APR-2 Status for Sept 16 - Post Flight

This was the 4th flight on Karl - The first since it had developed to Hurricane in the Bay of Campeche. In coordination with GH, NOAA, NSF (and USAF).

APR-2 operated without problems. The quasi-real time displays on DC-8 were delayed by about 5-10 minutes to avoid interference with radar operation, the geolocated improved quicklooks inclusive of cross-wind estimates were posted on the DC-8 server 5-15 minutes from the completion of each leg.

During each leg of the two butterflyes APR-2 observed widespread stratiform precipitation with embedded convection in all sectors, convective activity was not limited to the eyewall but it interested several rainbands. The eyewall was for the most part very well defined: vertical eyewalls with wind intensities occasionally into the Cat 2 range and almost no vertical shear. The eye was occluded above the zero isotherm for the duration of the flight, but APR-2 imagery shows a clear progression of a clearing starting from the low levels and upwards, by the end of the last leg the eye had almost cleared.

S.T.