12 August 2004

0030	Extensive stratiform regions over the high terrain. Continuing convective regions covering much of the 0-150deg sector.

0100	Switched to climofar since the only near stuff was stratiform, and it wasn't all that near.

0200	Extensive stratiform covering almost half the radar domain. Most active convection persists in the 330-360 degree sector about 110km away.

0330	Stratiform region reducing in area.

0400 	Gustavo on duty.

0530	Decaying stratiform precipitation in the western side of S-pol continue to move southward.

0815 	Stratiform regions still decaying. Only a few low-reflectivity echoes remaining now, most to the SSE of S-pol. All echoes are shallow and found at or below 5.5 degrees. Switched to Climo Shallow.

1030	Line of convective cells forming parallel to coast SE of S-pol.

1200	Nesbitt here - going to ClimoFar to top nearby convection.  These individual cells are moving quite rapidly to the SW.

1235	Resynch - antenna stopped.

1252	Antenna not keeping up this morning for some reason - too many bugs?

1300	Resynch - hope it keeps up this time.

1318	After 3-tilt rain map at 1315, antenna down for maintenance.  checking for condensation in the control box.

1330	Back up in ClimoFar.

1445	The cells nearby are getting topped.  Considering weakening of complex near Mazatlan, I will go to ClimoNear.

1446	Much more sky cover out there this morning.

1506	cells continue to develop offshore, the line is showing up nicely on the IR satellite

1700	cells offshore have died, going to ClimoFar; other than those dissipating cells there isn't much on the scope

1731	not much on scope over land - just usual progression of SBF.  over water, the line of cells just off shore is moving away and dissipating.  There are a couple of other isolated over-ocean cells to the south.

1900	gone to climoshallow, anvil of former storms offshore has collapsed.  there is basically nothing on the scope now spare a few weak cells to the SE over the foothills (and the SBF inland of S-pol).

1915	a few isolated cells have popped over the reaches of the scope to the east at ranges > 120 km

2000	Simona here.

2025	A new cell has been popping up at ~ 20 km to the NE of S-Pol. which is not being topped in climo-shallow.

2030	Switching to ClimoFar.Also, there are new cells developing to the SE at ~120 Km, still isolated. 

2045	Switching to ClimoNear. Cells to the NE ~ 20 km are not topped. At 14deg, dBZ are still around 40 dBZ.

2130	The cell to the NE at ~ 20 km has developed into a nice little storm.A new cell is also developing to the N-NW at ~ 40 km range, topping at around 15 km. 

2145	Convection to the SE sector at ~ 100-120 Km is becoming more active. High reflectivities centers are ~ 52 dBZ.

2207	Cells, some very skinny, some others organized in larger clusters (the ones to the NE and NW mentioned in the previous logs) are still observed very close to the radar, so still running ClimoNear sequence. Overall, convection is firing up over the mountains, mostly confined to the SW sector. 

2237	Still active cell regenerations close to the radar. Zebra estimates up to 20 mm of rain from the storm to the N-NW of radar at ~ 30-40 km range. Farther away from the radar, the mountains to the SE keep being a favourite spot for new cells development.

2315	Storm to the NE at 40 km range still intensifying and growing.
RHI shows cores > 50 dBZ, with tops around 16 km.

2345	Cells to the NE of radar have organized in a nice line. Cross-sections through high-reflectivity cores show >55 dBZ cores and tops up to 16 km, elevated ZDR columns up to 6 km. As for the velocities, strong low-level convergence and upper-level divergence (with some folding in the velocities) + rear inflow jet. (very nicely evident)
Convection to the SE also shows some linear organization at ~ 80 km from S-Pol. New cores are generated further southeast ~ 140 km over higher mountains. 
The presence of convective cells close to radar motivates remaining in ClimoNear.