Hurricane Hunter at Yokota

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Spinner
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Gulfstream IV, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., is operating from here through February collecting data over the Pacific Ocean to improve winter storm forecasts.

According to the NOAA website, this specialized aircraft, best known for investigating hurricanes, will be flown over the North Pacific Ocean to collect data which will enhance forecasts of winter storms for the entire North American continent through improved computer modeling.

"A more accurately initialized model will always generate a more accurate forecast down the road," said Jack Parrish, NOAA G-IV Winter Storms Reconnaissance project manager.

Previously, missions were only flown from Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast but by expanding their reach to Japan in early 2009, NOAA has increased both accuracy and allowed for more time to react to severe storms such as hurricanes, floods and tornadoes.

"The west coast National Weather Service personnel and emergency managers receive the equivalent of an extra day's lead time to organize the response to the arriving storm, when these flights are conducted," said Mr. Parrish.

Their research plays an essential role in meteorological support for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver in addition to more precise precipitation forecasts along the U.S. West Coast and points further east.

"The NOAA G-IV flights acquire atmospheric data that has a positive impact on severe winter weather forecasts generally four to five days from the time we fly, anywhere from Alaska to the U.S. West Coast, to occasionally significant positive results as far as New England and beyond," said Mr. Parrish.

The NOAA employees, made up of NOAA Corps officers and civil servants, plan to accomplish 20 flights from Yokota Air Base during January and February. Another 10 to 12 missions are planned from Honolulu during March.

For more information on NOAA, visit http://www.noaa.gov.