A New N. A. M. E. Coming To Southwest USA

[SEAZSky]

N.A.M.E. - Is Coming To A Monsoon Near You

This coming summer, an extensive field research
project will be conducted across the desert Southwest
and northwest Mexico. The North American Monsoon
Experiment (N.A.M.E.) seeks to answer some of the
many questions weather forecasters have about the
monsoon circulation pattern which affects our area
during the summer months. In some respects, this monsoon circulation is one of the least understood
weather phenomena in North America. However, using
state-of-the-art radars, research aircraft, wind
profilers and other observing systems, we hope to
learn much more about the inner workings of the
monsoon and increase our ability to provide better
forecasts hours, days, and maybe even weeks in
advance.

Weather forecasters from a dozen NWS offices, four
NWS national forecasting centers, and the Mexican
weather service (Servicio Meteorologico Nacional)
will rotate through the NWS office in Tucson and
provide NAME project scientists with weather
guidance from late June through August. The scientists, who will be based at the University of
Arizona Department of Atmospheric Sciences, will
then take the information and make decisions on
where to send research aircraft, portable upper
air launch platforms, and other movable instruments.

Now - all we need is an active monsoon season!
*************************************

Stan - near Tucson, AZ USA

[Aslkahuna]

rotating through the TUS NWS office will be my son who is a forecaster's assistant for NAME. In fact, he's attending a Project meeting today and tomorrow. Word he gave me is that Mexican Customs Official's holding up the deployment of the rainguage network since they have not released the guages. I have my thoughts as to the reasons for this but I'll be nice.

Steve