St. Louis, MO

Weather Forecast Office

BAMEX Project Homepage

A major field project to study the evolution of Bow Echoes and Mesoscale Convective Vortices (MCVs) was completed July 6, 2003. The domain of the study included much of the central United States (Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and parts of surrounding states). Over 40 scientists from NCAR, University Community and NOAA/NWS participated in this field project. WFO St. Louis was the host NWS office for the field study. A large array of instrumentation including: P-3 Aircraft, Ground-Based Mobile Doppler radars, Mobile Integrated Profiling System, Ground-based Mobile Sounding Systems, and Mobile Mesonet was used in the BAMEX field project. Eigthteen missions were completed during the project. The NOAA P3 / NRL P3 collected Doppler radar, released dropsondes, and collected ice particles with their probes located outside the aircraft. A third aircraft (high-altitude jet) dropped numerous dropsondes collecting temperature, dewpoint, wind, and pressure data to plot the thermodynamic and wind structure of the atmosphere. Two mobile sounders launched radiosondes while the University of Alabama (Huntsfille AL) collected data from their mobile profiler Mid-America airport near Belleville Illinois was the host site for field operations. Daily forecasts and nowcast operations along with science reviews were held at Mid-America. The National Weather Service provided Science and Operations Officers and forecasters from WFO St. Louis and surrounding offices for the preparation of forecast and nowcasts. More information about the BAMEX field study can be located below under Science Overview of BAMEX. There are preliminary plans for workshops to be held in the St. Louis area early next year. More details will be forth-coming.

Scientific Objectives of BAMEX:

1. Improve predictability of bow echo disturbances, especially those producing severe weather (damaging winds / non-supercell tornadoes.

2. Improve predictability of secondary convection generated by mesoscale vortices.

3. Document and understand factors contributing to the development of horizontal circulations with long-lived convective systems.

4. Improve 6-24 hour Quantative Precipitation Forecasts (QPF).

BAMEX Domain	Aircraft Flight Tracks	GBOS

Some BAMEX links:

Bamex-Related Scientific Links

Forecast Operations for BAMEX

Science Overview of Bamex

NCAR Atmosphere Technology Division (ATD)

JOSS - NCAR (BAMEX Field Catalogue)

Ron's Daily Notes

Photos from Mid-America Airport near Belleville, Illinois
taken during the period of May 19th to July 5th, 2003.

Click on image for a larger picture.

Left to right above - University of Alabama (Huntsville) mobile profier, mobile sounders/mobile mesonet, NRL P3, on-board radar on the NRL P3, NOAA P3.

BAMEX Operations Center - Mid America Airport

BAMEX Operations Center - Mid America Airport During May 28 and
May 31st Field Operations. NWS staff members Mark Ratzer
(WFO Chicago) and Dan Baumgardt (WFO La Crosse WI)
prepare one of many nowcasts.

Daily and Pre-flight Briefings to the mission scientists and flight crew before one of the missions. Far left image - Morris Weisman (NCAR) presents his views concerning where thunderstorm activity will form. Roger Wakimoto (UCLA) briefs the flight crew concerning where the P3 may intercept the convective storms. Far right image - NOAA flight crew preparing final briefing on the NOAA P3.

One of many Science Review Meetings: David Jorgensen (NOAA/NSSL) and Roger Wakimoto (UCLA) presented preliminary information about their Doppler radar
data sets on one of the recent IOPs.

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