that time, there had been quite a bit of lightning to the north, that was within 5 miles:
34 lightning bolts struck within the red 5-mile range ring around KDEC, between 1800-2000Z. That means TS should have been encoded instead of, or in addition to, VCTS. It also means ALDARS failed 34 times; and that LAWRS trusted ALDARS to properly record the distance to lightning strikes. Do pilots find this much misreported lightning, close to an airport, acceptable?
At 1854Z, the VCTS had not yet been reported by KDEC; that would not be until 1929Z. Yet, the radar at 1855Z, showed this:
The core of a level 6 rain shower, was about 5 miles NW of the airport; while the core of another level 6 rain shower, was about 9 miles to the N-NNE. Neither cell was mentioned as a CB or VCSH in remarks, even though visibility was 10 miles, and clouds were scattered. Later weather reports contained VCTS, while TS was warranted. ALDARS doesn’t always work, yet LAWRS observers seem to trust it.
794. Anderson, Indiana, 12 Jun 2015:
Anderson (KAID) is another level D site. On June 12th, KAID was in the middle of a data outage. No observations were transmitted on that day from KAID. For example, a statewide summary of all the reports from Indiana at 2100Z, showed this:
Date: 06/12/15 21 UTC
KVPZ 122056Z AUTO 04005KT 7SM SCT007 OVC012 18/17 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP109
60010 T01830167 53004 TSNO
KHUF 122053Z 17007KT 10SM CLR 27/21 A2986 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS SLP107
T02670211 53003
KSBN 122054Z 35003KT 4SM BR BKN015 OVC020 22/20 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP108 60000
T02220200 53005
KGEZ 122053Z AUTO 21014KT 10SM FEW043 SCT090 BKN110 31/22 A2987 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT N AND NE SLP106 60000 T03110217 55006
KMIE 122123Z 22008KT 10SM VCTS FEW120 28/23 A2988 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S-NW
T02830228
KLAF 122054Z 22004KT 10SM VCTS FEW041 SCT065 SCT085 29/22 A2984 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT W-NE SLP097 T02940217 55001
KEYE 122053Z AUTO 23012G17KT 10SM FEW043 31/21 A2985 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE
AND E AND SW TSB1955E10 SLP100 T03110211 55010
KGSH 122137Z AUTO 31003KT 10SM FEW018 BKN035 BKN080 24/21 A2986 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT S AND SW T02440206
KFWA 122054Z 23008KT 10SM BKN024 BKN250 28/22 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP103 60000
T02780222 56010
KEVV 122054Z 23013KT 10SM BKN050 33/20 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP115 T03330200
55011
KBMG 122053Z 20013KT 10SM SCT043 SCT055 31/22 A2988 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW-E
SLP109 T03060222 55009
KIND 122054Z 22015KT 10SM FEW040 BKN050TCU BKN130 30/21 A2985 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT NE AND SW SLP099 CB DSNT NE TCU ALQDS 60000 T03000211 55010
KOKK 122135Z AUTO 28023G38KT 10SM VCTS SCT036 SCT049 BKN055 24/18 A2990 RMK
AO1 WSHFT 12 LTG DSNT ALQDS TSB20
KOXI 122135Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT022 BKN027 OVC041 23/22 A2985 RMK AO1
KASW 122135Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM 23/22 A2986 RMK AO2
SPECI KGUS 122115Z 22007KT 10SM -TSRA FEW040 SCT120 OVC250 27/24 A2982 RMK
AO2A LTG DSNT W-N AND SE TSB2115 PRESFR
KTYQ 122135Z AUTO 23007KT 10SM SCT060 SCT085 SCT110 30/22 A2987 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT ALQS T03020218
KRZL 122055Z AUTO 17011KT 10SM -TSRA BKN025 BKN036 OVC046 22/22 A2986 RMK
AO2 P0008 LTG DSNT ALQS
KMZZ 122135Z AUTO 19006KT 7SM SCT022 BKN036 OVC050 25/18 A2986 RMK AO2
T02460183
KGGP 122135Z AUTO 22009KT 7SM RA SCT010 BKN065 OVC095 20/17 A2991 RMK AO2
P0059
KGWB 122115Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN024 25/20 A2988 RMK AO2
KRCR 122115Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM -TSRA SCT006 SCT019 SCT030 25/25 A2986 RMK
AO2 P0003 LTG DSNT ALQS
KHNB 122055Z AUTO 23014KT 10SM FEW050 SCT055 BKN100 32/21 A2990 RMK AO1
57010
KGYY 122045Z 36008KT 3SM BR OVC003 A2987
KBAK 122050Z 21018KT 10SM SKC 29/19 A2989
KEKM 122050Z 00000KT 5SM RA OVC022 23/20 A2986
KAID NIL
KDCY 122135Z AUTO 20012G16KT 10SM CLR 32/19 A2986 RMK AO2 T03220188
KMCX 122135Z AUTO 21009KT 7SM +RA SCT024 BKN065 OVC090 20/20 A2988 RMK AO2
P0037 T01980195
KMGC 122135Z AUTO 33006KT 7SM OVC004 15/15 A2988 RMK AO2
KIMS 122054Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT095 24/20 A2995 RMK AO1
KPPO 122115Z AUTO 01006KT 4SM BR SCT006 SCT009 OVC023 20/20 A2987 RMK AO2
LTG DSNT SE THRU SW T02020202
KMQJ 122136Z AUTO 24009G15KT 10SM CLR 30/16 A2987 RMK AO1
KHHG 122135Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT037 26/23 A2985 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW THRU
NW T02640231
KFKR 122135Z AUTO 34022G27KT 10SM SCT044 27/19 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W
THRU NE T02690185
KCFJ 122055Z AUTO 22013G19KT 10SM SCT035 SCT043 30/19 A2986 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT W THRU N T03020186
KANQ 122235Z AUTO 29004KT 7SM OVC029 25/21 A2987 RMK
That data was courtesy of the Plymouth State University Weather Center. Anderson (KAID) was listed as NIL (missing). That’s a shame, considering how much lightning was in the area:
In the same grid where Anderson Municipal Airport is located, there were 325 lightning strikes! That’s for the period 2000-2300Z on the 12th. In the grid to the east, there were 218 strikes, most of those within 10 miles. Not even counting the other grids, that was 543 lightning strikes!
Whomever wrote the 7900.5C rule that level D sites don’t have to report thunderstorms, found situations like the above, acceptable. This sort of thing has happened at other D level sites (see case #763 from Pascagoula, Mississippi, when hundreds of lightning strikes didn’t result in a thunderstorm being reported). It also happens at level C LAWRS sites (e.g., case #30 from Laredo, Texas; or case #216 from Jackson, Mississippi [KHKS]) It doesn’t happen a level A or B sites, because those sites have Contract Weather Observers (although, it would be possible at such sites that are part-time).
Again, according to the current rules (FAA Order 7900.5C), this much lightning doesn’t have to be reported by D level airports:
795. Jefferson City, Missouri, 12 (13) Jun 2015:
Between 12/2300-13/0300Z (6:00-10 p.m. local time), Jefferson City (KJEF) had some shifting and gusty winds, and heavy rain: METAR KJEF 122253Z 20007KT 10SM SCT055 31/21 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP080 T03110206 METAR KJEF 122353Z 13005KT 10SM CLR 31/21 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP076 T03060211 10317 20294 58004 METAR KJEF 130053Z 18014G24KT 9SM -RA BKN040 BKN049 OVC065 25/20 A2984 RMK AO2 RAB52 SLP091 P0000 T02500200 SPECI KJEF 130106Z 27017G33KT 4SM RA FEW015 BKN041 OVC110 22/19 A2987 RMK AO2 PK WND 22035/0055 WSHFT 0046 P0007 T02170189 SPECI KJEF 130112Z 35009G26KT 2 1/2SM +RA SCT040 BKN060 OVC110 22/17 A2984 RMK AO2 PK WND 22035/0055 WSHFT 0056 P0014 T02220172 SPECI KJEF 130121Z 12009KT 5SM -RA BR FEW040 SCT060 BKN090 21/19 A2983 RMK AO2 PK WND 22035/0055 WSHFT 0056 P0016 T02110189 METAR KJEF 130153Z 05005KT 10SM FEW055 SCT075 SCT110 22/20 A2987 RMK AO2 PK WND 22035/0055 WSHFT 0056 RAE37 SLP100 P0016 T02220200 METAR KJEF 130253Z AUTO 10004KT 10SM CLR 22/20 A2992 RMK AO2 RAB0158E28 SLP116 P0002 60018 T02170200 53038 TSNO Since there was no mention of lightning or thunder by this level C LAWRS site, there wasn’t any nearby. Assuming that ALDARS was correct, and that LAWRS was also alert:
Lightning data reveals that, just because lightning wasn’t mentioned in the official reports, it didn’t mean there was no lightning around. Clearly there was. Of the 88 bolts that struck within 10 miles, 11 bolts also hit within the red 5-mile range ring around KJEF. Zooming in shows the closest lightning:
One lightning bolt appears to have struck the airport at about 0201Z:
The cluster of building, near the purplish lightning position plot, is the ARNG. The bolt appears to have struck taxiway B near the ARNG. The control tower is not too far from the ARNG, to the NW. That would place the distance from the control tower, to the lightning strike, at 1,010 feet:
That is roughly 1/5 of a mile. Yet, no thunderstorm was begun for that lightning strike, even though the strike was at the airport. Even though the rules require such an occurrence to be reported; it seems that there are no steps being taken by the FAA to correct such situations.
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Post by tornado on Feb 24, 2016 18:14:29 GMT -5
796. Schenectady County Airport, New York, 12 (13) Jun 2015:
Between 12/2200-13/0200Z (6:00-10 p.m. local time), Schenectady County Airport (KSCH) had lots of lightning around:
However, even though AirNav.com lists this site as attended until 2230 local time…
KSCH only seems to put out observations while the tower is open. While it is closed, ASOS does not transmit, even in AUTO mode. Schenectady is a level D site, but that is still a lot of lightning that’s not even required to be reported. It’s also unclear why, on some days, such as June 15th; the last observation transmitted is at 0159Z:
METAR KSCH 160159Z 18003KT 10SM OVC016 19/16 A2997 RMK LAST
…while on other days, only 3-5 reports get transmitted all day from this site. Schenectady should have been open on June 12th and transmitting METARs at the time of that lightning, but wasn't.
797. Brackett Field, La Verne, California, 12 (13) Jun 2015:
Brackett Field (KPOC) near La Verne (Pomona), is another D level site. Between 12/2300-13/0200Z, this was the lightning display around Pomona:
This was the information pilots received from Brackett Field, around that time:
METAR KPOC 122247Z 26009KT 9SM SCT050 22/15 A2984
METAR KPOC 123247Z NIL
METAR KPOC 130047Z NIL
METAR KPOC 130147Z 19005KT 10SM CLR 20/17 A2983
METAR KPOC 130247Z NIL
METAR KPOC 130347Z 26009KT 10SM CLR 19/15 A2985 RMK LAST
So some data was missing; while transmitted reports made no mention of thunderstorms or related hazards. Lightning striking about a mile to the NW, apparently wasn’t important enough to be included on a transmitted METAR:
Recall the 0147Z METAR that was transmitted:
METAR KPOC 130147Z 19005KT 10SM CLR 20/17 A2983
Compare that to the 0145Z radar:
With clear skies being reported, and no mention of LTG/TS/CB; does that METAR look like it was accurate?
798. Lakefront Airport, New Orleans, Louisiana, 12 (13) Jun 2015:
Table 5-2 of the 7900.5C, has this example:
An automated system with ALDARS, is shown with ALDARS enabled. There is no specific guideline to disable ALDARS, except in cases when it is deemed unrepresentative:
There is no mention in the 7900.5C, that ALDARS is to be turned off overnight, at part-time control towers. Thus, we have sites that do so, missing
thunderstorms that otherwise would have been reported. This is such a case.
Between 0200-0400Z on the 13th UTC (12th local time), Lakefront Airport (KNEW) in New Orleans had this much lightning around:
That much lightning went unreported, because ALDARS was turned off, as evidenced by the TSNO remark:
METAR KNEW 130153Z AUTO 07005KT 10SM CLR 26/22 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP161 T02560217 TSNO
METAR KNEW 130253Z AUTO 13012KT 9SM -RA FEW016 SCT120 25/22 A3004 RMK AO2 RAB25 SLP166 P0000 60000 T02500222 53006 TSNO
METAR KNEW 130353Z AUTO 11008KT 10SM FEW120 26/23 A3004 RMK AO2 RAE37 SLP167 P0002 T02610233 TSNO
There must be some FAA directive, overriding the 7900.5C, that allows sites to disable ALDARS. Can we trust LAWRS at larger airports, not to disable ALDARS during thunderstorms? If the data in the “more quality from the ATCT” and “AUTO” threads are any evidence, the answer is no.
799. Springfield, Illinois, 12 (13) Jun 2015:
Springfield (KSPI) concluded a thunderstorm within 5 miles (TS) at 0157Z:
METAR KSPI 130152Z 31007KT 10SM TS FEW041 SCT060 BKN120 24/22 A2988 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAB0053E50 TSE11B14 SLP111 P0011 T02440217
SPECI KSPI 130203Z 28004KT 10SM VCTS -RA FEW041 SCT120 24/22 A2988 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAB0155 TSE0157 P0000 T02440222
After the TS ended, VCTS was recorded:
SPECI KSPI 130235Z 20004KT 10SM SCT038 BKN050 24/22 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE RAB0155E19 TSE0157 P0000 T02390222
SPECI KSPI 130244Z VRB04KT 9SM VCTS -RA BKN036 BKN055 BKN080 24/22 A2990 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE RAB0155E19B42 TSE0157 P0000 T02390222
METAR KSPI 130252Z 20008KT 10SM VCTS -RA SCT038 BKN050 OVC110 24/22 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE AND E RAB0155E19B42 TSE0157 SLP123 P0001 60013 T02440217 53025
After the VCTS ended, there was still lightning mentioned as striking 10-30 miles away:
SPECI KSPI 130308Z AUTO 12006KT 10SM -RA FEW038 SCT080 BKN120 24/22 A2990 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND W P0001 T02440217
METAR KSPI 130352Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW050 23/22 A2991 RMK AO2 RAE21 SLP121 P0001 T02330217
METAR KSPI 130452Z AUTO 15005KT 10SM FEW047 SCT065 24/22 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S-NW SLP122 T02390217
So looking at a lightning display map from the time the thunderstorm (TS) ended, to 0500Z, should show no lightning within 5 miles. Yet it did:
5 such lightning strikes occurred within 5 miles of KSPI. Those strikes each met TS criteria; but no TS was reported during the valid time of the map, 0200-0500Z. That was the case regardless of whether LAWRS observers were present; or whether ATC had gone home, leaving ALDARS to detect the lightning by itself. A couple of the lightning strikes were about a mile south of the airport:
Again, ALDARS had trouble detecting lightning too close to an airport, and LAWRS did not disable ALDARS as being unrepresentative.
800. Macon, Georgia, 9 Jun 2015:
Case #800 comes from Macon (KMCN) Georgia, on 9 Jun 2015. Macon ended a thunderstorm at 1705Z that day, which was 1:05 p.m. EDT:
SPECI KMCN 091700Z 27008KT 5SM +TSRA BKN026CB BKN039 BKN095 26/23 A2991 RMK AO2 RAB1655 OCNL LTGICCG TS OHD MOV E P0003
SPECI KMCN 091705Z 25005KT 7SM +RA FEW026 BKN065 OVC080 26/23 A2991 RMK AO2 TSE05RAB1655 CB E MOV E P0007
After that time, there was a bit of convective activity (CB) mentioned over the next few hours:
METAR KMCN 091753Z 23006KT 10SM CLR 28/23 A2990 RMK AO2 TSE05RAB1655E18 SLP120 P0007 60007 T02830233 10300 20233 58014
METAR KMCN 091853Z VRB05KT 10SM FEW027 29/23 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP111 T02890228
METAR KMCN 091953Z 24005KT 10SM CLR 28/21 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP117 CB DSNT NW NE T02780211
KMCN 092053Z 23006KT 10SM SCT110 25/22 A2985 RMK AO2 RAB17E33 SLP104 P0001
60001 T02500217 58017
Setting a lightning map to run from 1705Z (the official thunderstorm ending time) to 2100Z (5 p.m.), reveals this:
That map covers nearly a 4-hour period, and it shows that 12 lightning bolts struck within 5 miles of KMCN. The purple lightning strike plots to the south, indicate that the storm that officially ended at 1705Z, may have ended too soon. The redder bolts closer to the airport, would have struck about halfway through the period. That would place them around 1900Z, when 10SM FEW027 was reported. There were no CB remarks, as there would be on the following METAR. That’s strange, considering the radar at 1850Z:
By 1953Z, 10SM CLR was reported with CB DSNT NW NE in remarks. However, the line of thunderstorms (CB) was even closer to KMCN, than the previous hour:
How is it that clear skies were reported? How is it that part of the level 6 rain shower, whose core was 10 miles to the WNW; was within 10 miles, but not even reported as such? Another cell was about 6 miles to the NE; it was a level 5 cell, but didn’t get reported as being within 10 miles (as CB DSNT NW NE was reported), nor did it get reported in sky condition (as clear skies were reported). How do we know that ATC was passing correct data about where the “weather” was located, to pilots; if it wasn’t properly reported in the METAR?
Finally, that cluster of 6 lightning strikes close to the airport, struck between 1930-1950Z:
Yet, reported sky condition had gone from FEW027 to CLR in the past hour; with remarks going from no CB mentioned, to CB DSNT NW NE! How is it that 3 lightning bolts can strike within a mile of an airport in 20 minutes, and not get mentioned?
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Post by tornado on Feb 29, 2016 16:26:38 GMT -5
801. Ardmore, Oklahoma, 13 Jun 2015:
On 15 Jun, Ardmore (KADM) recorded thunderstorm activity, after the control tower had closed for the night:
METAR KADM 160115Z AUTO 34013KT 1 1/4SM +TSRA OVC010 23/23 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQS P0049 T02270225
METAR KADM 160155Z AUTO 11005KT 10SM -VCTSRA SCT038 BKN070 OVC095 22/22 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE P0081 T02220220
2 days earlier, on the 13th, Ardmore recorded a thunderstorm at 2055Z:
METAR KADM 132055Z 31007KT 3SM TSRA SCT013 BKN030 OVC050 22/22 A2986 RMK RWY 31 / ATIS N LTG DSNT SW THRU NE
METAR KADM 132235Z AUTO 07004KT 10SM CLR 22/22 A2983 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE THRU S P0007 T02210221
The next report transmitted from Ardmore, was the 2235Z SPECI. That means there was no 2155Z METAR successfully transmitted. Was the thunderstorm still in progress? Yes:
Of the 8 lightning strikes within 10 miles of KADM, 4 also hit within the red 5-mile range ring around KADM. The closest of those lightning bolts, struck at
the edge of airport property- or perhaps striking taxiway X just east of runway 13/31:
While LAWRS ensured the previous METAR was disseminated throughout the NAS, the 2155Z METAR was not successfully transmitted. Lightning struck at the edge of the airport around that time. Pilots and ground crews deserved to know how close the lightning was striking at that time.
802. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 13 Jun 2015:
Between 1700-2000Z (noon-3 p.m.) on the 13th, a heavy rain showers passed over Baton Rouge (KBTR):
METAR KBTR 131653Z 16010KT 10SM FEW032 FEW045 32/23 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP159 T03170233
METAR KBTR 131753Z 13005KT 5SM -RA FEW036 SCT055 BKN075 28/23 A3000 RMK AO2 RAB39 SLP157 P0000 60000 T02830228 10317 20244 58005
METAR KBTR 131853Z COR 17006KT 10SM SCT055 BKN075 31/23 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP149 P0000 T03060228
SPECI KBTR 131924Z 21024G39KT 1/2SM +RA FG SCT017 BKN033 BKN100 23/22 A2999 RMK AO2 PK WND 19039/1919 RAE1856B20 P0016 T02280217 RVRNO
SPECI KBTR 131936Z 30003KT 10SM -RA SCT026 BKN034 OVC070 22/22 A2999 RMK AO2 PK WND 19039/1919 RAE1856B20 P0037 T02220217
METAR KBTR 131953Z 04005KT 10SM SCT024 BKN033 OVC047 24/22 A2999 RMK AO2 PK WND 19039/1919 RAE1856B20E42 SLP155 P0037 T02390222
The onset of the heavy rain was at 1924Z, or 2:24 p.m. That closely matches the time of the orange lightning position plots, on the map below:
That map begins at 1700Z, and ends at 2000Z. I set the start time early enough, to show that there had also been a thunderstorm between 1700-1800Z, that produced 3 lightning strikes within 5 miles of KBTR. Those would be the 3 bluish bolts to the north of the airport. But zooming in, and concentrating on the second storm, shows this:
LAWRS at KBTR had plenty of opportunities to report that thunderstorm, but did not do so. 41 opportunities, in fact- as 41 lightning bolts from the 2nd storm, struck within 5 miles! At 1919Z, that thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 39 knots; by 1924Z, that thunderstorm reduced visibility at the airport to 1/2SM. Yet, no TS nor LTG data appeared on any report for that 3-hour period.
How much lightning went unreported? In the grid where the airport is located, 253 lightning bolts struck within 30 miles:
About half of those strikes, were within 10 miles. Somehow, KBTR let 2 thunderstorms with hundreds of lightning strikes, go unreported that day!
803. Jefferson City, Missouri, 13 Jun 2015:
Jefferson City (KJEF) had case #795, from the previous day. The problem on the 13th, came between 2000-2200Z:
The weather reports from KJEF, around that time, showed this:
METAR KJEF 131953Z VRB05KT 10SM FEW039 SCT048 BKN070 30/21 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP096 T03000206
METAR KJEF 132053Z 15012G23KT 10SM SCT035 BKN048 BKN060 27/20 A2985 RMK AO2 RAB05E16 SLP094 P0001 60001 T02670200 56020
SPECI KJEF 132138Z 17026G35KT 1 1/2SM -RA SQ FEW027 BKN055 OVC110 25/22 A2988 RMK AO2 PK WND 18035/2136 RAB2057E06B37 PRESRR P0011 T02500217
SPECI KJEF 132146Z 23009G33KT 1/2SM +RA FG SCT013 BKN037 OVC110 24/22 A2987 RMK AO2 PK WND 18035/2136 RAB2057E06B37 P0041 T02390217
METAR KJEF 132153Z 20005KT 3SM -RA BR SCT013 SCT037 BKN050 23/22 A2986 RMK AO2 PK WND 18035/2136 RAB2057E06B37 SLP098 P0041 T02330222
So there was a squall to 35 knots, shifting winds, and heavy rain- all after 2100Z. There just wasn’t any mention of lightning; thus, no mention that a thunderstorm caused the squall and heavy rain. That was despite 48 lightning bolts striking within 5 miles of the airport, according to the previous map! Zooming in on the data, shows this:
Most of the lightning was to the south; but some was very close, with one bolt even striking the airport:
The time of that strike, was about 2142Z. That was after the squall to 39 knots was reported, but before the heavy rain was reported. With all of that going on, LAWRS was apparently too busy directing aircraft, to update the SPECIs to include TS. We don’t know what other hazards that particular thunderstorm produced; but there was severe weather reported across central Missouri that day:
There just wasn’t a thunderstorm reported at all that day, by KJEF; despite severe weather nearby, and strong winds and heavy rain at the airport.
804. Morgantown, West Virginia, 13 Jun 2015:
Between 2100-2300Z on the 13th, Morgantown (KMGW) recorded a thunderstorm in the vicinity:
METAR KMGW 132053Z 24006KT 10SM FEW023 SCT029 SCT035 28/19 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP169 HAZY T02780194 56009
METAR KMGW 132153Z 25004KT 10SM SCT040 27/20 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP172 T02720200
SPECI KMGW 132213Z 24012G20KT 10SM VCTS SCT024 BKN037 26/19 A3008 RMK AO2 TS SW-NW OCNL LGTICCCCG T02610194
SPECI KMGW 132217Z 24011G24KT 1 1/2SM VCTS -RA SCT022 BKN037 BKN048 24/18 A3009 RMK AO2 RAB16 TS SW-NW OCNL LGTICCCCG P0008 T02440178
SPECI KMGW 132229Z 21008G18KT 3SM VCTS -RA FEW024 BKN037 OVC100 22/19 A3010 RMK AO2 RAB16 TS ALQDS OCNL LGTICCCCG P0013 T02220189
SPECI KMGW 132244Z 21006KT 7SM -RA FEW030 SCT100 OVC110 22/19 A3010 RMK AO2 RAB16 TS MOV E P0015 T02170189
METAR KMGW 132253Z 20004KT 9SM -RA BKN100 22/19 A3009 RMK AO2 RAB16 SLP181 TS MOV E P0015 T02170189
The code VCTS, thunderstorm in the vicinity, is defined as a storm producing lightning 5-10 miles away from the observing site (actually the ARP). If ALDARS detects lightning 5-10 miles away (VCTS), but the observer believes the lightning is closer than 5 miles; the observer can disable ALDARS, and augment the VCTS to a TS. It seems that, by the remarks, the LAWRS observer(s) were communicating that the lightning was observed to be within 5 miles; otherwise, VC would have appeared in remarks. Yet if that were the case, VCTS should have been changed to TS.
So what was the actual lightning situation around Morgantown at that time? This:
Morgantown plainly had lightning within 5 miles, during that time period- 14 such strikes. On the map above, some of them appear very close; how close?
As can be seen, one lightning bolt struck the airport! It appears to have struck on the southern part of runway 6/18, at about 2223Z:
A thunderstorm that produces lightning that strikes an airport runway, is not to be classified as a VCTS; but rather a TS!
805. Lansing, Michigan, 14 Jun 2015:
In the pre-dawn hours of June 14th, Lansing (KLAN) had a few rounds of heavy rain:
METAR KLAN 140653Z 16009KT 5SM BR OVC006 19/18 A2998 RMK AO2 RAB0558E22 SLP148 P0000 T01940183
METAR KLAN 140753Z 17007KT 4SM -RA BR BKN006 OVC032 19/19 A2996 RMK AO2 RAB19 SLP142 P0001 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 140817Z 30004KT 1 3/4SM RA BR BKN006 OVC010 19/19 A2997 RMK AO2 P0003 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 140827Z 17005KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR SCT006 BKN012 OVC047 21/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0012 T02060189
SPECI KLAN 140842Z 22005KT 1SM R28L/P6000FT +RA BR FEW007 BKN012 OVC030 20/19 A2997 RMK AO2 P0022 T02000189
SPECI KLAN 140846Z 24003KT 3/4SM R28L/5500VP6000FT +RA BR FEW010 BKN016 OVC030 20/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0037 T02000194
METAR KLAN 140853Z 29006KT 3/4SM R28L/3500VP6000FT +RA BR FEW006 BKN016 OVC026 20/19 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP143 P0052 60053 T02000189 55006
SPECI KLAN 140857Z 28004KT 1SM R28L/3500VP6000FT +RA BR SCT006 BKN011 OVC026 20/19 A2997 RMK AO2 P0006 T02000194
SPECI KLAN 140907Z 29007KT 3/4SM R28L/4000VP6000FT +RA BR SCT005 BKN015 OVC024 20/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0030 T02000189
SPECI KLAN 140916Z 28004KT 1 1/2SM R28L/6000VP6000FT RA BR FEW005 BKN023 OVC060 20/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0043 T02000194
SPECI KLAN 140925Z 00000KT 3/4SM R28L/5000VP6000FT +RA BR FEW005 BKN027 OVC060 19/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0055 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 140933Z 00000KT 1 1/4SM RA BR SCT027 BKN049 OVC060 19/19 A2995 RMK AO2 P0065 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 140935Z 14003KT 2SM -RA BR SCT029 BKN049 OVC060 19/19 A2995 RMK AO2 P0065 T01940189
METAR KLAN 140953Z 00000KT 3SM -RA BR FEW028 OVC045 19/19 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP139 P0073 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141014Z 08005KT 2 1/2SM +RA BR BKN035 OVC043 19/19 A2994 RMK AO2 P0008 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141022Z 23008KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR FEW005 BKN035 OVC041 19/19 A2997 RMK AO2 PRESRR P0013 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141025Z 27008KT 3/4SM R28L/3500VP6000FT +RA BR SCT005 SCT025 OVC037 19/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0014 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141027Z 28006KT 1/2SM R28L/3000VP6000FT +RA FG FEW005 BKN009 OVC037 19/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0018 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141039Z 34004KT 1SM R28L/4000VP6000FT RA BR FEW005 BKN014 OVC049 19/19 A2997 RMK AO2 P0067 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141049Z 08003KT 1SM R28L/3000VP6000FT +RA BR FEW005 BKN022 OVC033 19/19 A2997 RMK AO2 P0080
METAR KLAN 141053Z 34004KT 1 1/4SM R28L/3000VP6000FT +RA BR BKN026 BKN043 OVC050 19/19 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP142 P0087 T01940189
SPECI KLAN 141105Z 06005KT 1 1/4SM R28L/4000VP6000FT +RA BR FEW022 BKN030 OVC050 19/19 A2996 RMK AO2 P0015 T01940189
What wasn’t mentioned during that 4-hour period, was lightning or thunder:
Clearly, there was thunderstorm activity around Lansing during that time. Likely, there were 2 or 3 separate thunderstorms. That’s because the plotted lightning data, came in different colors; meaning that the bolts struck at widely separated times. The same idea of >1 thunderstorm, can be seen by zooming in:
Also seen by zooming in, is that the closest lightning strike, was at the airport!
The time of that strike, was about 0859Z. 1SM +RA was reported on the 0857Z SPECI- but no TS, VCTS, or any kind of lightning remark appeared! The bolt appeared to have struck a building housing a company called Celink, a loan agency; the (best-resolved) distance from the lightning strike, to the air traffic control tower, was 1,136 feet:
That position is less than half a mile away from the control tower. How is it that a thunderstorm was never reported for that cell? It was dark, and Lansing
is a 24-hour tower. Nevertheless, Lansing had an unreported thunderstorm that morning!
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Post by tornado on Mar 2, 2016 13:21:12 GMT -5
806. Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 14 Jun 2015:
Not long after Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti (KYIP) opened on that Sunday morning, there was some rain:
METAR KYIP 140853Z AUTO 33003KT 9SM OVC005 20/17 A2999 RMK AO2 RAB18E33 SLP149 P0000 60000 T02000167 56011 TSNO
METAR KYIP 140953Z 00000KT 6SM HZ FEW005 SCT026 BKN044 19/17 A2998 RMK AO2 RAB0856E04 SLP147 P0011 T01940167
SPECI KYIP 141002Z 00000KT 4SM -RA BKN026 BKN065 19/17 A2998 RMK AO2 RAB0959 P0001 T01940167
SPECI KYIP 141016Z 15003KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR BKN023 BKN055 OVC110 19/17 A2998 RMK AO2 RAB0959 P0002 T01940172
SPECI KYIP 141023Z 13003KT 2SM R05R/6000VP6000FT +RA BR FEW023 BKN070 OVC110 19/17 A2998 RMK AO2 RAB0959 P0005 T01940172
SPECI KYIP 141038Z 00000KT 3SM -RA SCT022 BKN034 OVC090 20/17 A2998 RMK AO2 RAB0959 P0006 T02000172
METAR KYIP 141053Z 12004KT 4SM HZ FEW024 SCT035 OVC047 20/17 A2997 RMK AO2 RAB0959E50 SLP144 P0006 T02000172
SPECI KYIP 141122Z 15004KT 4SM BR BKN029 OVC047 20/18 A2998 RMK AO2 T02000178
SPECI KYIP 141139Z 15004KT 4SM BR FEW029 SCT037 BKN049 21/18 A2998 RMK AO2 T02060183
METAR KYIP 141153Z 16005KT 4SM HZ FEW050 21/18 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP144 60017 7//// T02110183 10211 20194 55005
Rain was reported as heavy on the 6:23 a.m. (1023Z) SPECI. What wasn’t reported that morning, was any lightning or thunder:
The lightning display map from 0900-1200Z, shows 7-10 lightning strikes that met VCTS criteria (3 strikes were right on the green 10-mile range ring around KYIP); and 3 strikes that met TS criteria. The nearest lightning bolt, struck about 1 mile NW of the airport at 1025Z:
That was just after a SPECI was taken to record 2SM +RA, so the actual code should have been 2SM +TSRA at that time. LAWRS at Ypsilanti missed reporting a thunderstorm that morning.
Later that day, there was another issue, between 1800-2000Z (2-4 p.m.):
METAR KYIP 141753Z 21005KT 7SM -RA FEW025 SCT047 BKN070 28/22 A2993 RMK AO2 RAB34 SLP128 P0000 60008 T02830222 10294 20211 58018
SPECI KYIP 141807Z 31006KT 1 1/4SM R05R/2800VP6000FT RA FEW021 SCT033 BKN050 27/22 A2993 RMK AO2 P0012 T02720222
SPECI KYIP 141814Z 31007KT 3/4SM R05R/2800VP6000FT +RA BKN019 BKN032 OVC065 26/22 A2993 RMK AO2 P0018 T02560222
SPECI KYIP 141819Z 28009KT 2 1/2SM R05R/6000VP6000FT -RA BKN019 BKN030 OVC065 26/22 A2995 RMK AO2 P0018 T02560222
SPECI KYIP 141826Z 29009KT 5SM -RA SCT019 BKN026 OVC050 26/22 A2995 RMK AO2 P0018 T02560222
METAR KYIP 141853Z 5SM HZ FEW024 26/22 A2993 RMK AO2 RAE31 SLP128 P0018 T02610222
METAR KYIP 141927Z 27004KT 3/4SM R05R/3000VP6000FT +RA BKN037 BKN044 OVC060 25/22 A2994 RMK AO2 RAB04 P0013 T02500217
SPECI KYIP 141938Z 20007KT 2SM R05R/6000VP6000FT RA FEW027 BKN039 OVC060 24/22 A2994 RMK AO2 VIS 1V5 RAB04 P0017 T02440217
SPECI KYIP 141942Z 19006KT 4SM R05R/6000VP6000FT -RA FEW009 BKN039 OVC060 25/22 A2994 RMK AO2 RAB04 P0017 T02500217
METAR KYIP 141953Z 17003KT 5SM HZ FEW009 SCT029 SCT042 25/22 A2994 RMK AO2 RAB04E52 SLP133 P0017 T02500222
Another heavy rain shower passed over Willow Run Airport. This time, the visibility dropped to 3/4SM, at both 1814Z and 1927Z. Again, no lightning nor thunder was reported. However, the lightning data showed this:
There was even more lightning in the unreported afternoon thunderstorm, than during the unreported morning thunderstorm. In the 2nd storm, 95 lightning strikes met VCTS criteria, by hitting between the 2 range rings, set at 5 and 10 miles from KYIP. 20 lightning strikes met TS criteria, by striking within the red 5-mile range ring around KYIP. In actuality, there are 2 separate thunderstorms represented on the 1800-2000Z map: one whose lightning strikes are plotted in blue, and one whose strikes are plotted in orange. The different colors represent different times within the 2-hour window. That matches the visibility dropping to 3/4SM, rising to 5SM, and dropping to 3/4SM an hour and 13 minutes later.
The morning storm produced lightning about a mile away from the airport. What about the 2 storms between 1800-2000Z?
As can be seen, the orange lightning strike plots were to the south, and the blue plots were to the north. However, one lightning bolt struck the airport! That was a strike at about 1807Z:
The best-resolved position of that lightning strike, would be at the center of the blue deviation circle, where the blue dot is located. That is squarely on the south end of runway 5R/23L, near taxiway B. That was also less than a mile from the air traffic control tower.
How does lightning striking less than a mile from a control tower; plus 115 lightning strikes within 10 miles, result in an unreported thunderstorm? How does a LAWRS site wind up with 3 unreported thunderstorms in a 10-hour period?
This case rates as a level 7 on the FLAWD scale.
807. Hector International Airport, Fargo, North Dakota, 14 Jun 2015:
Hector Intl Airport near Fargo (KFAR) did not report lightning or thunder at all on June 14th, not even in remarks. Some of the reports containing the worst weather condition that day, were as follows:
SPECI KFAR 140735Z 00000KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR SCT036 OVC055 19/17 A2988 RMK AO2 RAB23 P0005 T01940172
SPECI KFAR 140748Z 12007KT 3SM RA BR BKN041 BKN055 OVC075 19/18 A2986 RMK AO2 RAB23 PRESFR P0017
SPECI KFAR 140936Z 00000KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR FEW042 BKN050 OVC070 18/17 A2988 RMK AO2 RAB27 P0005 T01830172
SPECI KFAR 140947Z 14007KT 3SM +RA BR FEW041 BKN048 OVC090 18/17 A2987 RMK AO2 RAB27 P0012
METAR KFAR 141353Z 32008KT 4SM RA BR FEW080 OVC100 18/16 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP115 P0014 T01780161
METAR KFAR 141653Z 33014KT 3SM RA BR BKN065 BKN080 OVC095 15/13 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP143 P0012 T01500128
So between 0700-1700Z, there were periods of moderate and heavy rain at Fargo. However, lightning data showed activity around Fargo during that period:
There was just enough lightning, that both VCTS and TS ought to have been reported by KFAR during that 10-hour period, more than once. 5 lightning strikes met VCTS criteria, while 3 met TS criteria. Most of the strikes within 10 miles were early in the period; however, the youngest strike was about 3.5 miles to the SE, represented by the yellow dot in the city of Fargo itself. There was more lightning around that time, but it struck about 12-15 miles the SE, with one strike to the NW. Still, not even LTG DSNT was reported by KFAR during the period in question.
Zooming in shows the nearest strike about 2 miles NNW of the ARP, or about 1 mile from airport property:
On June 14th, KFAR had a missed TS/VCTS in the morning, a missed TS in the afternoon, and did not report LTG DSNT when warranted.
808. Gulfport, Mississippi, 14 Jun 2015:
At 3:13 a.m., Gulfport (KGPT) reported a thunderstorm while ASOS was in AUTO mode:
SPECI KGPT 140813Z AUTO 16007KT 2SM +TSRA BR BKN018 BKN025 BKN035 25/23 A3001 RMK AO2 PK WND 19032/0803 TSB09 P0023 T02500228
Yet between 1500-1700Z on the 14th, another heavy rain shower passed over the airport, this time not accompanied by thunder:
METAR KGPT 141453Z 12013KT 10SM SCT022 BKN028 29/24 A3005 RMK AO2 RAB21E33 SLP177 P0000 60000 T02940239 51007
SPECI KGPT 141534Z 20014G18KT 1 1/2SM -RA SCT022 BKN028 26/23 A3006 RMK AO2 RAB33 P0011 T02610233
SPECI KGPT 141543Z 17012KT 10SM -RA FEW018 BKN025 BKN033 26/23 A3008 RMK AO2 RAB33 P0019 T02560233
METAR KGPT 141553Z 14018G23KT 1 1/2SM +RA BR FEW013 BKN022 OVC029 25/23 A3009 RMK AO2 RAB33 SLP187 P0029 T02500233
SPECI KGPT 141601Z 12013KT 1 1/2SM -RA BR FEW013 BKN027 OVC100 25/23 A3008 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1541 P0004 T02500233
SPECI KGPT 141603Z 12013KT 3SM -RA BR FEW018 BKN030 OVC100 25/23 A3008 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1541 P0004 T02500228
SPECI KGPT 141606Z 11012KT 7SM -RA FEW015 BKN028 OVC100 25/23 A3008 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1541 P0004 T02500228
SPECI KGPT 141613Z 11010KT 10SM -RA SCT023 BKN075 BKN110 24/23 A3008 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1541 P0004 T02440228
METAR KGPT 141653Z 11009KT 10SM -RA FEW034 27/24 A3008 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1541 RAE14B45 SLP184 P0004 T02720244
That was if one believes the official reports. Lightning data revealed strikes within 10, even 5 miles of KGPT:
The closest lightning strike, was about 2 miles west of the airport:
A line of rain showers was passing over the area at 1555Z, 2 minutes after KGPT recorded 1 1/2SM +RA :
In reality, that line of showers, with embedded level 5 cells, was a line of thunderstorms. KGPT just didn’t report it that way.
809. Ryan Field, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 14 Jun 2015:
Between 1900-2200Z on the 14th, Ryan Field near Baton Rouge (KBTR) reported light rain, a wind shift, and wind gusts to 21 knots:
METAR KBTR 141853Z 09011KT 10SM FEW120 29/24 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP158 T02940244
METAR KBTR 141953Z 13011G19KT 10SM BKN030 31/22 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP150 T03060217
METAR KBTR 142053Z 15009G17KT 10SM SCT038 30/21 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP148 T03000211 56017
SPECI KBTR 142142Z 10014G21KT 10SM -RA SCT038 SCT050 BKN100 27/23 A2999 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2122 RAB34 P0000 T02720228
METAR KBTR 142153Z 10011G21KT 10SM SCT038 BKN055 BKN100 26/22 A2999 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2122 RAB34E43 SLP155 P0000 T02610222
What wasn’t recorded, was either LTG DSNT, VCTS, or TS. Yet, all 3 criteria were met during that 3-hour period:
LTG DSNT W-NW should have been reported early in the period, as there were many lightning strikes 10-30 miles from KBTR during that time. Those
would be the purple lightning strike position plots. Later in the period, between 2100-2200Z, the yellow/orange plots to the NE-SE, met both VCTS and TS criteria. There were 18 strikes that met VCTS criteria, and 10 strikes that ought to have been reported as TS.
In the last case, Gulfport had a line of storms nearby at 1555Z. Scrolling over to the Baton Rouge area, shows this at 1955Z:
That level 5 cell matches the position of the LTG DSNT. Yet, that hazard was not identified, either by ALDARS or LAWRS.
The only report of rain at Ryan Field, was at 2142Z. Setting the radar to 2140Z, showed this:
There was a level 6 cell, whose core was 7-10 miles NE of KBTR. Yet, one could not guess that from the 2142Z SPECI- even though lightning data shows that cell was putting out cloud-to-ground lightning at that time! Despite conditions reported no worse than 10SM –RA, some of the lightning was within 2 miles of Ryan Field:
The data shows KBTR had a level 6 thunderstorm cell, that went unreported on June 14th!
810. Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 14 Jun 2015:
Between 2100-2300Z on the 14th, Williamsport (KIPT) recorded a VCTS:
METAR KIPT 142054Z 13005KT 10SM SCT035 BKN050 BKN110 27/21 A2997 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW-N SLP144 T02720206 56021
SPECI KIPT 142145Z 14005KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR SCT034 BKN048 OVC090 25/23 A2997 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S AND SW RAB05 P0008 T02500228
SPECI KIPT 142147Z 15004KT 3SM VCTS -RA BR SCT034 BKN048 OVC090 25/23 A2997 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S AND SW RAB05 P0008 T02500228
METAR KIPT 142154Z 32008KT 8SM VCTS BKN030 BKN043 OVC090 26/22 A2998 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE-SW RAB05E50 SLP147 P0008 T02560222
SPECI KIPT 142208Z 35006KT 9SM -RA SCT020 BKN032 OVC043 25/22 A2997
METAR KIPT 142254Z 08005KT 9SM FEW037 24/22 A2997 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE AND E RAB06E45 SLP146 P0001 T02440222
Yet, while VCTS and LTG DSNT were reported; there were 3 lightning strikes within 5 miles that were not reported:
The nearest lightning strike, was about a mile south of the airport:
If ground crews and pilots were notified that there was lightning within 5 miles, the official reports from KIPT didn’t reflect those strikes.
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Post by tornado on Mar 2, 2016 15:24:36 GMT -5
811. Erie, Pennsylvania, 14 Jun 2015:
Between 14/2100-15/0000Z on the 14th of June, Erie (KERI) had some heavy rain and gusty winds:
METAR KERI 142051Z AUTO 23004KT 10SM FEW043 FEW100 27/19 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP138 T02670194 56015 TSNO
METAR KERI 142151Z AUTO 21008KT 10SM FEW120 27/20 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP134 T02670200 TSNO
METAR KERI 142251Z 25009KT 5SM RA FEW032 BKN060 OVC110 25/21 A2995 RMK AO2 RAB31 PRESRR SLP138 P0001 T02500211
SPECI KERI 142254Z 26013G18KT 1 1/2SM R06/2800VP6000FT +RA FEW025 BKN065 OVC100 24/21 A2997 RMK AO2 CIG 046 NE PRESRR P0002 T02440211
SPECI KERI 142258Z 23011G19KT 1/2SM R06/1800VP6000FT +RA FG SCT015 BKN030 OVC100 23/22 A2996 RMK AO2 P0026 T02330217
SPECI KERI 142303Z 24010G23KT 1/2SM R06/1800VP6000FT +RA FG FEW008 BKN020 OVC100 23/21 A2996 RMK AO2 P0057 T02330211
SPECI KERI 142305Z 23009G23KT 1SM R06/1800VP6000FT RA BR FEW008 BKN022 OVC100 23/21 A2996 RMK AO2 P0059 T02280211
SPECI KERI 142309Z 25010G23KT 4SM -RA BR SCT008 BKN022 OVC100 23/21 A2996 RMK AO2 P0059 T02280211
SPECI KERI 142324Z 23008KT 6SM -RA BR BKN008 BKN021 BKN110 22/21 A2995 RMK AO2 P0062 T02220206
SPECI KERI 142330Z 22008KT 7SM -RA SCT008 SCT020 BKN110 22/20 A2995 RMK AO2 P0063 T02220200
METAR KERI 142351Z 20007KT 10SM -RA FEW050 BKN110 22/19 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP137 P0064 60065 T02170194 10278 20217 56002
KERI shouldn’t have been in AUTO mode at 2051 and 2151Z, as that was 4:51 and 5:51 p.m.. local time, respectively. The real problem came after LAWRS signed back on to ASOS, and the rain hit:
There were hundreds of lightning strikes within 10 miles of KERI, none of which were reported! In the same grid where the airport is located, there were 131 lightning strikes; all within 10 miles, and all going unreported. In the block to the east of the airport, most of the 127 lightning strikes were within 10 miles; in the block to the south, most of the 66 lightning strikes were within 10 miles of KERI. One can even tell the relative storm movement was from SW to NE, as the colors of the lightning strike plots changed from red to orange, the more to the NE they struck. The thunderstorm passed right over the airport, as shown by zooming in on the data:
 
Most of that lightning struck right before 2300Z. Using the best-resolved lightning strike positions, which would be the red dots at the centers of the deviation circles, it does not appear that lightning struck the airport itself. LTGCG AT KERI AP would not have been out of the question, though, as several of the deviation circles overlap the airport. At least 9 bolts struck just off airport property, however. The nearest of those, measured 1,446 feet away from the air traffic control tower:
That is roughly 1/3 of a mile. Lightning that close, as well as hundreds of other lightning strikes, went unreported at KERI that day!
812. Jefferson City, Missouri, 14 Jun 2015:
Jefferson City (KJEF) had some heavy rain on the 14th:
METAR KJEF 141753Z 23006KT 10SM SCT030 28/22 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP130 T02830217 10283 20228 58004
METAR KJEF 141853Z 19008KT 10SM FEW036 FEW047 BKN095 28/21 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP125 T02830211
METAR KJEF 141953Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 28/23 A2994 RMK AO2 RAB1859E31 SLP125 P0002 T02780228 TSNO
METAR KJEF 142053Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 28/21 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP119 60002 T02830211 58010
METAR KJEF 142153Z 13008KT 10SM SCT036 BKN043 29/21 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP115 T02940211
SPECI KJEF 142225Z 17010G21KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR FEW025 BKN042 OVC060 24/22 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 16026/2214 RAB21 P0009 T02440222
SPECI KJEF 142234Z 16008KT 3/4SM +RA BR SCT023 BKN040 OVC065 24/22 A2993 RMK AO2 PK WND 16026/2214 RAB21 P0030 T02390222
SPECI KJEF 142236Z 17006KT 8SM +RA SCT023 BKN040 OVC065 24/22 A2993 RMK AO2 PK WND 16026/2214 RAB21 P0031 T02390222
METAR KJEF 142253Z 10007KT 8SM FEW021 SCT041 BKN110 25/22 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 16026/2214 RAB21E48 SLP116 P0031 T02500222
METAR KJEF 142353Z 13005KT 10SM FEW055 FEW090 SCT110 26/23 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP117 60033 T02560228 10300 20239 55003
The worst weather struck around 2230Z. But no lightning nor thunder was mentioned along with the heavy rain around that time. A lightning map, set from 14/1800-15/0000Z, shows this:
2 separate thunderstorms were around Jefferson City during that period. The oldest storm is represented by the purple lightning strike plots; 2 bolts from that storm, met TS criteria. The second, younger storm is represented by the orange plots; it had 4 bolts that met VCTS criteria, and 1 which met TS criteria. 2 separate thunderstorms passed within 5 miles of KJEF; neither was reported, despite lightning striking as close as 2 miles to the SW of the airport:
Neither ALDARS nor LAWRS provided the best weather information from KJEF that day.
813. Allegheny County Airport, nr Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 14 (15) Jun 2015:
Late enough on the 14th, that it was the 15th UTC; Allegheny County Airport (KAGC) near Pittsburgh, reported a thunderstorm to the NW:
SPECI KAGC 150007Z 18006KT 10SM TS BKN110 24/19 A3001 RMK AO2 TSB01 TS NW MOV E T02440194
SPECI KAGC 150043Z 25012KT 2SM +TSRA BKN050 BKN070 OVC110 23/21 A3003 RMK AO2 RAB11 TSB01 PRESRR TS NW MOV E P0015 T02330206
SPECI KAGC 150050Z 30008G16KT 150V360 1SM R28/3500VP6000FT +TSRA BKN037 BKN075 OVC110 23/20 A3004 RMK AO2 RAB11 TSB01 TS NW MOV E P0034
METAR KAGC 150053Z 24008G16KT 230V310 1SM R28/3500VP6000FT +TSRA BKN035 BKN075 OVC110 22/19 A3005 RMK AO2 RAB11 TSB01 PRESRR SLP171 TS NW MOV E P0040 T02220194
But while the thunderstorm was to the NW when it was first reported at 0007Z, the SPECIs and 0053Z METAR indicated that it was still to the NW. There was other lightning than besides that one direction, however:
For example, here are the 10 minutes between 0040-0050Z. Does TS NW look accurate?
FRQ LTGCG ALQDS TS OHD would have been more accurate. It’s even possible CONS LTGCG could have been reported. This case is an example of how
ATC sometimes doesn’t have time to update thunderstorm data, even when TS appears in present weather.
Though the level 6 thunderstorm was centered to the west, by 0050Z it had already produced lightning strikes to the N, E and S of KAGC airport. If the center of the thunderstorm is fixated upon, hazards in other parts of the storm could go unnoticed:
814. Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, 14 (15) Jun 2015:
Burke Lakefront Airport (KBKL) in Cleveland had some heavy rain on the evening of the 14th (15th UTC on the last report):
METAR KBKL 141753Z 25008KT 10SM FEW039 BKN048 29/22 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP143 60002 T02890217 10289 20228 58015
METAR KBKL 141853Z 27011G20KT 7SM RA BKN041 BKN090 OVC110 25/21 A2996 RMK AO2 RAB44 SLP140 P0003 T02500206
METAR KBKL 141953Z 20006KT 7SM RA BKN041 BKN095 24/22 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP139 P0008 T02440217
METAR KBKL 142053Z 20007KT 10SM -RA BKN045 BKN090 27/22 A2992 RMK AO2 RAE12B53 SLP127 P0001 60012 T02670217 58017
METAR KBKL 142153Z 24007KT 10SM SCT045 BKN100 BKN120 27/22 A2993 RMK AO2 RAE2057 SLP131 P0000 T02720217
SPECI KBKL 142249Z 31014G19KT 1 1/2SM +RA BR SCT018 BKN060 OVC095 22/20 A2996 RMK AO2 RAB48 P0013
METAR KBKL 142253Z 29013G19KT 1/2SM +RA FG SCT016 BKN042 OVC090 22/20 A2995 RMK AO2 RAB48 SLP140 P0026 T02170200
METAR KBKL 142301Z 26007KT 3/4SM RA BR BKN022 BKN060 OVC090 22/21 A2996 RMK AO2 P0009 T02170206
SPECI KBKL 142313Z 25005KT 1SM RA BR FEW004 BKN027 OVC050 22/21 A2995 RMK AO2 P0024 T02170206
SPECI KBKL 142325Z 22009KT 3SM -RA BR BKN033 BKN050 OVC075 22/21 A2995 RMK AO2 P0029 T02170206
SPECI KBKL 142332Z 28004KT 1 3/4SM RA BR FEW033 BKN044 OVC075 22/21 A2994 RMK AO2 P0033 T02170206
SPECI KBKL 142337Z 23005KT 3SM -RA BR FEW033 BKN049 OVC100 22/21 A2994 RMK AO2 P0033 T02220206
METAR KBKL 142353Z 29004KT 10SM -RA FEW046 SCT075 22/21 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP135 P0034 60072 T02170206 10289 20217 50007
METAR KBKL 150053Z 15003KT 10SM FEW044 FEW050 SCT065 22/21 A2993 RMK AO2 RAE30 SLP131 P0003 T02220206
No lightning no thunderstorm information was mentioned during that 7-hour period. Was the heavy rain merely from a rain shower? Lightning data indicates, no:
There were hundreds of lightning strikes during that period, that could have been reported as LTG DSNT. Between 5-10 miles, there was plenty of lightning that met VCTS criteria. 86 lightning bolts struck within the red 5-mile range ring, meeting TS criteria. Also, since some of the bolts were blue/purple, and some were orange/red; 2 separate thunderstorms passed over the area during the period. That can also be seen when zooming in:
The older storm (purplish strike plots) produced lightning as close as 2 miles from the airport. The second storm (orange strike plots) produced lightning which barely missed the airport. How is it that so much lightning, so close, can result in an unreported thunderstorm by a LAWRS site?
815. Cheyenne, Wyoming, 14 (15) Jun 2015:
Cheyenne (KCYS) also had lightning issues late on the 14th, which spilled over into the 15th, UTC. Between 0100-0300Z, Cheyenne recorded some heavy rain, gusty winds, and a wind shift:
METAR KCYS 150053Z 10010KT 10SM -RA BKN080 OVC110 21/09 A3005 RMK AO2 RAB45 SLP102 P0000 T02060094
SPECI KCYS 150140Z 35017G37KT 2SM +RA FEW035 BKN070 OVC080 12/09 A3014 RMK AO2 PK WND 02039/0126 PRESRR P0007 T01170089
SPECI KCYS 150150Z 03014G25KT 5SM -RA FEW048 BKN055 OVC075 12/09 A3012 RMK AO2 PK WND 02039/0126 P0009
METAR KCYS 150153Z 03016G25KT 3SM +RA BR BKN050 OVC075 12/09 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND 02039/0126 SLP130 P0010 T01170094
SPECI KCYS 150202Z 06013G23KT 3SM -RA BR SCT042 SCT060 OVC075 12/10 A3013 RMK AO2 WSHFT 0142 TWR VIS 4 P0006 T01170100
SPECI KCYS 150229Z 07013KT 10SM BKN075 BKN090 12/10 A3014 RMK AO2 WSHFT 0142 RAE28 P0006 T01220100
METAR KCYS 150253Z 05005KT 10SM FEW085 12/10 A3014 RMK AO2 WSHFT 0142 RAE28 SLP134 P0006 60016 T01220100 51026
The LAWRS observer took the time to report TWR VIS 4 at 0202Z. What wasn’t reported, was any lightning activity:
Of the 20 lightning strikes within 10 miles, 10 of those were also within 5 miles. Yet, no thunder was recorded, despite lightning striking within 3,000 feet of runway 13/31:
Cheyenne (KCYS) had an unreported thunderstorm, on the evening of Flag Day 2015.
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Post by tornado on Mar 8, 2016 11:13:55 GMT -5
816. Aurora, Illinois, 15 Jun 2015:
Between 1200-1800Z on the 15th, Aurora (KARR) had signed on to ASOS, with some mist; after which, there was some rain:
METAR KARR 151152Z AUTO 21006KT 5SM BR OVC007 23/21 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP137 60003 70009 T02280206 10228 20222 53005 TSNO
SPECI KARR 151239Z 23005KT 1SM BR OVC006 23/21 A2996 RMK AO2 T02280206
METAR KARR 151252Z 22007KT 2 1/2SM -RA BR BKN006 OVC039 23/21 A2996 RMK AO2 RAB40 SLP141 P0010 T02280211
METAR KARR 151352Z 21006KT 6SM BR OVC006 24/22 A2996 RMK AO2 RAE1253B1256E21 CIG 005V012 SLP139 P0002 T02390217
SPECI KARR 151442Z 22004KT 2 1/2SM RA SCT010 BKN016 OVC095 24/21 A2995 RMK AO2 RAB35 P0002 T02390211
METAR KARR 151452Z 22004KT 4SM -RA BR SCT013 BKN050 OVC090 24/22 A2995 RMK AO2 RAB35 SLP137 P0002 60014 T02390217 56003
SPECI KARR 151521Z 22007KT 3SM -RA BR FEW011 BKN017 BKN070 24/22 A2996 RMK AO2 P0003 T02390217
METAR KARR 151552Z 24006KT 8SM SCT009 BKN060 BKN080 25/22 A2995 RMK AO2 RAE40 SLP137 P0003 T02500217
SPECI KARR 151640Z 28021G28KT 1/2SM RA BKN009 BKN018 OVC055 24/21 A2998 RMK AO2 PK WND 28028/1640 RAB1555 PRESRR P0023 T02390211
SPECI KARR 151642Z 28011G28KT 250V310 1/4SM +RA BKN009 BKN018 OVC042 23/20 A2999 RMK AO2 PK WND 28028/1640 RAB1555 PRESRR P0042 T02280200
METAR KARR 151652Z 25005KT 1SM +RA BR BKN009 BKN015 OVC042 21/18 A2996 RMK AO2 PK WND 28028/1640 RAB1555 SLP142 P0064 T02060183
SPECI KARR 151715Z 18003KT 5SM -RA FEW029 BKN055 OVC070 22/19 A2995 RMK AO2 P0001 T02220194
METAR KARR 151752Z 21004KT 10SM BKN060 BKN075 BKN110 24/20 A2994 RMK AO2 RAE26 SLP136 P0001 60082 T02390200 10250 20206 58002
Just looking at the observations, one could surmise that what produced the .82” 6-hourly rainfall total, were possible thunderstorms. Looking at the lightning data supports that idea:
Depicted are lightning strikes from 2 separate thunderstorms. The purple strikes mostly met VCTS criteria, and struck within 10 miles at around 1245Z. Yet, the 1252Z METAR made no mention of any lightning, nor thunder; though there was light rain at the time. The second thunderstorm hit between 1600-1700Z. Aurora airport went low IFR due to moderate and then heavy rain, at 1640-1642Z. The weather codes at 1642Z and 1652Z were +RA when both should have been +TSRA :
On the first map, 8 lightning strikes plotted in orange, struck within the red 5-mile range ring. On the second map, the strike positions can be seen more exactly. Though no bolt struck within 3.5 miles, there was enough lightning to report TS. However, no, TS, VCTS, or even LTG DSNT was reported by KARR, until later that day:
SPECI KARR 152256Z 30008KT 1/2SM +TSRA FG BKN009 BKN013 OVC025 22/20 A2991 RMK AO2 TSB56 PRESRR P0034 T02220200
Prior to a thunderstorm after 5:50 p.m. on the 15th of June, KARR had 2 unreported thunderstorms.
817. Clarksburg, West Virginia, 15 Jun 2015:
Between 1600-1800Z on June 15th, Clarksburg (KCKB) recorded a bit of heavy rain:
METAR KCKB 151553Z 27007KT 10SM FEW027 SCT031 BKN040 27/21 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP172 T02670211
METAR KCKB 151653Z 27006KT 10SM FEW032 SCT043 BKN095 27/21 A3007 RMK AO2 RAB1558E11 SLP168 P0000 T02720211
SPECI KCKB 151736Z 27008KT 2SM +RA BR FEW025 BKN046 OVC075 23/22 A3008 RMK AO2 RAB10 P0001 T02330217
METAR KCKB 151753Z 31004KT 7SM -RA FEW046 SCT070 BKN120 23/22 A3008 RMK AO2 RAB10 SLP171 P0009 60024 T02330222 10278 20222 55004
Note there was no mention of lightning or thunder. The lightning data for that 2-hour period, showed this:
Of the 81 lightning strikes within the green 10-mile range ring around KCKB; 15 bolts were also plotted as striking within the red 5-mile range ring. Obviously, both VCTS and TS criteria were met. The nearest bolt struck just over a mile to the NW of runway 3/21:
How did 81 lightning strikes within 10 miles, one just over a mile away, go unreported that afternoon?
818. Aspen, Colorado, 15 Jun 2015:
Aspen (KASE) recorded a VCTS on the afternoon of the 15th:
METAR KASE 151753Z 05005KT 10SM SCT100 23/03 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP129 T02330028 10233 20083 58005
METAR KASE 151853Z 34004KT 10SM CLR 22/03 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W AND NW SLP126 T02220028
SPECI KASE 151926Z 02005KT 10SM VCTS FEW120 22/04 A3027 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW T02220044
METAR KASE 151953Z 30013G22KT 10SM VCTS -RA SCT090 BKN110 19/06 A3028 RMK AO2 RAB47 SLP146 P0000 T01890061
SPECI KASE 151955Z 30011G22KT 10SM -RA BKN095 BKN110 18/07 A3028 RMK AO2 P0000 T01830067
But, there were 4 or 5 lightning strikes within 5 miles of the airport during that time:
The nearest lightning was about 2.5 miles NE of runway 15/33 at Sardy Field:
KASE reported VCTS, at a time when reporting TS was justified.
819. Martinsburg, West Virginia, 15 Jun 2015:
Martinsburg (KMRB) is a D level LAWRS site, which isn’t required to report thunderstorms. On the afternoon of June 15th, KMRB recorded some heavy rain:
METAR KMRB 151953Z 27014KT 10SM FEW049 BKN090 BKN110 31/21 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP144 T03060211
SPECI KMRB 152018Z 28012G23KT 1 3/4SM +RA FEW048 BKN085 OVC110 26/22 A2999 RMK AO2 RAB12 P0005 T02610222
SPECI KMRB 152048Z 20005KT 3SM -RA BR SCT046 BKN060 OVC085 24/22 A3000 RMK AO2 RAB12 P0024
METAR KMRB 152053Z 21005KT 7SM -RA SCT044 BKN060 OVC110 24/22 A2999 RMK AO2 RAB12 SLP152 P0024 60024 T02390222 55003
What actually caused that .24” of rainfall that hour, was a thunderstorm:
Both TS and VCTS criteria were met at KMRB during that time. A cluster of lightning bolts struck about 2.5 miles to the north:
Some D level LAWRS sites, take initiative and report thunderstorms, even though they are not required to do so. Pilots at smaller airports deserve the same level of accurate weather reporting, do they not? The FAA should require D level sites to report thunderstorms, in the next edition of FAA Order 7900!
820. Appleton, Wisconsin, 15 Jun 2015:
Appleton (KATW) is another D level site. I wanted to get at least one thunderstorm on record at each site that had lightning issues, so it can be seen how the issue is fairly widespread. In the early to mid-afternoon, here were the reports from KATW:
METAR KATW 151745Z 21006KT 10SM BKN018 BKN035 25/20 A2991
METAR KATW 151845Z 22008KT 10SM BKN022 OVC030 26/19 A2989
SPECI KATW 151915Z 24013KT 7 SM RABR OVC010 23/20 A2990 RMK VIS NW - NE 2
METAR KATW 151955Z VRB05KT 10SM -RABR OVC015 21/21 A2989 RMK VIS WNW - ENE 2
SPECI KATW 152030Z 01019G25KT 2SM RABR OVC015 19/19 A2993 RMK VIS S -SE 10
METAR KATW 152055Z 34012G18KT 1SM R03/3500FT RABR OVC005 19/19 A2994
SPECI KATW 152120Z 36012KT 1 1/2SM RABR OVC005 19/19 A2995
METAR KATW 152135Z 03007KT 3SM RABR BKN005 OVC030 19/19 A2994
METAR KATW 152145Z 03008KT 5SM -RABR BKN005 OVC029 19/19 A2994
So there were periods of moderate rain, gusty winds and IFR ceilings and visibility. What wasn’t mentioned, was that those hazards were caused by thunderstorms:
4 lightning strikes met TS criteria, while an additional 11 strikes met VCTS criteria. KATW was not required to report any of that lightning, nor report a thunderstorm; and so did not report any thunderstorm-related data. This is a hole in the safety net of NAS that ought to be plugged! There have been deaths due to reported thunderstorms at small airports (e.g. Titusville, Florida, summer of 2015); do we really need to keep unreported thunderstorms into the mix of hazards?
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Post by tornado on Mar 8, 2016 13:21:59 GMT -5
821. Toledo, Ohio, 15 Jun 2015:
Toledo Express Airport (KTOL) had some issues on June 15, 2015. Firstly, LAWRS signed off ASOS for a period of several hours, while the control tower was open:
METAR KTOL 151952Z 23007KT 10SM FEW037 FEW047 29/22 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP123 T02890217
SPECI KTOL 152039Z AUTO 31017G23KT 1 3/4SM RA BR BKN033 BKN048 OVC070 25/23 A2993 RMK AO2 VIS 1V4 RAB20 P0005 T02500233 TSNO
SPECI KTOL 152046Z AUTO 31015G25KT 3SM -RA BR FEW025 BKN031 OVC055 23/22 A2993 RMK AO2 RAB20 P0010 TSNO
METAR KTOL 152052Z AUTO 33011G21KT 10SM -RA BKN029 BKN035 OVC043 23/22 A2993 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2035 RAB20 SLP130 P0010 60010 T02280217 55008 TSNO
SPECI KTOL 152102Z AUTO 28021G31KT 1SM RA BR FEW009 BKN029 OVC035 23/22 A2995 RMK AO2 PK WND 28031/2101 PRESRR P0000 T02280217 TSNO RVRNO
SPECI KTOL 152107Z AUTO 30016G31KT 1/4SM +RA FG SCT009 BKN025 OVC033 22/21 A2994 RMK AO2 PK WND 28031/2101 P0022 T02170211 TSNO RVRNO
SPECI KTOL 152118Z AUTO 25007KT 1SM +RA BR FEW008 BKN022 OVC055 22/21 A2994 RMK AO2 PK WND 28031/2101 VIS 1/2V2 1/2 P0053 T02220206 TSNO RVRNO
SPECI KTOL 152131Z AUTO 23006KT 2SM RA BR FEW016 BKN029 OVC055 22/22 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 28031/2101 P0062 T02220217 TSNO
SPECI KTOL 152136Z AUTO 25006KT 3SM RA BR FEW018 BKN035 OVC120 22/22 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 28031/2101 P0063 T02220217 TSNO
METAR KTOL 152152Z AUTO 26006KT 3SM RA BR FEW048 FEW085 BKN110 22/22 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 28031/2101 SLP126 P0067 T02220217 TSNO
METAR KTOL 152252Z AUTO 19005KT 10SM FEW009 23/22 A2992 RMK AO2 RAE17 SLP128 P0002 T02280217 TSNO
METAR KTOL 152352Z AUTO 20004KT 10SM -RA SCT043 22/22 A2991 RMK AO2 RAB49 SLP125
P0000 60079 T02220217 10306 20217 56005 TSNO
METAR KTOL 160052Z AUTO 20004KT 10SM FEW055 22/22 A2991 RMK AO2 RAE38 SLP125 P0000 T02220217 TSNO
METAR KTOL 160152Z AUTO 20005KT 10SM CLR 22/22 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP126 T02220217 TSNO
METAR KTOL 160252Z 21006KT 10SM -RA CLR 22/22 A2993 RMK AO2 RAB41 SLP130 P0000 60000 T02220217 53006
The first report posted, the 1952Z METAR, was at 3:52 p.m. eastern time. LAWRS at KTOL then signed off ASOS, placing it in AUTO/TSNO mode, until someone signed back on to ASOS at 10:52 p.m., or 0252Z. Toledo Express Airport appears to be open 24 hours a day; certainly, the tower was open at 10:52 p.m. for a LAWRS observer to sign on to ASOS. The tower would have been staffed, to handle the arrival of American Airlines flight 3421 at 11:52 p.m.:
Yet, by inexplicably placing ASOS into AUTO/TSNO mode, ALDARS and ASOS had no chance to detect thunderstorms around KTOL. This was the lightning display between 2000-2200Z (4-6 p.m.) that day:
By being in TSNO mode, ASOS missed 37 lightning bolts that struck within 5 miles, meeting TS criteria. It also missed 53 lightning bolts that struck 5-10 miles from KTOL, meeting VCTS criteria. That’s 90 total lightning strikes within 10 miles, which resulted in an unreported thunderstorm! Where was the closest lightning strike?
One lightning bolt struck the airport! It hit near the intersection of runways 7/25 and 16/34, at about 2106Z:
The air traffic control tower at Toledo Express Airport, is connected to the terminal building. The distance to the lightning strike, from the ATCT, was 1,117.97 feet:
That was using the best-resolved lightning strike position, plotted by at least 8 detection stations. In any event, it didn’t matter to ASOS how close the lightning struck, since ALDARS was disabled. We know that KTOL has that capability, since it has reported VCTS before. Here are reports from 9 and 10 May 2015:
SPECI KTOL 092135Z 19009KT 4SM VCTS -RA BR FEW035 BKN047 OVC075 20/18 A3003 RMK AO2 PK WND 20026/2102 WSHFT 2057 LTG DSNT NE AND E AND SW RAB18 P0006
METAR KTOL 102252Z 25019G25KT 7SM VCTS -RA SCT034 BKN048 OVC090 21/17 A3004 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW AND NW TSB44RAB45 PRESRR SLP171 P0001 T02060172
So why did a level C LAWRS site, place ASOS in AUTO/TSNO mode for several hours; during which time a thunderstorm went unreported- a thunderstorm that produced a lightning strike just over 1/5 of a mile from the control tower?
822. Lawton, Oklahoma, 15 Jun 2015:
Lawton (KLAW) is no stranger to cases in this lightning project. On Mon 15 Jun 2015, here were the reports from KLAW between 1900-2200Z:
METAR KLAW 151853Z 23003KT 10SM FEW023 OVC060 29/22 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP141 T02890217
SPECI KLAW 151925Z 36004KT 10SM BKN026 BKN031 BKN060 29/22 A2998 RMK AO2 T02940217
METAR KLAW 151953Z 36011KT 4SM +RA BKN024 OVC030 26/22 A2997 RMK AO2 RAB50 SLP139 P0007 T02610222
SPECI KLAW 152003Z 06009KT 2SM RA BR FEW014 BKN020 OVC032 24/22 A2998 RMK AO2 P0004 T02440222
SPECI KLAW 152017Z 13023G28KT 1SM RA BR BKN022 OVC030 23/21 A2998 RMK AO2 PK WND 13028/2017 P0012 T02280206
SPECI KLAW 152019Z 13022G28KT 3/4SM +RA BR SCT019 BKN024 OVC034 22/21 A2998 RMK AO2 PK WND 13028/2017 WSHFT 2004 P0016 T02220206
SPECI KLAW 152032Z 12010KT 1SM +RA BR FEW019 SCT024 OVC036 22/21 A2999 RMK AO2 PK WND 13028/2017 WSHFT 2004 P0032 T02220211
SPECI KLAW 152051Z 09006KT 2SM +RA BR FEW035 BKN060 OVC080 23/21 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 13028/2017 WSHFT 2004 P0042
METAR KLAW 152053Z 10006KT 2SM +RA BR FEW037 BKN060 OVC080 23/21 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 13028/2017 WSHFT 2004 SLP149 P0042 60049 T02280206 53005
SPECI KLAW 152104Z 06004KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR BKN060 OVC075 22/21 A3000 RMK AO2 P0006 T02220211
SPECI KLAW 152111Z 07004KT 3SM RA BR SCT060 BKN075 OVC110 22/21 A2999 RMK AO2 P0007 T02220206
METAR KLAW 152153Z 01007KT 10SM -RA SCT120 23/21 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP142 P0008 T02280211
Some heavy rain, gusty winds, poor visibility, and a wind shift were all recorded. No thunder nor lightning was mentioned. Here is the lightning display for that 3-hour period:
There were 3 lightning strikes within 5 miles; and an additional 30 strikes between the 5 and 10-mile range rings. Both TS and VCTS criteria were met. The closest lightning strike was near SW Bishop Road, just west of Interstate 44, at a distance of just over a mile to the NE of the airport:
Since the heavy rain was showery, it was reasonable to expect that thunderstorms were the cause. It was also reasonable to expect that, on a late spring afternoon, level 5 rain showers would produce lightning:
Instead, KLAW had an unreported thunderstorm that day.
823. Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, Fayetteville/Springdale, Arkansas, 15 Jun 2015:
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (KXNA) recorded a VCTS on the 15th:
METAR KXNA 152053Z 20008KT 10SM CLR 28/23 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW SLP147 60058
T02780228 58010
METAR KXNA 152153Z 24005KT 10SM VCTS FEW060 FEW100 26/22 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT
W SLP148 T02560222
SPECI KXNA 152223Z 21009KT 1 3/4SM R17/4500VP6000FT VCTS +RA BR FEW020 SCT046
BKN075 22/20 A3002 RMK AO2 VIS 3/4V5 RAB2159 P0009 T02170200
SPECI KXNA 152241Z 16005KT 2 1/2SM R17/4500VP6000FT VCTS -RA BR SCT046 BKN070
OVC110 22/21 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S RAB2159 PRESFR P0019 T02170211
SPECI KXNA 152248Z 18006KT 9SM -RA SCT048 BKN075 OVC110 22/22 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG
DSNT SE AND S RAB2159 SLP145 P0019 T02220217
METAR KXNA 152353Z 21004KT 10SM CLR 24/22 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE RAE2258
SLP145 P0000 60077 T02390222 10294 20217 57004
Yet, 2 lightning strikes were closer than 5 miles away from the airport:
One of those strikes was about a mile east of the airport:
What was reported as a VCTS, should have been reported as TS, at least for 15 minutes.
824. Gulfport, Mississippi, 15 Jun 2015:
Gulfport (KGPT) had a case similar to case #820 at Toledo. On the same day, LAWRS at Gulfport signed off ASOS, placing it into AUTO/TSNO mode for a time:
METAR KGPT 151953Z 12018G25KT 10SM SCT022 SCT028 31/24 A3003 RMK AO2 PK WND 13027/1854 SLP170 T03060244
SPECI KGPT 152019Z AUTO 16020G36KT 3/4SM +RA FEW012 SCT021 BKN034 26/23 A3005 RMK AO2 PK WND 13036/2013 RAB17 P0017 T02610228 TSNO RVRNO
SPECI KGPT 152025Z AUTO 16015G32KT 1/2SM +RA FG BKN021 BKN031 BKN046 24/23 A3005 RMK AO2 PK WND 13036/2013 WSHFT 2011 RAB17 P0028 T02440233 TSNO RVRNO
SPECI KGPT 152034Z AUTO 15010G19KT 1 3/4SM RA BR SCT027 BKN046 OVC100 25/23 A3004 RMK AO2 PK WND 13036/2013 WSHFT 2011 RAB17 P0033 T02500233 TSNO
SPECI KGPT 152036Z COR 15007KT 5SM -RA BR SCT027 BKN046 OVC110 26/24 A3004 RMK AO2 PK WND 13036/2013 WSHFT 2011 RAB17 P0033 T02560239
METAR KGPT 152053Z 10007KT 10SM FEW033 SCT110 26/23 A3004 RMK AO2 PK WND 13036/2013 WSHFT 2011 RAB17E48 SLP172 P0033 60033 T02610233 55003
METAR KGPT 152153Z 13012KT 10SM CLR 29/24 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP166 T02890239
The LAWRS observer signed off by 2019Z (3:19 p.m.), as heavy rain, and a wind gust to 36 knots hit the airport. LAWRS signed back by at 2036Z, after the weather conditions improved. Perhaps LAWRS saw the radar at 2015Z, saw that the level 5 cell nearby was moving to the NNW; and signed off ASOS so as not to deal with it:
That’s not what is supposed to happen; LAWRS shouldn’t be signing off ASOS, to let it deal with the weather in AUTO mode- that is D level service. Plus, LAWRS ought not sign off ASOS, placing it into TSNO mode, with a level 5 cell approaching the airport!
That cell didn’t produce much lightning, but it discharged 2 bolts that struck within 5 miles of KGPT. That met TS criteria. The cell did produce winds gusting over 30 knots, for several minutes. The nearest lightning was about 3 miles to the west:
KGPT had an unrecorded thunderstorm on the 15th.
825. Jefferson City, Missouri, 15 Jun 2015:
Jefferson City (KJEF) had an afternoon with a heavy rain shower:
METAR KJEF 151853Z 29008KT 10SM -RA FEW028 BKN070 OVC090 26/23 A2995 RMK AO2 RAB34 SLP129 P0005 T02610233
METAR KJEF 151953Z 27004KT 10SM FEW049 BKN060 27/23 A2994 RMK AO2 RAE24 SLP124 P0005 T02720233
METAR KJEF 152053Z 26008KT 10SM -RA FEW047 FEW110 26/23 A2995 RMK AO2 RAB21 SLP127 P0001 60011 T02610228 55010
METAR KJEF 152153Z 19008KT 10SM FEW022 27/23 A2993 RMK AO2 RAE2054 SLP121 P0000 T02720228
METAR KJEF 152253Z 19006KT 3SM RA FEW055 SCT070 BKN110 26/23 A2993 RMK AO2 RAB41 SLP122 P0004 T02560228
METAR KJEF 152303Z 20007KT 1 3/4SM +RA BR FEW033 BKN070 OVC110 25/23 A2994 RMK AO2 VIS 1 1/4V5 P0006 T02500228
SPECI KJEF 152312Z 17018G24KT 3SM -RA BR FEW038 BKN049 OVC100 24/22 A2994 RMK AO2 P0007 T02440222
METAR KJEF 152353Z 17005KT 10SM CLR 26/23 A2994 RMK AO2 RAE23 SLP123 P0007 60022 T02560228 10289 20239 55003
So one could expect some lightning with the heavy rain shower, and there was:
There was 1 lightning strike within 5 miles from that heavy rainshower, to the SE along U.S. Highway 50. But older lightning strikes are plotted in purple on the map; 8 of which met VCTS criteria, and 1 which met TS criteria. The nearest lightning bolt struck less than a mile north of runway 12/30, at about 1951Z:
At 1950Z, just before the 1953Z METAR (with no rain) came out, here was the radar around KJEF:
Were there hazards nearby? Certainly, as level 5 cells were to the ESE, WSW and NW. The 2 latter cells produced most of the lightning around KJEF. Yet, those hazards were not communicated to pilots at the first line of defense- the weather report. Jefferson City wound up with 2 unreported thunderstorms that day!
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Post by tornado on Mar 8, 2016 16:01:49 GMT -5
826. Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
Burke Lakefront Airport (KBKL) in Cleveland had some heavy rain and gusty winds, late afternoon/early evening of the 15th:
METAR KBKL 152153Z 03003KT 10SM CLR 27/22 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP127 T02670222
METAR KBKL 152253Z 00000KT 9SM -RA SCT048 BKN065 OVC095 25/22 A2992 RMK AO2 RAB27 SLP128 P0001 T02500222 $
SPECI KBKL 152256Z VRB03KT 1 1/2SM RA SCT027 BKN048 OVC080 25/22 A2992 RMK AO2 P0003 T02500222 $
SPECI KBKL 152301Z 33008KT 1/2SM +RA FG BKN022 BKN043 OVC090 24/22 A2992 RMK AO2 P0013 T02440222 $
SPECI KBKL 152307Z 33011G16KT 3SM -RA BR SCT019 BKN041 OVC060 23/21 A2992 RMK AO2 P0023 T02330211 $
SPECI KBKL 152315Z 30011G18KT 1SM +RA BR BKN021 BKN039 OVC060 22/20 A2995 RMK AO2 PRESRR P0030 T02220200 $
SPECI KBKL 152322Z 1/2SM +RA FG FEW014 BKN024 OVC039 22/20 A2997 RMK AO2 PRESRR P0037 T02170200 $
SPECI KBKL 152341Z 22013KT 1SM +RA BR FEW027 OVC034 22/21 A2995 RMK AO2 P0064 T02220206 $
METAR KBKL 152353Z 24008KT 1 3/4SM RA BR BKN040 BKN080 OVC100 22/21 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP133 P0081 60082 T02220206 10272 20217 53003 $
SPECI KBKL 152358Z 23009KT 3SM -RA BR BKN042 BKN080 BKN110 22/21 A2993 RMK AO2 P0004 T02220206 $
METAR KBKL 160053Z 17005KT 10SM -RA FEW100 SCT120 22/21 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP130 P0027 T02220206 $
The winds were missing at 2322Z. What was also missing, was any mention of lightning or thunder:
Dozens of lightning bolts struck within 10 miles of KBKL, NONE of which were mentioned in the METARs or SPECIs! In the grid in which the airport is located, there were 167 lightning strikes, all within 10 miles of the airport! About 280 strikes were within 10 miles, and about 100 of those strikes were within 5 miles! Many of those show up when zooming in to the data:
As can be seen, 1 lightning bolt struck the airport! That bolt hit near the east end of runway 6L/24R:
That position is at the opposite end of the runway where the control tower is located. But since runway 6L/24R is 6,604 feet long; the lightning struck just beyond a mile from the control tower. How is it that thunder wasn’t heard from that distance? How is it that 280 lightning strikes within 10 miles of a LAWRS site, didn’t result in a thunderstorm being reported? It would be best to keep CWOs in place, as the nearby CWO at KCLE did report the thunderstorm:
SPECI KCLE 152327Z 31018G24KT 1SM +TSRA BR SCT020 BKN029CB OVC095 22/21 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 21033/2254 WSHFT 2310 RAB2253 PRESRR OCNL LTGICCG OHD AND ALQDS TS OHD AND ALQDS MOV E P0018 T02220206 $
Even a nearby D level site, Cuyahoga County Airport, reported the thunderstorm:
SPECI KCGF 152320Z 26010KT 1 1/2SM -TSRA BR BKN020 OVC035 26/23 A2995 RMK TS OHD MVG E OCNL LTGICCG
But Burke Lakefront Airport had an unreported thunderstorm that day!
827. Roswell, New Mexico, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
Roswell (KROW) doesn’t get a lot of lightning. When it does, it ought to report it.
On the 15th of June (into the 16th, UTC), here were the reports from KROW between 15/2300-16/0300Z:
METAR KROW 152251Z 10004KT 10SM FEW085 32/10 A3000 RMK AO2 SLPNO T03170100
METAR KROW 152351Z 07015KT 10SM SCT090 BKN110 29/12 A3000 RMK AO2 SLPNO T02940122 10333 20278 55014
SPECI KROW 160025Z 14014KT 10SM SCT110 28/14 A3002 RMK AO2 WSHFT 0005 T02830144
SPECI KROW 160047Z 13009KT 2SM +RA FEW042 SCT050 BKN065 25/18 A3004 RMK AO2 WSHFT 0005 RAB35 P0017
METAR KROW 160051Z 13008KT 1 3/4SM +RA SCT042 BKN055 BKN065 24/18 A3005 RMK AO2 WSHFT 0005 RAB35 SLPNO P0025 T02440183
SPECI KROW 160107Z 06020G28KT 3/4SM +RA BR BKN031 BKN050 OVC065 19/17 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 08028/0058 WSHFT 0052 PRESRR P0032 T01940172
SPECI KROW 160114Z 08012G26KT 1/2SM +RA BKN029 OVC050 20/17 A3009 RMK AO2 PK WND 08028/0058 WSHFT 0052 PRESRR P0059 T02000172
SPECI KROW 160129Z 26013G18KT 2SM -RA BKN027 BKN060 OVC070 20/16 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND 08028/0058 WSHFT 0052 P0107 T02000156
SPECI KROW 160131Z 23012G21KT 190V260 6SM -RA SCT027 OVC070 20/16 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND 08028/0058 WSHFT 0052 P0107 T02000156
METAR KROW 160151Z 23010KT 10SM -RA OVC075 21/17 A3008 RMK AO2 PK WND 08028/0058 WSHFT 0052 SLPNO P0108 T02060167
So Roswell had heavy rain, gusty winds, shifting winds, and low IFR visibility. What it also had that wasn’t reported, was nearby lightning:
Of the 19 lightning strikes within 10 miles, 5 were also within 5 miles of KROW. Both TS and VCTS criteria were met; even LTG DSNT criteria was met. Yet, no such entries appeared in present weather or remarks. That was despite lightning striking about a mile to both the north and south of the air center:
Roswell had an unreported thunderstorm on the evening of the 15th.
828. Columbus, Georgia, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
Late enough on the 15th, that it was the 16th UTC; ALDARS at Columbus (KCSG) Georgia recorded a VCTS:
METAR KCSG 160051Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW080 31/20 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03110200
METAR KCSG 160151Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM VCTS SCT080 BKN090 30/21 A3008 RMK AO2 TSB49 SLP181 T03000206
SPECI KCSG 160217Z AUTO 13004KT 10SM VCTS BKN055 OVC070 29/21 A3010 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W AND NW TSE16B17
METAR KCSG 160251Z AUTO 04006KT 10SM VCTS FEW070 27/21 A3010 RMK AO2 TSE16B17 SLP187 T02720211 53016
SPECI KCSG 160328Z AUTO 02008KT 10SM FEW070 27/20 A3011 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N TSE22
LAWRS observers had gone home for the evening. So it was ALDARS that fed data into ASOS, prompting the VCTS; yet 6 lightning strikes within 5 miles, somehow didn’t prompt a TS to be recorded. Did ALDARS not detect those bolts? Or did ALDARS range their distances to the airport incorrectly? Some of the lightning to the north, was within 2 miles of the airport:
 
How can a pilot know when to trust ALDARS?
829. Ogden, Utah, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
LAWRS at Ogden (KOGD) placed ASOS into AUTO/TSNO mode, all day long on Mon 15 Jun 2015. In fact, both the day before and the day after, ASOS was in AUTO/TSNO mode all day long at Ogden ATCT. Why does this site have its ASOS in such a mode, so much of the time? On June 15th, that practice led to an unreported thunderstorm.
Here were the reports from 15/2300-16/0400Z:
METAR KOGD 152253Z AUTO 15007KT 10SM CLR 31/07 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP049 T03060072 TSNO
METAR KOGD 152353Z AUTO 01004KT 10SM FEW110 29/02 A2987 RMK AO2 PK WND 17028/2305 SLP055 T02940022 10328 20244 55016 TSNO
METAR KOGD 160053Z AUTO 13014KT 10SM CLR 25/08 A2986 RMK AO2 PK WND 17033/0016 PRESFR SLP057 T02500083 TSNO
SPECI KOGD 160136Z AUTO 20006G26KT 2 1/2SM -RA FEW038 BKN095 22/12 A2985 RMK AO2 PK WND 22026/0129 RAB22 P0008 T02170117 TSNO
SPECI KOGD 160145Z AUTO 13011KT 10SM -RA FEW031 SCT075 BKN100 22/14 A2983 RMK AO2 PK WND 22026/0129 RAB22 P0009 T02220139 TSNO
METAR KOGD 160153Z AUTO 15005KT 10SM FEW034 SCT095 21/16 A2982 RMK AO2 PK WND 22026/0129 RAB22E52 SLP045 P0009 T02110161 TSNO
METAR KOGD 160253Z AUTO VRB03KT 8SM -RA FEW060 SCT070 BKN100 21/14 A2987 RMK AO2 RAB42 SLP059 P0002 60011 T02110139 53001 TSNO
METAR KOGD 160353Z AUTO 23005KT 10SM FEW095 SCT120 21/14 A2990 RMK AO2 RAE06B22E32 PRESRR SLP066 P0000 T02110144 TSNO
Winds gusting to 28 knots at 2305Z, should have been the first clue that there could have been convection or thunderstorm activity near Ogden. Level 2-3 cells were developing at that time. A gust to 33 knots at 0016Z, could have also been produced by level 2 cells over the foothills to the east. Later, level 4 cells briefly pulsed over the mountains. But radar didn’t show anything west of interstate 15, despite the amount of cloud-to- ground lightning strikes there:
There was plenty of lightning within 5 miles. There were 20 strikes east of Interstate 15, that were within 5 miles, and that were near the cells on radar. But there were also 10 strikes west of Interstate 15 (plus 1 that appears to have struck the freeway), that didn’t correspond to where the radar showed the cells. For example, compare the lightning activity for the 5-minute period of 0230-0235Z, with the radar map at 0230Z:
 
Note how, during that time, the cells were to the east of Interstate 15, while all the lightning was to the west of Interstate 15! All ATC had to go by, with regards to technology, was their radar that would have painted those cells to the east. Since they had placed ASOS into AUTO/TSNO mode, they had no technological indication that just as much lightning- and who knows what other hazards- existed to the west of the airport. At least 1 of the strong wind gusts came from the west side of the interstate: at 0129Z, when the winds were from 220 ° with G26KT. Relying solely on radar- even weather radar- to detect all weather hazards, is a faulty practice, and could be dangerous. Yet, I’ve heard controllers state to pilots, “There’s no longer any lightning or thunder showing up on our radar.”
KOGD has ALDARS installed:
Plus, KOGD is open until 8 p.m. each night, which is 0200Z:
Not only should KOGD not have had its ASOS in AUTO/TSNO mode all day; it should have left ALDARS on overnight. LAWRS at KOGD did neither on Mon 15 Jun 2015, and so had an unreported thunderstorm.
This is the 5-hour depiction of the nearby lightning strikes:
830. Allegheny County Airport, nr Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
Between 10 p.m. and midnight, Allegheny County Airport (KAGC) near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, had some light rain:
METAR KAGC 160153Z 21006KT 10SM FEW100 25/19 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP152 T02500194
METAR KAGC 160253Z 25006KT 8SM -RA SCT100 BKN120 24/20 A3001 RMK AO2 RAB04E16B34 SLP157 P0001 60001 T02440200 53013
METAR KAGC 160353Z 24009KT 7SM -RA SCT020 SCT070 BKN085 23/21 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP162 P0011 T02330206
What wasn’t mentioned, was the thunderstorm to the NW:
Of the 29 bolts that struck within the green 10-mile range ring around KAGC, 2 also struck within 5 miles. The 2 nearest strikes were about 4 miles away:
As late as 0315Z, the cell to the NW was still producing extreme (level 5) rainfall:
So why wasn't KAGC alert to the possibility of thunderstorms? If LAWRS at KAGC was watching for thunderstorms, why didn't one get reported? |
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Post by tornado on Mar 9, 2016 12:12:33 GMT -5
831. Albert Whitted Airport, St. Petersburg, Florida, 15 Jun 2015:
Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg (KSPG) recorded VCTS late on the 15th:
METAR KSPG 151953Z 06005KT 10SM CLR 33/22 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP173 T03280222
SPECI KSPG 152043Z 23009KT 10SM VCTS BKN055 32/22 A3005 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND S T03220217
METAR KSPG 152053Z 25012KT 5SM RA FEW020 BKN060 BKN080 28/24 A3005 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND S RAB50 SLP175 P0002 60002 T02780244 55009
SPECI KSPG 152058Z 26012KT 6SM VCTS -RA FEW020 SCT055 BKN080 28/25 A3005 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2044 LTG DSNT SE AND S P0000 T02780250
METAR KSPG 152153Z 24010KT 10SM VCTS FEW046 FEW080 26/21 A3002 RMK AO2 PK WND 19030/2127 WSHFT 2044 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAE05 PRESFR SLP167 P0000 T02560211
METAR KSPG 152253Z 22004KT 10SM CLR 28/20 A3004 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW-NE SLP172 T02830200
So one would not expect a lightning map to show any strikes within 5 miles of KSPG, just before 2300Z. That was not the case:
There were 5 lightning strikes within 5 miles of KSPG, the nearest being about 2 miles to the NE:
KSPG carried VCTS at a time when TS was justified.
832. Ardmore, Oklahoma, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
Ardmore (KADM) is a level D LAWRS site, not required to report thunderstorms. After controllers had placed ASOS in AUTO mode, it did detect thunderstorms late in the evening and overnight. But the ASOS at Ardmore takes METARs every 20 minutes in AUTO mode, instead of SPECIs. That led to a problem.
METAR KADM 160055Z AUTO 32009G16KT 1 1/4SM +RA SCT009 BKN013 OVC031 23/23 A3000 RMK AO2 VIS 1V2 LTG DSNT SW THRU NW P0027 T02330225
METAR KADM 160115Z AUTO 34013KT 1 1/4SM +TSRA OVC010 23/23 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQS P0049 T02270225
At 7:55 p.m. (0055Z), there was heavy rain, causing IFR visibility. By 8:15 p.m. (0115Z) ALDARS instructed ASOS at Ardmore to include a thunderstorm. The problem was this:
At approximately 0109Z, lightning struck the airport, twice! That didn’t get reported as a thunderstorm for 6 minutes, when ASOS put out the next “METAR” at 0115Z. In the 5 minute period of the above map, 0105Z-0110Z, there were also older lightning strikes within 5 miles, plotted in blue, to the S and W of the airport. Those would have struck about 0106Z. If ASOS had been configured to record SPECIs when conditions warrant, it could have provided more lead time. Of course, that would still be questionable since ASOS takes 5 minutes to process a SPECI, and 1 minute to transmit it. Lightning striking at 0109Z might still not be reported until 0115Z in a SPECI- no faster than what actually happened. A HWO on duty could have sped up that process- especially if the HWO was a CWO whose sole duty was to watch the weather.
The other problem was this. June 15, 2015, was a Monday. Airnav.com lists KADM tower as being open until 2300, Mon-Fri:
So ASOS should not have been in AUTO mode in the first place. Ramp workers could have used the information that a thunderstorm was in progress, with lightning striking the airport. That’s especially true for the ramp workers at King Aerospace Support Services, where one lightning bolt appears to have struck:
That position was 1,642 feet south of the air traffic control tower. The other lightning bolt that struck the airport, hit south of runway 13/31, near taxiway X.
The bottom line is, LAWRS was logged off ASOS, when it should have been logged on; lightning struck the airport twice, while ASOS was in AUTO mode; a lead time of -9 minutes was provided to pilots and ramp workers at KADM that day. To quote from a recent news story, “The congressmen say the Wichita area experiences significant weather events year-round that require accurate, expert-based reporting on conditions that existing automated sensors and equipment alone are often unable to provide.” This is a case when automated sensors were unable to provide accurate reporting, because the LAWRS observers had placed the automated sensors into a mode during which the sensors would transmit updates only every 20 minutes.
833. Terre Haute, Indiana, 15 (16) Jun 2015:
Terre Haute (KHUF) recorded a VCTS late on the 15th (16th UTC):
METAR KHUF 160153Z 21009KT 10SM FEW040 27/22 A2996 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W AND NW SLP140 T02720217
SPECI KHUF 160224Z 22008KT 10SM VCTS FEW046 FEW110 27/22 A2997 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W-N T02720217
METAR KHUF 160253Z 26007KT 10SM -RA SCT042 BKN060 OVC100 22/21 A3001 RMK AO2 PK WND 25032/0231 LTG DSNT W-NE RAB29 SLP158 P0011 60011 T02220211 53023
But was there any lightning within 5 miles? Yes:
Within the red 5-mile range ring around KHUF, there were 4 lightning strikes plotted between 0100-0300Z. That included 0224-0253Z, when KHUF claimed there was a VCTS in progress. The nearest lightning strike, was just west of U.S. Highway 40, to the west at a distance of about 1.5 miles:
KHUF reported VCTS, at a time when reporting TS was warranted.
834. Atlantic City, New Jersey, 16 Jun 2015:
Atlantic City (KACY) is a D level site, not required to report thunderstorms. On Tue 16 Jun 2015, Atlantic City did not report a thunderstorm at all. The FAA ought to change that rule, and this is another case which will help demonstrate why.
KACY had been in AUTO/TSNO mode at 2:54 p.m. (1854Z), after which, a LAWRS observer
Signed on to ASOS:
METAR KACY 161854Z AUTO 26012G18KT 10SM FEW044 FEW060 BKN100 32/22 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP103 T03220217 TSNO
SPECI KACY 161921Z 27012G18KT 3SM RA SCT055 BKN070 BKN095 29/23 A2984 RMK AO2 RAB18 P0001 T02940228
METAR KACY 161954Z 25012KT 3SM RA BR BKN042 BKN065 OVC095 25/23 A2986 RMK AO2 PK WND 28030/1935 RAB18 SLP109 P0027 T02500228
METAR KACY 162054Z AUTO 28008KT 10SM 29/23 A2984 RMK AO2 RAE10 SLP103 P0001 60028 T02940228 TSNO $
By 2054Z (4:54 p.m.), LAWRS had signed off ASOS once again. In the meantime, gusty winds and 3SM RA had been reported. But since thunderstorms are not required to be reported at D level sites, this D level site didn’t bother mentioning this:
There were hundreds of lightning strikes, S-W of KACY, within 30 miles! Those could have been reported as FRQ LTGCG DSNT S-W, but weren’t required as such. We know there were hundreds, because the grids containing 249, 150, 246 and 82 strikes, were all within 30 miles. Many of those were within 10 miles, and could have been reported as FRQ LTGCG VC E AND S-W (possibly OCNL), along with VCTS (if by ALDARS) or TS (if by LAWRS). 12 lightning strikes also met TS criteria, by striking within 5 miles of the airport. One lightning bolt, struck AT AP:
At D level sites, not even LTGCG AT AP is required to be reported! That needs to change. If the FAA claims that “critical” weather elements are being reported at 390 LAWRS sites nationwide, and there are only 300 C level LAWRS sites nationwide; then there remains 90 D level LAWRS sites that supposedly report “critical” weather elements. Is a thunderstorm that produces LTGCG AT AP, critical, or not?
One last thing: I was working off an industry report that lists KACY as a D level site. The NWS AMSS web site lists KACY as a C level site:
If KACY is a C level site, it totally missed a thunderstorm that produced hundreds of lightning strikes, including 1 that struck the airport!
835. Ocala, Florida, 16 Jun 2015:
Ocala (KOCF) is another D level LAWRS site, of which the FAA claims is providing critical weather data. “Critical” must not include thunderstorms.
Between 1900-2300Z (3-7 p.m. eastern time), LAWRS was signed on to ASOS; there was no 2250Z METAR transmitted:
METAR KOCF 161850Z 31004KT 10SM SCT065 36/19 A3008
METAR KOCF 161950Z 08006KT 10SM SCT065 35/19 A3007 [see 1950Z radar map below]
METAR KOCF 162050Z 22010KT 10SM SCT065 33/20 A3006
METAR KOCF 162150Z 25009KT 10SM SCT070 31/20 A3005
METAR KOCF 162350Z 23009KT 10SM SCT080 28/20 A3006
When in AUTO mode, even though ASOS at KOCF is listed as AO1 capability; it does have ALDARS, as evidenced by this report from the previous day:
METAR KOCF 152355Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC060 31/20 A3007 RMK AO1 LTG DSNT SW TSB2256E15 10360 20310 52003
But while LAWRS was signed on, from 3-6 p.m. on the 16th, this was the lightning display around Ocala:
There were 20 lightning bolts that struck between the 2 range rings, meeting VCTS criteria. There were also 5 bolts that struck within the red 5-mile range ring around KOCF, meeting TS criteria. Yet, none of those hazards were recorded on any of the METARs, posted above. Yet at 1950Z, radar showed a level 6 cell, whose core was about 9-10 miles SSE of KOCF.
By 2020Z, level 5 rain echoes were as close as 3 miles to the WSW of KOCF:
There was lightning in that area, according to the data:
Yet there was no SPECI transmitted, to show the hazard of a level 5 thunderstorm 3 miles to the SW, or a level 6 TS about 4 miles to the SW at 2020Z. To protect pilots and the integrity of the NAS, the safety gap of allowing D level sites to let such thunderstorms go unreported, must be closed!
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Post by tornado on Mar 9, 2016 14:06:59 GMT -5
836. Jefferson City, Missouri, 16 Jun 2015:
Late afternoon into early evening on the 16th, Jefferson City Ocala (KJEF) recorded some light to moderate rain:
METAR KJEF 161953Z 10003KT 10SM -RA SCT043 BKN060 BKN075 28/22 A3005 RMK AO2 RAB52 SLP160 P0000 T02780222
METAR KJEF 162053Z 02004KT 5SM -RA BR FEW070 BKN095 OVC110 25/23 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP156 P0012 60012 T02500233 56016
METAR KJEF 162153Z 00000KT 9SM -RA SCT045 SCT090 OVC110 25/23 A3003 RMK AO2 RAE03B52 SLP156 P0000 T02500233
SPECI KJEF 162248Z 13010KT 3SM RA BR FEW008 BKN070 OVC095 24/23 A3003 RMK AO2 P0008
METAR KJEF 162253Z 13009KT 3SM RA BR FEW009 BKN070 OVC110 24/23 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP154 P0009 T02440228
METAR KJEF 162353Z 10006KT 7SM -RA FEW060 FEW075 SCT120 22/21 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP154 P0006 60027 T02220211 10278 20222 55002
Notice there was no mention of lightning or thunder. Lightning data showed this:
There were 6 lightning strikes that met VCTS criteria, and 5 strikes that met TS criteria, during that 4-hour period. The plots of the closest strikes are easier to see when zoomed in:
The closest bolt struck U.S. Highway 54, just SW of the bridge crossing the Missouri River. That was at a distance of about a mile from the runways. Yet, even lightning striking 1 mile away, didn’t get mentioned in any METAR or SPECI at KJEF that day. KJEF had an unreported thunderstorm (or 2) on the 16th.
837. Owensboro, Kentucky, 16 Jun 2015:
LAWRS at Owensboro (KOWB) mentioned some lightning off in the distance, in the evening of the 16th:
METAR KOWB 162156Z 33010KT 10SM BKN035 32/23 A3004 RMK AO2 T03160227 RAB28E54 P0000 SLP167
METAR KOWB 162256Z 17008KT 10SM BKN035 30/23 A3004 RMK AO2 T03000227 SLP169
METAR KOWB 162356Z 19006KT 10SM OVC033 28/23 A3006 RMK AO2 OCNL LTGCG DSNT E-S 53000 60000 T02830233 10327 20283 RAB35E49 P0000 SLP173
METAR KOWB 170056Z 11009KT 10SM BKN035 27/23 A3008 RMK AO2 T02720227 SLP180
That report was at 2356Z, that contained OCNL LTGCG DSNT E-S. The LAWRS observer got the direction right:
But as can be plainly seen, the distance to the lightning, didn’t just qualify as DSNT. That would mean all the lightning would have struck outside the green 10-mile range ring around KOWB. But it didn’t. There were 79 bolts that struck between the red and green range rings, that met VCTS criteria. There were also 4 bolts that struck within the red 5-mile range ring, that met TS criteria. Yet no thunderstorm was reported that evening at Owensboro.
The lightning strike position plots, also came in 2 different colors: purple, and red. Those represented 2 different times. The purple plots are older, representing a thunderstorm between 2200-2300Z. Yet, OCNL LTGCG DSNT E-S wasn’t recorded at 2256Z, but 2356Z. By then, the red plots would be indicative of the situation. LTG DSNT E AND SW may have been a better remark by then. Lightning struck as close as 3 miles to the SSE:
KOWB had 1 or 2 unreported thunderstorms, on the 16th of June.
838. Bowman Field, Louisville, Kentucky, 16 (17) Jun 2015:
Moving east to Bowman Field (KLOU) in Louisville, that level C LAWRS site had placed ASOS into AUTO mode after 0053Z, when ALDARS detected a VCTS:
METAR KLOU 162253Z 34006KT 10SM BKN110 29/21 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP173 T02890206
METAR KLOU 162353Z 35005KT 10SM FEW110 28/21 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP175 60000 T02780206 10322 20278 51005
METAR KLOU 170053Z 00000KT 10SM FEW033 BKN044 OVC055 28/21 A3008 RMK AO2 RAB28E52 SLP180 P0000 T02780211
SPECI KLOU 170149Z AUTO 12005KT 7SM VCTS -RA SCT018 BKN029 BKN035 23/22 A3010 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E RAB30 P0008
METAR KLOU 170153Z AUTO 13006KT 9SM VCTS -RA SCT016 SCT027 BKN033 23/22 A3010 RMK AO2 RAB30 SLP189 P0008 T02330222
SPECI KLOU 170236Z AUTO 17004KT 10SM -RA FEW100 23/22 A3011 RMK AO2 RAE01B32 P0000 T02330222
METAR KLOU 170253Z AUTO 16003KT 10SM -RA FEW100 23/22 A3011
But was VCTS totally accurate? No:
While ALDARS accurately detected the 21 lightning strikes between the red and green 5 and 10 mile range rings; it didn’t record the lightning plotted within the red 5-mile range ring. There were 6 such lightning strikes. Lightning struck as close as 1 mile, both to the SSE and NW of the airport:
ALDARS at KLOU, somehow didn’t detect 2 lightning bolts that struck a mile away from the airport. Or possibly, ALDARS ranged their distances incorrectly. Yet as a minimum, TS should have been reported between 0125-0155Z, when those 2 bolts struck. That also means ALDARS had a lead time of -24 minutes of reporting any thunder at all!
839. Norfolk International Airport, Virginia, 16 (17) Jun 2015:
On Tue 16 Jun 2015, LAWRS at Norfolk International Airport (KORF) left ASOS in AUTO/TSNO mode all day. That meant ASOS had no chance to detect thunderstorms through its ALDARS sub-program. It also meant LAWRS did not sign back on to ASOS to report any thunderstorm activity. The pertinent reports are these:
METAR KORF 170051Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM CLR 33/21 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP133 T03280206 TSNO
METAR KORF 170151Z AUTO VRB05KT 9SM -RA FEW050 BKN080 BKN110 29/22 A2997 RMK AO2 RAB29 SLP148 P0000 T02890222 TSNO
METAR KORF 170251Z AUTO 23009KT 10SM SCT110 26/22 A3000 RMK AO2 RAE07B26E44 SLP157 P0000 60000 T02560217 53027 TSNO
There is a pattern at C level sites: if a thunderstorm doesn’t cause the airfield to go IFR, it sometimes doesn’t even get mentioned. This is such a case. Despite lots of lightning nearby- almost too much to count- LAWRS at KORF did not sign back on to ASOS to record LTG or TS:
There were hundreds of lightning strikes within 30 miles, none of which were reported as LTG DSNT [direction]; there were also hundreds of lightning strikes between 5-10 miles that should have resulted in VCTS being reported! The grid south of the airport counted 195 lightning strikes, with most of those being within 10 miles! Counting all the lightning strikes within the red 5-mile range ring around Norfolk Intl, would yield a count of 62! Where was the closest lightning strike?
The answer is, at the airport! The time of the strike was about 0223Z:
The distance from the air traffic control tower (the tower is located south of the fuel farm, west of Miller Store Road) to that lightning strike, was about 2,078 feet, or 2/5 of a mile:
As shown in earlier cases (see case #105), Norfolk International is one of the busiest level C airports in the nation, with plenty of flying late at night. KORF should not have its ASOS in AUTO mode so much of the time, and certainly not have ASOS in TSNO mode when thunderstorms are occurring!
This is a level 7 case on the FLAWD scale.
One last point: compare the radars at 0130Z and 0150Z, to the METARs (there weren't any SPECIs that hour);
 
METAR KORF 170051Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM CLR 33/21 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP133 T03280206 TSNO
METAR KORF 170151Z AUTO VRB05KT 9SM -RA FEW050 BKN080 BKN110 29/22 A2997 RMK AO2 RAB29 SLP148 P0000 T02890222 TSNO
Does it seem like pilots and ground crews, got accurate information from LAWRS or ASOS that hour?
840. Brownsville, Texas, 16-17 Jun 2015:
This will be the first case involving what appeared to be a planned data outage, on the night of 16-17 Jun 2015. Consecutive reports transmitted from Brownsville (KBRO) showed this:
METAR KBRO 170353Z 17009KT 9SM BKN016 OVC023 28/26 A2989 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW-N SLP120 T02830256
METAR KBRO 171053Z 16006KT 5SM BR SCT031 27/26 A2987 RMK AO2 RAE15 SLP114 P0001 T02670256
17/0353Z was 10:53 p.m. Central time on June 16th; 1053Z was 5:53 a.m. on the 17th. Between those times, was a data outage. Also, between 0400Z and 0600Z, there was a thunderstorm:
VCTS should have been reported, as 11 lightning bolts struck within 10 miles of the airport. Some of the cloud-to-ground lightning was as close as 4 miles to the NW:
Because of the data outage, and no back up; a thunderstorm went unreported at Brownsville that night.
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Post by tornado on Mar 9, 2016 15:20:04 GMT -5
841. Laredo, Texas, 16-17 Jun 2015:
This will be the second case involving what appeared to be a planned data outage, on the night of 16-17 Jun 2015. Consecutive reports transmitted from Laredo (KLRD) showed this:
METAR KLRD 170256Z 04007KT 10SM CLR 31/22 A2984 RMK AO2 53016 T03050222 SLP092
METAR KLRD 170356Z 14006KT 10SM FEW032 BKN047 OVC055 29/23 A2987 RMK AO2 T02880233 SLP102
METAR KLRD 171056Z 00000KT 9SM CLR 25/23 A2986 RMK AO2 T02500233 SLP099
So LAWRS was signed on to ASOS as late as 0356Z (4 minutes to midnight, Central time), after which there was a data outage for 7 hours. Between 0300-0600Z, there were thunderstorms near Laredo:
Lightning strike position plots came in different colors: purple, red and orange. The younger bolts would have struck the area after the data outage began. Setting the map to display the bolts which struck before 0400Z, shows this:
As can be seen, most of the lightning occurred before the data outage; that is, while LAWRS at Laredo was still signed on to ASOS. Of the 13 lightning strikes within 10 miles of KLRD, 2 also hit within 5 miles. Both VCTS and TS criteria were met. Despite lightning as close as 4.5 miles from the airport, no thunderstorm was recorded that evening.
842. Gunnison, Colorado, 17 Jun 2015:
Gunnison (KGUC), a D level site in Colorado, was also affected by the data outage. Even though its ASOS is configured as an AO1 (no precipitation discriminator) site, its ALDARS detected lightning and reported thunderstorms on the 16th:
METAR KGUC 161155Z 02011KT 10SM TS SCT080 09/05 A3039 RMK AO1 LTG DSNT NW TSB28 10120 20080 52010
METAR KGUC 161215Z 02006KT 10SM VCTS FEW080 SCT085 BKN120 09/06 A3037 RMK AO1 LTG DSNT N
METAR KGUC 161515Z 03010KT 10SM VCTS FEW037 FEW065 BKN075 13/08 A3047 RMK AO1 LTG DSNT S TSB1456
But early on the 17th, there were no reports transmitted between 0500Z and 0700Z. There was lightning in the area, just like earlier on the 16th:
 
If there’s going to be a planned outage on weather data circuits, there should be some form of back up, at least for sites that are open.
843. Owensboro, Kentucky, 17 Jun 2015:
Owensboro (KOWB) just had case #837, a level 5 case on the FLAWD scale, from 16 Jun. This case involves the data outage as well. Here were the reports before and after the data outage (notice how VCTS and LTG DSNT ALQDS was reported by ALDARS in the last METAR before the outage):
METAR KOWB 170356Z AUTO 20007KT 10SM VCTS FEW040 SCT060 24/23 A3010 RMK AO2 T02440233 LTG DSNT ALQDS TSB17E32B46 SLP187
METAR KOWB 171056Z AUTO 17004KT 10SM FEW049 23/22 A3007 RMK AO2 T02270222 RAE40 P0000 SLP178
So between 0400Z and 1000Z, was there any thunderstorm activity around Owensboro? Certainly there was:
By noting that there were lightning plots in blue, red, and orange; it can be determined that there were 2 or 3 separate thunderstorms during that time period. The “red” storm might not have ended before the “orange” storm began. But at least 2 thunderstorms produced lightning that met both TS and VCTS criteria. 1 lightning bolt, from the earlier storm, struck the eastern edge of airport property:
Because of the data outage, we don’t know what ASOS recorded locally. LAWRS was not signed on to ASOS overnight. All we know is that 2 thunderstorms went unreported at KOWB that night, due to a data outage.
844. Paducah, Kentucky, 16-17 Jun 2015:
Swinging west, Paducah (KPAH) had lightning in the area during the data outage, as Owensboro did. Between 0400-0800Z, here was the lightning display around Paducah:
There was certainly lots of lightning, both within 5 and 10 miles of the airport.
METAR KPAH 170353Z AUTO 12003KT 6SM BR SCT060 24/23 A3005 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W SLP170 T02440233
METAR KPAH 171053Z 17004KT 10SM CLR 22/22 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP177 T02220217
The only METAR relevant to that period, was the 0353Z METAR, which included LTG DSNT W. The lightning didn’t stay to the DSNT W, as 3 bolts struck very close to the airport:
Because of the data outage, Paducah also had an unreported thunderstorm that early morning.
845. Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 16-17 Jun 2015:
Cape Girardeau (KCGI) is a D level site, which was also affected by the data outage- and by the same thunderstorm complex that rolled over Paducah and Owensboro in Kentucky. It too had no data (METARs or SPECIs) transmitted between 0400-100Z:
METAR KCGI 170153Z AUTO 09003KT 10SM SCT120 25/22 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP163 T02500217 TSNO
METAR KCGI 170253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW050 SCT060 BKN110 25/22 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP167 T02500222 53001 TSNO
METAR KCGI 170353Z AUTO 34005KT 10SM FEW039 BKN047 OVC110 24/23 A3006 RMK AO2 RAB13E38 SLP177 P0004 T02440233 TSNO
METAR KCGI 171053Z AUTO 14004KT 10SM FEW070 SCT120 22/22 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02170217 TSNO
So while this site also had unreported thunderstorm issues, there were 2 different reasons for that:
While there were 15 lightning strikes within 5 miles of KCGI, that was for a 6-hour period. Let’s break that up into 2 periods. Firstly, a thunderstorm between 0200-0400Z went unrecorded, because ASOS was in AUTO/TSNO mode:
Between 0400-0800Z, the data outage meant that no thunderstorm data was transmitted to the outside world, including the NAS:
Thus, on both sides of midnight of 16-17 Jun 2015, KCGI had unreported thunderstorms.
That makes 6 sites which had thunderstorms, during the time of a data outage.
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Post by tornado on Mar 9, 2016 16:21:18 GMT -5
846. Pueblo, Colorado, 16-17 Jun 2015:
The seventh site affected by the data outage, and therefore not able to report thunderstorms which were occurring, was Pueblo (KPUB). It too had no data (METARs or SPECIs) transmitted between 0400-100Z:
METAR KPUB 170353Z 36014G21KT 10SM CLR 21/14 A3007 RMK AO2 PRESRR SLP125 T02060139
METAR KPUB 171053Z 27008KT 10SM FEW120 17/12 A3013 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW RAE0956 SLP140 P0000 T01720117
Again, those were consecutively transmitted observations. This time it was from a C level LAWRS site, that was logged in to ASOS both before and after the outage. But in the meantime, this didn’t get reported:
While most of the lightning was well off to the north, 3 bolts struck within 5 miles of the airport. The nearest bolt, didn’t miss hitting the airport by much:
That bolt struck about 2,000 feet south of airport property. Yet, Pueblo didn’t have a chance to get that thunderstorm reported long line, as there was a data outage at the time.
847. Central Illinois Regional Airport, Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, 16-17 Jun 2015:
Bloomington (KBMI) was another site that had a thunderstorm during the data outage:
METAR KBMI 170356Z 08012KT 10SM OVC043 19/13 A3012 RMK AO2 T01880133 OVC V BKN SLP190
SPECI KBMI 171036Z 09006KT 10SM -RA FEW002 SCT011 BKN019 14/14 A3004 RMK AO2 P0001
The thunderstorm to the NW-N didn’t produce much lightning- 7 strikes in all- but it was close enough to meet both VCTS and TS criteria:
Because of the data outage, KBMI had an unreported thunderstorm.
848. Evansville, Indiana, 16-17 Jun 2015:
Evansville (KEVV) also had the same issue: a thunderstorm during a data outage. ALDARS began detecting distant lightning, the hour after LAWRS signed off. Then came the data outage:
METAR KEVV 170254Z 02004KT 10SM FEW060 26/23 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP181 T02610233 52013
METAR KEVV 170354Z AUTO 07003KT 8SM FEW100 26/23 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND SW SLP180 T02560233
METAR KEVV 171054Z 18004KT 5SM SCT002 22/22 A3005 RMK AO2 RAE14 SLP172 P0000 T02220217
If someone wanted to recreate the weather scenario for that night, they couldn’t use the METARs. But, they could use this:
It was a dark and stormy night at Evansville, but lightning data would have to be looked at to determine that. Judging by the purple, red and orange lightning plots, there were 2 or 3 thunderstorms that passed over the area. A few strikes were within 2 miles of the airport:
None of that lightning had a chance to get reported due to the data outage. That also means that 2 cases of TS, possibly a third; and VCTS went unreported that night at KEVV.
849. Grand Island, Nebraska, 16-17 Jun 2015:
Grand Island (KGRI) was another site affected by the data outage:
METAR KGRI 170353Z AUTO 16008KT 10SM CLR 22/17 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP156 T02170167
METAR KGRI 171053Z AUTO 20006KT 10SM CLR 17/16 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP134 T01670156
There was a bit of lightning around Grand Island, during the outage period:
I may not have bothered turning this into a case, except one of the lightning bolts, struck across the street from the airport:
Nevertheless, KGRI also had an unrecorded thunderstorm, due to the data outage.
850. Aspen, Colorado, 17 Jun 2015:
Aspen (KASE) was open at 9:53 p.m. Mountain time, and recorded a thunderstorm at that time:
METAR KASE 170353Z 14009KT 6SM TSRA OVC060 13/09 A3042 RMK AO2 PK WND 32032/0256 WSHFT 0240 LTG DSNT ALQDS RAE21B35 TSE24B31 SLP199 P0010 T01280094
METAR KASE 171053Z 15011KT 10SM CLR 11/07 A3033 RMK AO2 SLP147 T01060067
But because of the data outage, the next transmitted report which was received by the NAS, was 7 hours later, at 1053Z. In the meantime, the thunderstorm activity that was at Aspen at 0353Z, didn’t let up much:
Aspen had plenty of lightning around overnight. Some of it was as close as 1 mile from the airport:
KASE also had an unrecorded thunderstorm, due to the data outage. That makes 11 total such cases!
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Post by tornado on Mar 14, 2016 13:45:03 GMT -5
851. Victoria, Texas, 17 Jun 2015:
Still another site that was affected by the planned data outage, was Victoria (KVCT). There are no METARs or SPECIs to compare to the lightning data:
 
Both maps were set to end at 1000Z. Once the outage was over, KVCT was able to send out a SPECI for a VCTS:
SPECI KVCT 171022Z AUTO 14005KT 10SM VCTS OVC011 24/24 A2985 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE T02390239
Prior to that, thunderstorms didn’t get mentioned at KVCT, to the outside world.
852. Bowman Field, Louisville, Kentucky, 17 Jun 2015:
Similar to Victoria, Bowman Field (KLOU) had no reports transmitted during the data outage; with a SPECI containing a VCTS upon resumption of transmissions:
SPECI KLOU 171016Z AUTO 29007KT 3SM VCTS RA BR FEW006 FEW017 OVC055 23/22 A3010 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND S P0009 T02280217
Likely, reports of 2 separate thunderstorms, didn’t get transmitted during the data outage:
 
That’s the last site that had thunderstorms during the data outage, for a total of 13. Those were all smaller airports, whose control towers appeared to be closed overnight. Hopefully, local NWS offices took note of the lightning activity for those sites, and adjusted the climatological data accordingly.
853. Valdosta, Georgia, 17 (18) Jun 2015:
According to the NWS AMSS website, Valdosta (KVLD) is a level C site, with ALDARS enabled.
On June 17th, these were some of the reports transmitted from KVLD:
METAR KVLD 171753Z 02006KT 10SM SCT080 36/23 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP192 T03560228 10356 20261 58009
METAR KVLD 171853Z VRB06KT 10SM BKN055 BKN075 32/23 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP187 T03220233
METAR KVLD 171953Z 01015KT 10SM FEW065 32/22 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP185 T03220222
METAR KVLD 172053Z 03007KT 10SM CLR 33/23 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP176 T03330233 58017
METAR KVLD 172153Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 35/23 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP171 T03500228
METAR KVLD 172253Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 32/22 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03170222
METAR KVLD 172353Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 29/21 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP176 T02890206 10361 20289 53001
METAR KVLD 180053Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/22 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02720222
So between 17/1800-18/0100Z, there was no mention of lightning nor thunder. But as per lightning data for that 7-hour period, the above reports were not completely accurate:
The lightning data showed that 3 separate thunderstorms, hit the Valdosta area within that 7-hour period. The purple strike plots represent a thunderstorm that struck around 1900Z. There are a couple of red plots, but most of the rest of the lightning plots are in orange. That represents a storm that hit closer to 2300Z. Zooming in, most of the nearby lightning was plotted in orange, with 1 red and 1 purple plot also visible:
The lightning strike to the NE, that could have hit U.S. Highway 41, struck about 1935Z:
1 bolt that hit just west of the Wild Adventures Theme Park, meeting VCTS criteria, struck about 2042Z:
A cluster of 13 bolts struck between 2300-2330Z (map is set to end at 2345Z, just so the newest bolts didn’t show up in yellow):
Using the lightning data, thunderstorm #1 should have lasted at least from 1935-1950Z; thunderstorm #2 would have lasted at least from 2042- 2057Z; and thunderstorm #3 would have been in progress from something like 2300-2340Z. There were 2 METARs that would have been around those thunderstorm times, the 1953Z and the 2053Z. Let’s look at the radar for 1950Z:
There was a level 4 cell just to the north of KVLD. Yet, the 1953Z METAR contained no clues that there was convective activity, so close to Valdosta Regional Airport.
At 2050Z, level 6 cells were to the distant SW-W:
Yet, the 2053Z METAR reported clear skies, with no remarks. 2053Z was 4:53 p.m. EDT, so those thunderheads would have been visible. Those were the storms that produced plenty of lightning to the SW, but never got mentioned!
At Valdosta on 17 Jun 2015, there were 3 unreported thunderstorms; and level 4-6 cells didn’t get mentioned in remarks either!
854. Fayetteville, North Carolina, 17-18 Jun 2015:
Fayetteville (KFAY) had some lightning in the area, between 0200-0500Z on the 18th UTC (17th EDT):
While the lightning between the 2 range rings, that met VCTS criteria, was properly reported; the lightning inside the red 5-mile range ring around KFAY, was missed:
METAR KFAY 180153Z AUTO 13007KT 10SM FEW075 29/24 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP158 T02890239
SPECI KFAY 180238Z AUTO 12009KT 10SM VCTS OVC070 29/23 A3004 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N T02890233
METAR KFAY 180253Z AUTO 12007KT 10SM VCTS SCT070 BKN090 28/23 A3005 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND NW SLP167 T02830233 53013
SPECI KFAY 180334Z AUTO 04006KT 10SM FEW075 SCT110 28/24 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N T02780244
METAR KFAY 180353Z AUTO 13004KT 10SM CLR 27/24 A3006 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND NW SLP172 T02720244
METAR KFAY 180453Z AUTO 33005KT 10SM SCT090 27/24 A3009 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW-NE PRESRR SLP181 T02720244 403560256
There were 4 lightning strikes within 5 miles, as close as 3 miles from the airport:
ALDARS didn’t range the distances to the nearest lightning strikes correctly.
855. Smyrna, Tennessee, 17-18 Jun 2015:
Smyrna (KMQY), like case #853 at KVLD, had some innocuous weather reports on the 17th:
METAR KMQY 172056Z 27007KT 10SM SCT050 37/22 A3005 RMK AO2 58019 T03660216 SLP177
METAR KMQY 172156Z 29008KT 10SM SCT050 36/23 A3003 RMK AO2 T03550227 SLP173
METAR KMQY 172256Z 25007KT 10SM CLR 34/23 A3003 RMK AO2 T03380233 SLP173
METAR KMQY 172356Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 32/22 A3004 RMK AO2 55001 T03220216 10372 20322 SLP177
METAR KMQY 180056Z 14005KT 10SM CLR 28/22 A3006 RMK AO2 T02830222 SLP182
METAR KMQY 180156Z 13003KT 10SM CLR 27/22 A3007 RMK AO2 T02660216 SLP186
METAR KMQY 180256Z 14006KT 10SM CLR 26/22 A3010 RMK AO2 53017 T02550222 SLP195
METAR KMQY 180356Z AUTO 17006KT 10SM SCT075 25/22 A3010 RMK AO2 T02500222 LTG DSNT SE SLP196
METAR KMQY 180456Z AUTO 20004KT 10SM CLR 26/22 A3009 RMK AO2 T02550216 LTG DSNT E SLP192
Of those reports, the last 2 did mention lightning 10-30 miles from the airport. That was ALDARS that detected that lightning, as ASOS was in AUTO mode by then. There was no mention of any closer lightning; either by LAWRS observers, or by ALDARS. Yet, lightning data did show lightning within 10 miles:
Of the 16 bolts that struck within 10 miles, 3 also struck within 5 miles. Both TS and VCTS criteria were met during that period. The closest activity was about 4 miles away; coming early in the period:
The 2 nearest bolts struck between 2145-2230Z:
What was in that area, at 2155Z? According to radar, a level 3 cell:
That cell was within the airspace of Smyrna Airport, but didn’t get mentioned in the METAR 1 minute later:
METAR KMQY 172156Z 29008KT 10SM SCT050 36/23 A3003 RMK AO2 T03550227 SLP173
Smyrna had an unreported thunderstorm (TS) on the evening of the 17th; plus another later storm that met VCTS criteria, which went unreported.
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Post by tornado on Mar 14, 2016 15:30:00 GMT -5
856. Naples, Florida, 17-18 Jun 2015:
Late on the 17th, into the 18th UTC, Naples (KAPF), recorded VCTS:
METAR KAPF 171953Z 25010KT 10SM SCT055 31/23 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03110228
METAR KAPF 172053Z 22011KT 10SM VCTS BKN060 BKN075 31/22 A3004 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NE AND E SLP170 T03110217 56010
SPECI KAPF 172123Z 22009KT 10SM VCTS BKN060 BKN075 30/22 A3004 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE T03000222
METAR KAPF 172153Z 24003KT 10SM VCTS BKN065 30/23 A3003 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N-SE SLP168 T03000228
METAR KAPF 172253Z 23009KT 10SM FEW055 30/24 A3003 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND SE AND NW SLP169 T03000239
SPECI KAPF 172310Z 20006KT 10SM VCTS FEW048 29/24 A3004 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE T02940239
METAR KAPF 172353Z 17006KT 10SM FEW025 BKN046 BKN055 27/21 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP171 T02720211 10317 20272 53001
METAR KAPF 180053Z 00000KT 10SM SCT060 28/21 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T02780206
METAR KAPF 180153Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 28/23 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02830228
METAR KAPF 180253Z 07004KT 10SM FEW040 FEW060 26/23 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP184 T02610228 53013
SPECI KAPF 180332Z 06003KT 10SM VCTS FEW043 27/23 A3009 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S T02670228
METAR KAPF 180353Z 00000KT 10SM FEW036 SCT044 27/23 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP188 T02670228
During the last 9 hours of the day, KAPF had VCTS 3 separate times. But it appears TS could have been reported once or twice:
Since the yellow lightning position plot lies right on the 5-mile range ring, let’s concentrate on the 3 bolts that clearly struck within 5 miles. Those struck between 17/2300-18/0000Z:
ALDARS recorded VCTS from 2310-2353Z; yet the closest lightning bolt struck 2.5 miles ESE of the airport. ALDARS failed to range the closest lightning strikes correctly.
857. Sarasota, Florida, 17-18 Jun 2015:
Just after midnight on the 17-18th of June, Sarasota (KSRQ) recorded a VCTS:
METAR KSRQ 180153Z AUTO 32004KT 10SM CLR 28/25 A3005 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE SLP175 T02780250
METAR KSRQ 180253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW050 28/25 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E SLP180 T02830250 53012
METAR KSRQ 180353Z 32003KT 10SM FEW039 FEW055 28/25 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP183 T02830250
SPECI KSRQ 180435Z 35004KT 10SM VCTS FEW041 FEW090 28/25 A3007 RMK AO2 T02780250
METAR KSRQ 180453Z 00000KT 10SM VCTS SCT050 28/25 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N AND NE SLP182 T02780250 403330233
SPECI KSRQ 180535Z AUTO 33003KT 10SM CLR 28/25 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N T02780250
METAR KSRQ 180553Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR 27/25 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N SLP181 T02720250 10294 20272 50000
While there was lightning that met VCTS criteria, there were also 10 lightning strikes that met TS criteria:
No TS was recorded during that time period. Zooming in, it can be seen that the nearest lightning bolt, struck the north edge of airport property:
The estimated time of that strike, was 0443Z:
KSRQ had just begun a VCTS at 0435Z. Another SPECI should have commenced for the VCTS becoming TS, but that did not happen. Sarasota recorded VCTS that morning, when it also should have recorded TS.
858. Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, Florida, 18 Jun 2015:
Another Florida site where ALDARS recorded a pre-dawn VCTS on 18 Jun, was Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (KPIE):
METAR KPIE 180453Z AUTO 03003KT 10SM CLR 29/25 A3008 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND S SLP185 T02890250 403440261
SPECI KPIE 180522Z AUTO 03005KT 10SM VCTS SCT050 29/25 A3007
METAR KPIE 180553Z AUTO 06004KT 10SM VCTS FEW085 28/25 A3008 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND S SLP187 T02830250 10306 20283 51004
SPECI KPIE 180609Z AUTO 05005KT 10SM SCT080 29/26 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S T02940256
METAR KPIE 180653Z AUTO 08003KT 10SM CLR 29/26 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW-NW SLP182 T02890256
SPECI KPIE 180707Z AUTO 08003KT 10SM VCTS BKN044 29/25 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW AND W T02890250
METAR KPIE 180753Z AUTO 25006KT 10SM SCT021 BKN048 BKN065 28/26 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW AND W SLP181 T02830256
SPECI KPIE 180814Z AUTO 21006KT 10SM BKN019 BKN055 OVC070 28/26 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW-NW T02830256
METAR KPIE 180853Z AUTO 26004KT 10SM FEW019 SCT030 BKN050 27/24 A3006 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW RAB15E45 SLP180 P0008 60008 T02720244 56007
That period was from 1-5 a.m. EDT. When one looks within the red 5-mile range rings around KPIE, however; 3 lightning strikes can be spotted:
So while ALDARS handled the bulk of the lightning correctly, by reporting VCTS; it did not handle the lightning within 5 miles well. That’s especially true, since the nearest bolt struck in the bay, just off the north end of runway 18L/36R:
Lightning that narrowly misses the airport, should not be recorded as VCTS. In this case, ALDARS did just that!
859. Lea County Regional Airport, Hobbs, New Mexico, 18 Jun 2015:
A pre-dawn thunderstorm was recorded at Hobbs (KHOB) by ALDARS:
KHOB 181035Z AUTO 04009KT 10SM TS SCT060 BKN070 BKN090 20/20 A3010 RMK AO2
LTG DSNT ALQDS
Hobbs is a D level site, with ALDARS. Between 1900-2100Z (2-3 p.m. MDT), Hobbs (KHOB) had a missing METAR, at 1950Z:
METAR KHOB 181850Z VRB04KT 10SM FEW060 32/15 A3009
METAR KHOB 181950Z NIL
SPECI KHOB 182029Z 17007KT 10SM SCT060 32/17 A3006
METAR KHOB 182050Z 18012G16KT 10SM SCT060 30/16 A3006
There weren’t any thunderstorm beginning or ending times listed, so it’s not apparent why the 2029Z SPECI was taken. What can be known, is this:
In the hour between 2000 and 2100Z, 6 lightning bolts struck within 5 miles of Lea County Regional Airport. All of those were about 3-4 miles away:
Hobbs had a missing METAR, as well as an unreported thunderstorm, that afternoon.
860. Fulton County Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, 18 Jun 2015:
Fulton County Airport (KFTY) in Atlanta recorded VCTS between 2115-2221Z:
METAR KFTY 181853Z 27010KT 10SM FEW055 FEW070 SCT110 33/22 A3008 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS TSB14E29 SLP174 T03280217
METAR KFTY 181953Z 28011KT 10SM CLR 34/19 A3005 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W-NE SLP164 T03390194
METAR KFTY 182053Z AUTO 32009KT 10SM CLR 29/21 A3003 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS SLP159 T02940211 58022
SPECI KFTY 182115Z 30008KT 10SM VCTS CLR 29/21 A3006 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS T02890206
METAR KFTY 182153Z 18011KT 10SM VCTS FEW048 28/19 A3007 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E-SW SLP171 T02780194
SPECI KFTY 182221Z 26004KT 10SM -RA FEW060 SCT120 26/19 A3008 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE RAB20 P0000 T02610194
To be correct, that would mean no lightning strikes would be plotted within a 5-mile rang ring around KFTY. But such lightning did strike within the red ring:
4 bolts struck within 5 miles. One of their plots is hard to see, as it struck the intersection of Interstates 20 & 285:
Zooming in, the deviation circle around that plot is easily visible. That bolt struck within 2 miles of the SE end of runway 14/32. The time of that strike was about 2136Z, during which time KFTY was reporting a VCTS:
There was a wind shift between 2115Z and 2153Z, from 30008KT to 18011KT. We don’t know what the winds were at 2136Z. We do know what the radar showed at 2135Z:
At 2135Z, there was a level 6 cell whose core was about 6 miles to the SSE. The nearest lightning produced around that time, was well outside the rain echoes, by about 3 miles. Of course, weather radar measures a “slice” of the atmosphere, and rain could have been falling closer than 3 miles at that time. But this case illustrates that lightning does not always strike where the heaviest rain echoes are located. Other hazards associated with thunderstorms- especially level 6 cells- can also occur outside the main rain shaft.
Fulton County Airport recorded VCTS, at a time when it should have reported TS.
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Post by tornado on Mar 15, 2016 10:20:58 GMT -5
861. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 18 Jun 2015:
In the hour between 2100-2200Z at Baton Rouge (KBTR) on 18 Jun 2015, the LAWRS site recorded some gusty winds and rain:
METAR KBTR 182053Z 16005KT 10SM FEW043 SCT060 32/23 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP160
T03220228 56022
SPECI KBTR 182132Z 24012KT 10SM -RA BKN040 29/23 A3001
METAR KBTR 182153Z 18014G23KT 10SM RA BKN045 28/22 A3002 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2116 RAB28 SLP165 P0000 T02780222
SPECI KBTR 182158Z 19007G22KT 4SM RA BKN045 27/22 A3001 RMK AO2 WSHFT 2141 P0001 T02670222
KBTR should have also recorded VCTS, then TS:
According to the color scale, lightning strikes plotted in red, are older than the strikes plotted in orange. The lightning strike 8N should have begun a VCTS; any of the 3 lightning strikes within 5 miles, should have begun a TS minutes later. KBTR recorded neither, even with the closest cloud-to- ground lightning being 3NE:
Baton Rouge had an unrecorded thunderstorm on June 18th.
862. Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida, 18 Jun 2015:
Cecil Field (KVQQ) in Jacksonville had a 4-hour period when seemingly no hazards were around. That was between 1800-2200Z:
METAR KVQQ 181750Z 18004KT 10SM SCT065 35/21 A3007
METAR KVQQ 181850Z 00000KT 10SM SCT065 35/21 A3005
METAR KVQQ 181950Z 18009KT 10SM SCT075 33/22 A3003
METAR KVQQ 182050Z VRB04KT 10SM BKN055 32/23 A3002
METAR KVQQ 182150Z 09010KT 10SM SCT055 24/21 A3002
Yet the radar at 1850Z, showed a level 5 cell, whose core was about 7 miles to the SW:
By 1950Z, there was even more level 5 activity near Cecil Field:
The 2050Z METAR from KVQQ mentioned a broken ceiling at 5,500 feet; what wasn’t mentioned were the level 5 cells, 2 miles to both the north and east:
So it shouldn’t be surprising, that those level 5 cells produced some lightning around KVQQ:
16 lightning strikes met TS criteria, while 47 more met VCTS criteria. 3 of those lightning strikes, possibly struck airport property:
Even with ample radar and lightning data available, somehow Cecil Field had unreported thunderstorms on the 18th.
863. Toledo Express Airport, Ohio, 18 Jun 2015:
Between 18/2200-19/0000Z, Toledo Express Airport (KTOL) recorded a bit of light rain, and gusty winds:
METAR KTOL 182152Z 26010KT 10SM FEW045 SCT050 28/19 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP116 T02830194
METAR KTOL 182252Z 25008KT 10SM SCT039 SCT049 27/20 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP117 T02720200
SPECI KTOL 182304Z 23017G23KT 5SM -RA BKN037 BKN075 BKN100 24/19 A2990 RMK AO2 RAB2258 P0001 T02390194
METAR KTOL 182352Z 26008KT 9SM -RA FEW020 BKN100 BKN110 22/19 A2991 RMK AO2 PK WND 24029/2323 RAB2258 SLP123 P0001 60001 T02170189 10300 20217 53007
What could have explained the wind and the rain, was the nearby thunderstorm:
Within 10 miles, there were 16 lightning strikes that met VCTS criteria; 10 bolts struck within the red 5-mile range ring around KTOL, meeting TS criteria. The nearest bolt, struck less than 3 miles south of the end of runway 16/34:
Compare the METAR at 2252Z:
METAR KTOL 182252Z 25008KT 10SM SCT039 SCT049 27/20 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP117 T02720200
To the radar at 2250Z:
A level 6 cell narrowly missed Toledo Express Airport, passing just to its south. Yet there was no CB remark, no TS, nor any LTG recorded at KTOL for that cell; or any of the other strong cells nearby. Is this one of the “quality” observations the FAA is fond of citing?
864. Columbus, Indiana, 18 Jun 2015:
Between 18/2000-19/0000Z, Columbus (KBAK) Indiana went from clear to rainy weather; then back to clear skies, and then a second round of rainy weather:
METAR KBAK 181955Z 25005KT 10SM SKC 28/21 A3001
METAR KBAK 182055Z 23005KT 10SM SKC 28/22 A2999
METAR KBAK 182155Z 31005KT 2SM -RABR SCT015 BKN020 OVC028 21/19 A3002
SPECI KBAK 182225Z 00000KT 7SM SCT025 SCT033 OVC055 22/20 A3001 RMK RAE15
METAR KBAK 182250Z 00000KT 7SM SKC 22/20 A3001
METAR KBAK 182350Z 20008KT 3SM RABR SCT013 BKN055 OVC110 21/19 A3005
Going from clear to rain, to clear to rain again, is showery weather, and a sign of convective activity. Such activity can also produce lightning:
VCTS criteria was obviously met, with the thunderstorm cell to the west of Columbus. 5 lightning strikes also met TS criteria. But, KBAK, being a D level site, isn’t required to report thunderstorms. That’s despite the nearest lightning bolt striking less than a mile from the NW end of runway 14/32:
Why not extend a level of safety to D level sites, by making a requirement that such sites report thunderstorms?
865. Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, 18 (19) Jun 2015:
Beaver Falls (KBVI) is another D level site, not required to report thunderstorms. It is, however, required to report METARs:
METAR KBVI 182247Z 24009KT 10SM CLR 26/19 A2994
METAR KBVI 190047Z 31010G18KT 7SM RA SCT014 BKN041 OVC065 21/19 A2998 RMK LTG DSNT N-S LAST
The 2347Z METAR was not transmitted. The air traffic control tower at Beaver Falls, closes at 9 p.m., so the 0047Z METAR is the last of the day. That METAR recorded LTG DSNT N-S, or half the horizon circle. What ALDARS at KBVI didn’t detect, was lightning within 10 miles:
 
Or, if it did detect that lightning, it could have done so on the missing METAR. If lightning was recorded after the missing METAR, it ought to have shown up in remarks- at least the lightning that met TS criteria. It would have shown up with a TSE time. But since 7 bolts met TS criteria, and 42 more met VCTS criteria; all that can be known for certain, is that a METAR or SPECI containing information for the thunderstorm around 0000Z, was never successfully transmitted.
Radar imagery from 2345Z- 2 minutes before the time of the missing METAR- showed this:
The position of that level 5-6 cell to the SW-W, matches the lightning bolts that struck near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. That lightning was 5-10 miles from the airport. By 0015Z, the level 5-6 cell was to the SE-S, matching the lightning plots from 4-12 miles from KBVI:
If a thunderstorm had been reported on the 2347Z METAR, its ending time would have shown up on the 0047Z METAR. As it was, much of the lightning was after the time of the missing METAR. Therefore, Beaver Falls had an unreported thunderstorm on the evening of June 18th.
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