Wittman Field Lashed By Thunderstorms
So here it is, 0750 local and the wind has been lashing us and
the rain is blowing semi-horizontally and the sky is occasionally
lit by flashes and accompanied by ominous rumbling sounds. Here at
the house it's VV, but at the airfield they're reporting 500 feet
visibility. Even the ducks are on the ground right now,
although the forecast is positive.
In other words, the weather stinks at the moment. The METAR
tells the tale:
KOSH 301249Z 01016G23KT 7SM -TSRA FEW005 OVC033 21/18
A2993 RMK AO2 PK WND 01036/1221 WSHFT 1209 LTG DSNT ALQDS
TSB25RAB19 P0055
For those of you who are not pilots and don't speak METAR,
here's the plain English version:
Conditions at: KOSH (OSHKOSH, WI, US) observed 1249 UTC
30 July 2006
Temperature: 21.0°C (70°F)
Dewpoint: 18.0°C (64°F) [RH = 83%]
Pressure (altimeter): 29.93 inches Hg (1013.6 mb)
Winds: from the N (10 degrees) at 18 MPH (16 knots; 8.3
m/s)
gusting to 26 MPH (23 knots; 12.0 m/s)
Visibility: 7 miles (11 km)
Ceiling: 3300 feet AGL
Clouds: few clouds at 500 feet AGL
overcast cloud deck at 3300 feet AGL
Weather: -TSRA (light rain associated with
thunderstorm(s))
(ASIDE: Both of these are courtesy of aviationweather.gov --
something likely to become a pay-per-view site if the interests
pulling for GA user fees get their way -- so check it out while you
can.)
The forecast, fortunately, is for much improved weather in a
couple of hours.
KOSH 301151Z 301212 32012G20KT 5SM TSRA BR BKN040CB
BKN100
TEMPO 1213 29030G50KT 2SM TSRA
OVC025CB
FM1400 20008G18KT 5SM SHRA BR SCT040
BKN100
FM1600 18005KT P6SM SCT040 BKN100
OVC200
FM1900 20010KT P6SM SCT050
BKN250
FM0200 19007KT P6SM
SCT250
WHat this says is that the worst of the thunderstorms should
already be past at this hour (0800 Local, 1300Z) and by 1600Z (11
AM local) the storm should have entirely passed, with good
visibility, scattered clouds below the broken ceiling of 10,000
feet, and gentle winds. By 1900Z (2 PM) when the airshow gets
underway, the scattered clouds have lifted to 5,000 and the ceiling
to 25,000. The show will go on!
And the overcast should keep the field from baking in the sun.
If you are in the Wisconsin area, today might be a good day to hit
the show (even though vendors will be breaking down to the extent
that they can get away with, on this last day of the event). The
EAA is also offering a $7-a-head discount to non-EAA-member
Wisconsin residents who come to the show today.
So things are getting better. Which might be small consolation
to some drenched campers right now.