1. Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) Kristine Nelson Meteorologist In Charge Anchorage (ZAN) CWSU

2. CWSU Background “The CWSUs were established by the FAA in 1978 as a result of a recommendation by the NTSB, which determined that one of the major contributing factors in a Southern Airways DC-9 crash in New Hope, Ga., on April 4, 1977 was that the FAA lacked the ability to disseminate hazardous weather information to flight crews in real time. The FAA contracted with the NWS to provide meteorologists to staff a newly established weather unit at each center.”

3. The Anchorage CWSU covers the same area as 13+ CWSU areas in the contiguous U.S..

4. CWSU Purpose Provide meteorological consultation, forecasts, and advice to managers and staff within the ARTCC and other FAA supported facilities. There are 21 ARTCCs and 21 co-located CWSUs. ZAN CWSU Operational Area

5. CWSU Computers Two Operational PCs with 2 monitors each. Used to access the web, including VolcView, Puff model, Flight Aware, etc. Weather And Radar Processor (WARP). Used to create Weather Briefing slides for ZAN Air Traffic Managers. Automated Weather Information Processor AWIPSII Thinclient.

6. ZAN CWSU –Satellite Volcanic Ash Sheveluch ash FL330 in AK FIR moving east Volcview Proving Ground Visible satellite Image

7. GOES IFR Probability 4KM LIFR 1630z-IFR 1831z GOES LIFR Prob showed 30% probability. GOES IFR showed 70- 90% during the same hours. Both showed trending towards slow improvement.

8. Lack of Surface Observations Deadhorse

9. Deadhorse Observations 1500z… LIFR FZFG…1/8SM vsby 1600z… LIFR … ¾ SM vsby 1700z… LIFR … OVC003… 3/4SM vsby 1708z… LIFR … OVC002… 1 1/4 SM vsby 1800z… LIFR … OVC003… 5SM vsby 1831z… IFR … OVC005 … 10SM vsby

10. Cloud Top Phase Areas of supercooled liquid or mixed supercooled liquid and ice crystals is an indication of water in the air column. Assuming conditions are favorable, there is the potential for: – Dendritic growth of snowflakes (larger snowflakes). – Aircraft Icing during flight.

11. GOES Cloud Top Phase Water Supercooled Water Mixed ICE Crystals

12. ???Questions??? Sarychev eruption June 2009