NCAR Media Advisory

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2002-MA4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2002

Media Advisory:
Media Day for Major U.S. Weather Study

Monday, May 13

BOULDER—Reporters are invited to a special information day on Monday, May 13, at Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, to learn about the International H2O Project, one of the largest U.S. weather studies ever conducted.

In a morning briefing beginning at 10:00 a.m. (see schedule, below), IHOP2002 scientists will describe the where and why of their hunt for water vapor in the southern Great Plains this summer. Reporters will get first-hand information about clusters of strange instruments now appearing in farm fields, high-tech weather vehicles that will be combing the roads, and low-altitude research flights about to enter the skies over Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.

Two research aircraft--a King Air and a Learjet--and various weather research vans will be open for viewing after the briefing. The University of Wyoming's King Air will take off on its first IHOP2002 mission in the late morning, weather permitting. Nearby in Norman, at the study's operations center, researchers will show reporters what goes on at home base on a typical operations day.

Reporters should meet at the AAR office at Will Rogers Airport. Directions to the AAR office and to the operations center in Norman follow, along with a schedule of the day's events. For more information, see the Web sites listed below, or call the media contacts shown above.

On the Web: IHOP home page More on IHOP science (news release) More on IHOP operations (news release)

IHOP2002 Media Day Events, Will Rogers Airport, May 13

10:00-10:20 a.m.
Press briefing: Three short presentations by IHOP scientists

• Tammy Weckwerth, IHOP2002 co-lead scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research
  How knowing more about water vapor will improve forecasts of summer storms and rain.

• Dave Parsons, IHOP2002 co-lead scientist, also from NCAR
  What you will see: Airplanes, weather vans, balloons, radars, lidars. What to do if you find strange little instruments with parachutes in your back yard. Other sites for reporters to visit in Norman and the Oklahoma Panhandle.

• Conrad Ziegler, scientist, National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL)
  A typical IHOP2002 operations day.

10:20-10:30 a.m.
Questions from reporters: Panelists and other researchers respond.

10:30-10:40 a.m.
Weather briefing

• Paul Janish, Storm Prediction Center
  To go or not to go: What will IHOP2002 scientists look for in the weather?

10:45-noon
Interviews: Reporters interview panelists, scientists, and engineers.

• Research vehicles and balloon launch
  
  • SMART-Radar, mobile 5-cm Doppler Radar operated by NSSL researchers, along with partners Texas A&M, Texas Tech and University of Oklahoma
    
  • Mobile Mesonet sedan with weather instruments mounted on the roof
    
  • Field Coordination van equipped with high-tech communications equipment
    
  • Mobile Sounding vehicle for launching weather balloons
    
• Aircraft
  Visit Hanger 1B to view interior of Learjet and King Air research aircraft. The King Air may take off during or following media day events, depending on the weather. Photographers are invited to film the takeoff.

1:00 p.m.
Depart for IHOP Operations Center at NSSL, Norman

• Researchers will describe IHOP2002 activities at the Operations Center, starting at 2:00 p.m.

Directions

Take I-40 W to the I-44 W/OK-3 E (Exit number 147A); exit on the left (south) towards LAWTON.
Continue on I-44 W (southward) approximately 3 miles.
Take the AIRPORT RD (Exit number 116B). Continue on AIRPORT RD. (west) about 1 mile.
Take the SOUTHBOUND MERIDIAN AVE exit towards WILL ROGERS AIRPORT.
Continue approximately 1.25 miles to the AAR Office at 6611 S. Meridian Ave.

Exit airport going north .5 miles on TERMINAL DR (becomes MERIDIAN), first right after light
Turn right (east) on SW 54TH ST (becomes SW 59TH ST) for about 1.5 miles heading
toward I-44 (also known as I-240)
Turn right at second light to merge onto I-44 WEST (I-240)
Stay straight to go onto I-240 EAST
Follow I-240 EAST 4.5 miles around South side of Oklahoma City.
Take I-35 SOUTH, exit number 4A, towards DALLAS.
Continue on I-35 SOUTH 11 miles to ROBINSON ST EAST (exit 110-B).
Take ROBINSON ST EAST 1.6 miles to light at BERRY RD and
Turn left (north) until road ends at a "T".
Turn left onto WESTHEIMER DR.
Turn left onto HALLEY AVE.
The National Severe Storms Laboratory and the Storm Prediction Center are on the right at 1313 HALLEY AVE. Parking is on the south side. Please go to the reception area and request access to the IHOP operations center.

-The End-