AOPA recently indicated that the SKYSPOTTER program is about to successfully contribute to the 10,000th SKYSPOTTER Pirep submission in less than two years. These are unselfish efforts of pilots helping other pilots understand the REAL Weather vs the Forecast Weather.
As some of you know - I have been a wee bit " passionate " in the past when this subject is discussed; however, this time my medication and hence " exuberant behavior " are in check and I wish to provide you with a current link to an interesting and valuable program. Now this program is $270 - which I have purchased for you today ( FREE ) …so if price infers quality ( for all you marketing types ) and knowledge is power ( for the technical types )…then here you go.
Please complete the SKYSPOTTER program before noon today … a specific, measurable, and time sensitive goal (for all you management types.)
Still in the development and acceptance phase, Control Vision is working to provide pirep capability through their Anywhere Wx product that will be issued as Skyspotter pireps. This will allow you to “transmit” a pirep without the need to change frequencies or go off frequency. You’ll be able to submit the pirep everytime you get a download of METARs, TAFs, Nexrad or satellite data, for example. Have not seen the interface as of yet, but I hope to get a “pre-release” soon.
Most folks don’t realize (somthing that I emphasize in my seminar) that pireps not only help pilots, but they help meteorologists do their job. One of the first things that the Weather Forecast Office meteorologist does before issuing a TAF is to look at pireps for clues as to what is happening in the atmosphere (also helps with amendments too). Tops, bases, temperature, flight conditions all play into the insight necessary to produce a good forecast.
So, pilots can help themselves as well as others by taking the time to submit a pirep using Anywhere Wx or by talking to Flight Watch.
I went through the on-line SKYSPOTTER training a few months back. Its easy, informative, entertaining, AND for all you folks that collect memorabilia, lets you print out a completion certificate if you pass the course [;)]. Unfortunately, a lot of times FSS and Flight Watch couldn’t care less that you include the “This is a SkySpotter Pirep” with your report. (About 1/4 of my PIREPs to Flight Watch never get listed - I’ve been checking ever since I finished the course…[:(])
Scott,
I agree wholeheartedly… and I have one word to say: CPOP!
Now you (Scott) may remember what CPOP is, because you were at the Migration Banquet. For others… well, you’ll have to wait for the next edition of our COPA Newsletter (apparently at the printer now). Unless, of course, some other Migration Banquet attendee spills the beans…! CPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOP CPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOP CPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOP CPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOP CPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOP CPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOPCPOP
I did the Skyspotter program last week. Good program and doesnÂ’t take long to go through it. Interesting question relating to virga (rain that doesnÂ’t hit the ground). How in the world could you determine for a Pirep that you where flying through virga?
Casey,
Every time I’ve seen virga, it’s been falling from an isolated cloud or cloud system at a respectable distance from yours truly. So it’s pretty easy to tell that it doesn’t reach the ground. Super-arcane weather trivia of the day: Conditions are thought to be right for virga to fall in the atmosphere of Saturn’s moon http://www.seds.org/billa/tnp/titan.htmlTitan, but with an important difference — the droplets are not liquid water but liquid ethane! Indeed, there may be lakes of liquid hydrocarbons scattered across the surface of Titan. (No need to worry about the lakes catching fire, since there’s no oxygen in the Titanian atmosphere.) In January 2005 we should get a “PIREP” on Titan’s weather conditions from the http://www.esa.int/export/esaSC/120378_index_0_m.htmlHuygens spacecraft after it lands on the surface. (Note the BRS-like landing system!)
How in the world could you determine for a Pirep that you where flying through virga?
Usually you’re approaching an area of virga while in the clear and you can see the “veils” of precip beneath the cloud deck and it is quite apparent that it doesn’t extend to the ground. It may only extend a few hundred feet beneath the cumulus.
Here’s an example.
Casey,
It is a very good question. Can’t say I know the answer either. In some cases, virga is very easy to spot and determine (see Gordon’s pics). There are times where you can’t distinguish it from a rain shaft (where rain is reaching the ground).
Virga is typically present behind a cold front where there is upper level instability (very cold air aloft). It is also typical with high-base thunderstorms (as Gordon mentioned) in the Southwest. As the rain or snow evaporates, it cools the atmosphere (evaporative cooling). This creates a heavier, denser air that tends to sink in pools or downdrafts. Most of the time it is harmless, but virga associated with convective activity should always be avoided. It may be a microburst or convective downdraft. You probably won’t survive either.
My suggestion for reporting virga: If you can see an obvious base to the rain or snow shaft, report it as virga. If not, report it as rain or snow showers.
