Smart Forecasts

[blackjack52]

I was thinking something like that too, mostly cloudy here and the cloud base is 5415.  My icon is currently on manual override at the moment.  I could again use my local METAR station but sometimes they are incorrect on the sky condition.

I am also looking at my vapor press and density press and they are going down.  hmmm


Just got a freezing rain warning, time to go cut that rain gauge heater on.

I threw out vap press and am now looking at Density Alt.

[Scalphunter]

 Density altitude is how thick the air is. Which is use to see if you can get out of ground efffect or not on an hot day or if your going to take out a lot of barb wire fences  before you stop. Was something i had to get use to flying in lower 48 after flying here. landed at grand Isle, Neb. 8000 feet ASL and temp was 106 degrees. Density Altitude was 14000 feet . Well above service range of my 172. Waited till morning. Even the Turbo's where eating up runway to lift off that day. on that trip daytona to Alaska the OAT didn't get below 100 till I got to scott bluff neb.

John
KL7IFP

[Scalphunter]

To find  cloud base and this is only applies to Cumublus clouds which turn into cumulusnimbus is to take OAT-Dewpoint diffence then multiply that by 4.5 deg F.  The 4.5 F is  per 1000 foot.

example and this is taken  from pilot's handbook.  27 deg F x 4.5 F = 6000 feet. AGL

 Off to refresh reading on Stall,spins and steep turns.

John
KL7IFP

[blackjack52]

Density altitude is how thick the air is. Which is use to see if you can get out of ground efffect or not on an hot day or if your going to take out a lot of barb wire fences  before you stop. Was something i had to get use to flying in lower 48 after flying here. landed at grand Isle, Neb. 8000 feet ASL and temp was 106 degrees. Density Altitude was 14000 feet . Well above service range of my 172. Waited till morning. Even the Turbo's where eating up runway to lift off that day. on that trip daytona to Alaska the OAT didn't get below 100 till I got to scott bluff neb.

John
KL7IFP

Unlike not being able to see air, unless you're an Earnhardt, it's helps being able to see mountains in your neck.  I bet dog legs are real short and IFR are always used.

When I flew MH53s, we always had to compute ground effect.  On 52s, it was rotation; usually 8000-10000ft, depending on bomb load/fuel.  What we couldn't t/o w/, we would make up taking +200k lbs during air refuelling.  At a flow rate of 7000lbs of fuel/hr/engine we would always look for the best cruise alt based on atmospheric cond, like density.  Luckily, I had my 1950's era computer compute windage/density to shoot them bandits accurately.

[Scalphunter]

 I still use my ERB here. Lee was in Seal Team and several time  we had to plant bug  for your  buffs to zero i  on  for drop...  They named it rigth rolling thunder as  the concussion was felt 20 miles away from drop zone...... Would not liked to been charlie sitting there  eating his rice and chewing on betel nut. lol

John
Kl7IFP

[blackjack52]

Wow John!  It's a small world.  Thanks for your dedication and sacrifice, especially during that era.  Thank God times have changed in that regard.
I bet you had to run like hell after planting the "beacon".  Crazy Seal's.  They couldn't wait to jump out the back. 
I miss Special OPS.
Even though I'm retired, I still sit on my flak vest from time to time.  They were handed out to us during Gulf War I.  Mine had a hole in it.  The name inside was Johnson and it smelled very musty.  We were told they were crated since Viet Nam.  Did not surprise me since the ammo for my 4 .50cals was from WWII.
The vest is in our "scaredy hole" now for tornado season.  The fifties are in the back of the truck.  Just kidding.

Getting ready for the rollover from the density alt setting and < 3000 setting.

[sam2004gp]

Not sure what to do here, my cloud base is at 5000 and Air Density is rising, and when I look outside I am overcast.  I switched back over to my Metar automatic condtions for tonight.

[Scalphunter]

  We where crazy use to ride sled out with gear  from C-130 so it wouldn't get to far from us. LOL  those where the days and  yes the attitude has  change towards the Military.  Hat off to a guy that  would fly a flying bomb.

 if overcast  OAT minus dewpoint x 3.5 deg F to fing cloud base.  most for stratus.

John
KL7IFP

[blackjack52]

Thanks for the equations John.  Would be nice to have control over those.

Sam, I'm still sitting pretty w/ the dens alt/cb.  Afew times I switched to ThunderStrms (TS) since incorp DP>58 AND CB<1000. TS are about 3hrs out w/ this weak squal.  VIL - vert integrated liquid is only 3.07 and tops at 20k.  I'm happy the TS setting works.  Will see how much longer my dens alt works.  Probably not too long.

[sam2004gp]

Thanks for the equations John.  Would be nice to have control over those.

Sam, I'm still sitting pretty w/ the dens alt/cb.  Afew times I switched to ThunderStrms (TS) since incorp DP>58 AND CB<1000. TS are about 3hrs out w/ this weak squal.  VIL - vert integrated liquid is only 3.07 and tops at 20k.  I'm happy the TS setting works.  Will see how much longer my dens alt works.  Probably not too long.

Okay, when you get something that seems to work, post a screen capture of your settings.  I have a cloudy day here and I am tweaking the numbers also.  Would like to see how yours compares to mine.

[blackjack52]

Thanks for the equations John.  Would be nice to have control over those.

Sam, I'm still sitting pretty w/ the dens alt/cb.  Afew times I switched to ThunderStrms (TS) since incorp DP>58 AND CB<1000. TS are about 3hrs out w/ this weak squal.  VIL - vert integrated liquid is only 3.07 and tops at 20k.  I'm happy the TS setting works.  Will see how much longer my dens alt works.  Probably not too long.

Okay, when you get something that seems to work, post a screen capture of your settings.  I have a cloudy day here and I am tweaking the numbers also.  Would like to see how yours compares to mine.

WILCO

[blackjack52]

Alarm setting of OAT Rate< -6F works for approaching squal.

NOW, SF thunderstrm settings worked this time, but needs further tests to verify.
I had to remove the very last Boolean because it interfered w/ rain.
Still have to test further the Boolean Priority 5.
Better to use RainRate because it updates up to 46sec faster than Hourly Rain.

[Scalphunter]

 Here is an article about Sea Fog   where we  talked about it up in this  thread eariler

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/wea00/wea00142.htm


Als  found one  for inland  fog which i will post

John
KL7IFP

[Scalphunter]

 And here is one that applies  more to  the inter continental area,  http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/Resources/Teaching_Packs/Key_Stage_4/Weather_Climate/05.html

John
KL7IFP

[blackjack52]

I just submitted a problem report requesting more Smart Forecast Priorities and more Boolean Priorities.
Below is what I sent.

Currently, there are only 12 Smart Forecast Priorities, but under Boolean Priorities pull down menus there are 15.  Is it possible to add at least 20 Smart Forecast Priorities and the same amount of Boolean Priorities?  You can easily use up three Smart Forecast Priorities just for rain.
Thank you.

I do know this.  Just one suggestion like this will not get a change.  It is better if there are multiples sent requesting a change like this.  Please do not make it verbatim.

I did not make a request to add more operands because there are only three Boolean operands; NOT is left out.

[blackjack52]

Tired of the VWS Forecast icons so I replaced them with the NOAA icons. Works great.

[sam2004gp]

Tired of the VWS Forecast icons so I replaced them with the NOAA icons. Works great.

How did you do that?   Details, Details.

[blackjack52]

Go here http://www.weather.gov/xml/current_obs/weather.php and "save as" .bmp over the ones you want to replace.  They're in the VWS/ICONS/DAY and NIGHT directories.  Also, make a "SF" directory to save backups of the newly replaced icons because you will need to replace them again when you upgrade to a newer VWS ver.

I saved WIND over SMOKE (blowing smoke up your ....) to create a new SF Priority since wind isn't incuded in the SF choices.  Then used WIND AVG of 10 for the value.

When Ed replies to the request I sent, I'll also ask him to include WIND, EXTREME HEAT, and XTRM COLD forecast options.  Anyone have any others?

[Scalphunter]

 How about ice fog, which happen here alot and maybe hurricane force winds seening how those cups can hit 120 here in middle of winter. Also we need a slot to put snow amount and snow level. I don't see anywhere's for that in program.

John
KL7IFP

[sam2004gp]

Tired of the VWS Forecast icons so I replaced them with the NOAA icons. Works great.

Here are 2 I just made in VWS style using photoshop for wind.



I replaced  the "sand" Condition icons for them, since we don't get sand in the mountains.

[blackjack52]

Density Alt (DA) is used in deciding performance configurations for combustion engines and aircraft.
In a given volume of air, there are N2, O2, and H2O molecules. Since H2O weighs less, there is less resistance. An increase in water vapor also means an increase in horsepower.  This why we used water injection for take-offs in the B-52 in the winter.  We would burn about 10,000 lbs.

DA definitely plays a factor (derived partially from DP, OAT) in the increase/decrease of cloud cover due to presence of water vapor.  Air density sensor would be better, but, hey.
I am finding that there is a negative value for decreasing cover and a positive value for increasing cover.  It will vary significantly, but there is a window that can be found to increase the correct cloud cover of your SF.  It will be different for every locale based on your current EL.  Mine seem to be DA >275 and Cloud Base >2500 = Partly Cloudy and DA <-350 and CB <2500 for Clear.

[Scalphunter]

 You also use water injection to cool the air  due to compressing the air. On our diesel engines  aboard ships the air is cooled after going  thru the tubros and then into the engines   but it is to wring out  every ounce of HP from it. Alos use to be on a couple of turbine vessels aboard  and when OAT got above 85 degrees  we would  start  getting flasme outs due to  loss of compressor quality. Go back to northern climes and  the problem when away. Good thing had  diesel  unit also to run.

John
KL7IFP

[blackjack52]

I had to modify the SF since I had rain and fog at the same time. So, I added a Boolean to prioritize rain over fog. The prob though is I think fog is more hazardous and should be a highr priority than light/rain, but not heavy rain. But heavy rain is usually associated w/ a front, so fog may not be present. The Boolean combines rain or light rain to trigger.....rain is rain, except for heavy rain which is more hazardous.

What seems more a priority......light/rain or fog?

[Garth Bock]

O T - I started with a predecessor to the MSI S100 using a 4004 (4bit proc). Then moved to a TRS80 MOD 1, 3, 4, 4p and had and still have a Timex Sinclair, moving into the PC world with a Northgate after that. I ran a BBS for 10 years with 4 phone lines running in BASIC.

Which BBS did you SysOp?


Bob

Prairie BBS - Bloomington, Il. using TBBS software by eSoft, Inc.

[sbelmont]

I had to modify the SF since I had rain and fog at the same time. So, I added a Boolean to prioritize rain over fog. The prob though is I think fog is more hazardous and should be a highr priority than light/rain, but not heavy rain. But heavy rain is usually associated w/ a front, so fog may not be present. The Boolean combines rain or light rain to trigger.....rain is rain, except for heavy rain which is more hazardous.

What seems more a priority......light/rain or fog?

Interesting you should bring that up. I had the same thing happen on Friday. It was raining about 0.01/hr, a light drizzle, but we still had the inversion layer here in the valley and the cloud base was real low, so it was showing as fog even thought the ground fog was not prevelant. I like your answer. I will have to make the same kind of adjustment to my SF.