Severe weather photos, videos, and random thoughts of J.R. Hehnly

This was to allow me to use both the Oklahoma PikePass system and the Kansas KTAG system without covering my windshield with multiple transmitters.

I basically just stuck the KTAG to the inside of the OU PikePass holder that I purchased from the PikePass store (the side that faces the windshield).

Since the holder is attached to the windshield with velcro I get the added benefit of being able to transfer the K-TAG to another vehicle, something you cannot do if it’s stuck to the glass.

The systems do not seem to interfere with each other, both work correctly when needed.

Here’s a radar question that’s been bugging me for a couple of years.  I have noticed that sometimes, as an outflow boundary approaches a radar site, the amount of anomalous propagation increases the closer the boundary gets to the radar.  Interestingly, once the boundary passes over the radar location, all of the AP goes away.

The best example I’ve seen is from the evening of August 30, 2008. As an outflow boundary approached KTLX from the northeast the AP increased significantly in most all areas around the radar, but was greatest to the south and southeast of the radar. On thing I noticed, though, was that the AP was mostly absent along the path of the South Canadian River at the southern borders of Cleveland and Pottawatomie counties.

I have two questions on this. What is the process causing the AP to increase as an outflow boundary approaches, particularly in directions opposite the boundary? Also, what process causes the absence of AP along river paths? Is it just the lower elevation associated with river valleys, or is there some other cause that is unique to a river?

If you want to view the August 30, 2008 event using your own software, the raw Level-II files (150 mb) are located here.

Here’s a java animation consisting of 40 radar frames from the event. Use the slider at the top to advance the frames and see the changes as the OFB approaches.

Today is the first day this year I went to work without a jacket. It was already over 50 degrees by 8:30, expected to be in the 70s later today. I really loved the smell of the moisture in the air. What is that? Gulf of Mexico water? Moist soil? I don’t know, but it lets me know that spring is on the way!