So the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne is getting ready for a night jump this morning. A line of thunderstorms rolls through Fayetteville. What to do? Call Dad.
Him: "Are you near a computer?"
Me: "Sure"
Him: "What's the weather like in Fayetteville?"
(in the background) "There's a f**king tornado warning."
Me: "Well, there's a bad line of thunderstorms south of town."
Him: "What's the ceiling?"
Me: "217 feet"
(in the background) "What about lightning. Is there a lot of lightning?"
Him: "What's it going to be like tonight?"
Me: "90 percent chance of thunderstorms."
Him: "There's a tornado warning 10 miles from here."
Me: "Well, there's nothing much on the radar after this line of thunderstorms."
Him: "Okay. Cool."
I called back later and told him that the thunderstorms were about 30 minutes from Pope Air Force Base and that his house is west of the line of storms.
So a word about technology. There is a neat little tool called WunderMap at www.wunderground.com.
Go there and type in your zip code and the weather for your area will come up including a local NEXRAD radar.
Click on the radar to see the weather moving through your area.
On the left hand side will be a button for a WunderMap. This matches your local radar with a map.
Click on hybrid (top right) and a Google aerial photograph comes up. You can zoom into your neighborhood and see where the weather is in relation to your house. I used it during TS Fay and it is remarkably accurate....and scary.
5 comments:
and can you tell what I'm wearing too??????
glad you're able to warn the troops....you getting military pay for that consulting work??
stupid question...doesn't the MILITARY have the ability to know where the thunderstorms are so the guys won't be trying to do a night jump in the middle of a thunderstorm???
'dad,
Thanks for the tip on the web site. Will go there after posting. Apparently the jump went on, rain, or shine, or in this case moonlight and clouds. Got a text @0710 "just now going home" The good news as always, "going home" Will get the traditional phone call this evening after he gets a little sleep.
Per yesterday, understand your funk. Hope Sgt. Mark landed OK and this finds you dry (?).
Pops,
Thanks Pops. I guess they have been jumping all day. Mark goes at 2045.
MM: They do have the technology. They just don't tell the troops.
Will go outside and look south, then send up a prayer for Sgt. Mark @ 2045.
Pops
Dad,
how nice of them.....not to tell the troops.
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