21 July 2004

0050	There is some promising echo east of SPOL at a range of 50-100 km.  Particle ID shows rain, maybe some hail and graupel.  We are going to switch to microphysical mode.

0054	Changed PRF to 960.

0059	Changed to microphysical Near/135 deg sector scan centered on 120 deg azimuth.

0110	This storm  to the east is shaping up into a nice storm!  It's got reflectivity cores of 63 dB.  It is moving west.

0130	Changed sector scan to 110 center.  We are seeing really nice low-level convergence (~18 m/s inbound, 8 m/s outbound) on the cell east of SPOL.  Things are rumbling outside.  Also nice upper level divergence.

0148	Antenna stopped, so we had to restart near 135 scan at  0148 (so 3 minutes late)

0210	Kyle is restarting 960 PRF.  Apparently there was a problem with one of the valves.

0220	There is quite a bit of lightning to the east (high flash rate, IC?)

0250	There is lightning very near the radar, and thunder is booming overhead as well.  Cell has reflectivities in the 40s - might just rain at SPOL!

0258	The radial velocities show some midlevel rotation at about 60 deg azimuth, 60 km at 6 deg elevation.

0306	Dave Ahijevych taking over.  Noticed between 0220-0240 ~10-40 flashes/min on the drive from Maz to S-Pol

0339	There's too many targets.  Echo fills the scope up and down the coastal plain.  Staying with current sector because it still has high reflectivity cores and a history.

0347	A little 2nd trip echo mixed in at 110-150 km, 250 deg azimuth.  You can really tell from the PHIdp field.

0412	All echoes weakened - switching to 720 Hz.  Still a lot of stratiform precip though.

0415	Started ClimoNear.  Raining at radar.

0424	Going to do a vertically pointing scan in moderate rain.  5.9 deg/sec to 5 deg/sec.

0425	Starting vert. scan.  Running over 0432.  Removed 26.4 deg scan temporarily to catch up faster.  Back to ClimoNear at 0433, 5 deg/sec to 5.9 deg/sec.

0523	Even stratiform precip is dissipating.  Consider dropping to ClimoFar.

0529	Switching to ClimoFar.

0702	Considering ClimoShallow.

0715	Switched to ClimoShallow.

1151	Submitted S-Pol scientist report.

1200	Run unattended until noon.

1215	Just to be safe, switching to ClimoFar.  Tiny cells popping up 40-60 km south-southeast of S-Pol, moving westward.  Another early morning fine-line out in the ocean only clear at 0 deg elevation.

1800	Rob and Simona at site.  Radar down at 15:30.  When radar is back, it will be operating at both Ka-band and S-band, at PRF 1000 Hz.  Rob checked the rain gauge but it is empty.  Yesterday precip must have evaporated, so we will check it (for the future) everytime it rains.

1840	ClimoShallow started with both Ka-band and S-Band wavelengths with a PRF of 1000 Hz.

2010	Cell activity initiating over favored region 100-150 km SE of SPOL - may need to switch to ClimoFar to stay on top.

2015	Switching to ClimoFar

2055	Switching back to PRF=720.  Turning the Ka-band off.

2100	ClimoFar at PRF=720, Ka-band is off.