Precipitation Precipitation

Precipitation
Depending on the form of precipitation, it
can reduce visibility, create icingsituations,
and affect landing and takeoff performance
of an aircraft.
Precipitation in any form poses a threat to
safety of flight.
Often, precipitation is accompanied by low
ceilings and reduced visibility
Precipitation can create hazards on the
runway surface itself
Icing
Updrafts in a thunderstorm support abundant
liquid water with relatively large droplet sizes.
When carried above the freezing level, the
water becomes supercooled.
Supercooled water freezes on impact with an
aircraft.
The abundance of large, supercooled water
droplets makes clear icing very rapid between
0 C and 15 C and encounters can be
frequent in a cluster of cells.
Thunderstorms are not the only area where
pilots could encounter icing conditions. Pilots
should be alert for icing anytime the
temperature approaches 0 C and visible
moisture is present.
Hail
Hail competes with turbulence as the greatest
thunderstorm hazard to aircraft.
Supercooleddrops above the freezing level
begin to freeze.
Once a drop has frozen, other drops latch on
and freeze to it, so the hailstone grows
sometimes into a huge ice ball.
Large hail occurs with severe thunderstorms
with strong updrafts that have built to great
heights.
Ceiling and Visibility
Ceiling
For aviation purposes, a ceiling is the lowest
layer of clouds reported as being broken or
overcast, or the vertical visibility into an
obscuration like fog or haze.
Clouds are reported as broken when five-
eighths to seven-eighths of the sky is
covered with clouds.
Overcast means the entire sky is covered
with clouds.
Los pilotos pueden acceder a dicha
informacin a travs de los informes
meteorolgicos rutinarios de aeropuerto,
conocidos como METAR. En ellos, aparte de
la cobertura nubosa, se proporciona tambien
el llamado techo de nubes , que
definiramos como la alturaa la que se
encuentra la base de la capa inferior de las
nubes, por debajo de20.000 ft (unos6.000
metros) y que cubre ms de la mitad del
cielo.
Current ceiling information is reported by
the aviation routine weather report (METAR)
Visibility
Visibility refers to the greatest horizontal
distance at which prominent objects can be
viewed with the naked eye.
Current visibility is also reported in METAR
and other aviation weather reports
Fog is a cloud that begins within Fog is a cloud that begins within
50 feet of the surface. 50 feet of the surface.
Fog
Niebla Niebla
This type of fog occurs when the
ground cools rapidly due to
terrestrial radiation, and the
surrounding air temperature
reaches its dew point.
Convective
Currents
Inversin
Low Low--Level Level Wind Wind Shear Shear
TROPICAL TROPICAL WEATHER WEATHER
Technically, the Tropics lie between latitudes 23 Technically, the Tropics lie between latitudes 23N and 23.5 N and 23.5S. However, weather S. However, weather
typical of this region sometimes extends as much as 45 typical of this region sometimes extends as much as 45from the Equator. from the Equator.
Estamos ante un clima clido, con una media de entre 25 y 27 Estamos ante un clima clido, con una media de entre 25 y 27 C C. .
La poca lluviosa tiene lugar cuando el sol est en el mismo hemisferio, muy alto en
el horizonte (en verano), mientras que la poca seca tiene lugar cuando el sol est
bajo en el horizonte (en invierno).
En este contexto el clima tropical seco y hmedo se caracteriza por tener dos
estaciones muy marcadas, una muy lluviosa y otra muy seca.
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical
easterly waves, also known as African
easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a
type of atmospheric trough, an elongated
area of relatively low air pressure, oriented
north to south, which move from east to
westacross the tropics causing areas of
cloudiness and thunderstorms.
Una onda tropical en el Ocano Atlntico "es
un tipo de vaguada", es decir, un rea
alargada de relativa baja presin orientada
de norte a sur.
La ondas tropicales son transportadas hacia
el oeste por los vientos alisios, que soplan
paralelos a los trpicos, y pueden conducir a
la formacin de ciclones tropicales en las
cuencas del Ocano Atlntico norte y del
Pacfico nororiental
Tropical Tropical Waves Waves
Formacin de las ondas tropicales Formacin de las ondas tropicales
Weather over Open Sea
In the trade wind belt, skies over open
water are about one-half covered by clouds
on the average. Tops range from 3,000 to
8,000 feet depending on height of the
inversion. Showers, although more
common than under a subtropical high, are
still light with comparatively little rainfall.
Flying weather generally is quite good.
Island Weather
Mountainous islands have the most dramatic
effect on trade wind weather. Since trade
winds are consistently from approximately
the same direction, they always strike the
same side of the island; this side is the
windward side. The opposite side is the
leeward side. Winds blowing up the
windward side produce copious and frequent
rainfall.
Downslope winds on the leeward slopes dry
the air leaving relatively clear skies and much
less rainfall.
The greatest flying hazard near these islands is obscured mountain tops.
Ceiling and visibility occasionally restrict VFRflight on the windward side in showers.
IFRweather is virtually nonexistent on leeward slopes.
If it becomes necessary to If it becomes necessary to ditch ditchin the ocean, look for a tall cumulus. If you see one, in the ocean, look for a tall cumulus. If you see one,
head for it. It probably marks a land surface, increasing your chances of survival. head for it. It probably marks a land surface, increasing your chances of survival.