Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 09:55:52 PM

Title: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 09:55:52 PM
I've noticed this on my local Radar twice within a few weeks. If you look NW of Altus you'll notice a U shaped echo that expands outward fairly rapidly.
I'm at a total loss as to what it could be. Me being the weather geek I am can't stand not knowing what it is. Anyone on here got any idea whats causing these?

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map33.gif)

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map12.gif)
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Tupac on July 13, 2010, 09:59:06 PM
I've noticed this on my local Radar twice within a few weeks. If you look NW of Altus you'll notice a U shaped echo that expands outward fairly rapidly.
I'm at a total loss as to what it could be. Me being the weather geek I am can't stand not knowing what it is. Anyone on here got any idea whats causing these?

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map33.gif)

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map12.gif)

Hmm, could be a glitch in the radar.
Do you have any batcaves nearby? When the bats start coming out in the caves in austin the radar actually picks them up.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: USRanger on July 13, 2010, 10:02:54 PM
They are coming... :noid
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 10:03:57 PM
Hmm, could be a glitch in the radar.
Do you have any batcaves nearby? When the bats start coming out in the caves in austin the radar actually picks them up.

none that i'm aware of. But its something i'll check just to be certain.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Blooz on July 13, 2010, 10:05:54 PM
Got a windmill farm out there?

We get an echo from doppler off the windmills spinning on the hilltops around here.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Jayhawk on July 13, 2010, 10:10:29 PM
A massive fart.

The expanding hot gasses hit cool air in the atmosphere causing a quick burst of build-up.

Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 10:10:43 PM
Got a windmill farm out there?

We get an echo from doppler off the windmills spinning on the hilltops around here.

No there's not any windfarms in that area.

Also i found no information on any batcaves in that area.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 10:12:31 PM
A massive fart.

The expanding hot gasses hit cool air in the atmosphere causing a quick burst of build-up.




LMAO! Great explanation there  :rofl  :rofl
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: bravoa8 on July 13, 2010, 10:15:32 PM
I haven't seen this I guess that's cause I never look at that radar :lol . I dunno what it could be though...
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Tupac on July 13, 2010, 10:19:32 PM
Usually bats come out at the same time every night, and there is a 2 hour difference in the times, so i dont think its bats
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 10:23:39 PM
Usually bats come out at the same time every night, and there is a 2 hour difference in the times, so i dont think its bats

True. And it doesn't happen everynight. Only occasionaly
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: AWwrgwy on July 13, 2010, 10:24:04 PM
Do you have any batcaves nearby? When the bats start coming out in the caves in austin the radar actually picks them up.

Are they above 65 feet?  Because you know you historically cant see anything on radar that low.  I also didn't realise how much metal was in a bat.

 :noid


wrongway
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: dkff49 on July 13, 2010, 10:28:25 PM
I also didn't realise how much metal was in a bat.

 :noid


wrongway

or in the clouds for that matter, or ummmmmmm uhhhhh wait that does not seem right.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Tupac on July 13, 2010, 10:47:43 PM
Are they above 65 feet?  Because you know you historically cant see anything on radar that low.  I also didn't realise how much metal was in a bat.

 :noid


wrongway

Sometimes they get up there, and i also didnt know there was metal in thnderstorms
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Drive on July 13, 2010, 10:54:44 PM
Yes, everyone knows radar needs to reflect off metal in order to generate a return....

 :headscratch:

Strip
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: E25280 on July 13, 2010, 10:55:26 PM
Speculation:  Altus is an air force base.  The image is directly on the other side of that base from the weather radar station and approximately the same distance radar - Altus and Altus - image.  There could be some interference from a radar station at the base itself which is registering as an echo.

Second speculation:  I tried to take a quick look on Google Earth to see if there was a hill or ridge that could cause a ground clutter type echo.  The terrain in that area changes from farm fields (presumably flat) to what looks to me to be a hill or ridge of some kind.  This could cause a ground clutter echo that is not being adequately corrected for.




Or it could be an alien landing site.  That would at least be more interesting.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Tupac on July 13, 2010, 11:18:40 PM
Or it could be an alien landing site.  That would at least be more interesting.

 :noid
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Killer91 on July 13, 2010, 11:26:41 PM
Speculation:  Altus is an air force base.  The image is directly on the other side of that base from the weather radar station and approximately the same distance radar - Altus and Altus - image.  There could be some interference from a radar station at the base itself which is registering as an echo.

Second speculation:  I tried to take a quick look on Google Earth to see if there was a hill or ridge that could cause a ground clutter type echo.  The terrain in that area changes from farm fields (presumably flat) to what looks to me to be a hill or ridge of some kind.  This could cause a ground clutter echo that is not being adequately corrected for.




Or it could be an alien landing site.  That would at least be more interesting.

Both are good points. I hadn't thought about the Air Force base there in Altus.
Also I had checked out google earth to and I noticed that hill to. But I wasn't sure if it could create the effect that was showing up on radar.

And really alien landing sight? I was thinking more along the lines of an uber n00k  :noid
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Stalwart on July 14, 2010, 01:12:34 AM
That's actually not to far from Stephenville... and we all know what happens in the sky around there.
 :noid
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: jay on July 14, 2010, 04:21:17 AM
the chaff grenades from metal gear solid??  :noid
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: BowHTR on July 14, 2010, 08:53:24 AM
i have that same radar
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Dragon on July 14, 2010, 10:17:09 AM
My first though was a hill or other terrain anomaly.






Wunderground is the bestest, btw.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Shuffler on July 14, 2010, 02:21:35 PM
In that loop the air is obviously unstable. North of the echo is a fairly strong buildup.

I was thinking that if the ground is fairly flat the winds are more or less moving unimpeded. If those winds meet a large hill or mountain they tend to create an updraft. If that updraft is carrying enough moisture then it'll cool as it rises forming a cloud bank and causing the echo.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: bravoa8 on July 14, 2010, 05:36:18 PM
They're probably bats.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: EskimoJoe on July 14, 2010, 05:47:11 PM
You could always call your news channel's weather team and ask?  :headscratch:
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: dedalos on July 15, 2010, 08:22:43 AM
Are they above 65 feet?  Because you know you historically cant see anything on radar that low.  I also didn't realise how much metal was in a bat.

 :noid


wrongway

Sad
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: cpxxx on July 15, 2010, 09:05:32 AM
What Shuffler said. It's a build up on one side of a hill. We have a similar phenomenon in this country. One side of a range of hills always has worse weather than the other. A fact that has claimed a couple of unwary pilots over the years. Looking at the radar you can see another similar but smaller u-shaped build up by Childress aligned like the big one. Presumably there is some high ground south east of Childress?
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: bozon on July 15, 2010, 10:16:24 AM
Vapor forming around a hill/mountain top would have been my first guess. If there is a big factory or farm that release a lot of gases that is another option. Any big chimneys visible in google in this area?
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: pwnorris on July 15, 2010, 10:45:04 AM
I've noticed this on my local Radar twice within a few weeks. If you look NW of Altus you'll notice a U shaped echo that expands outward fairly rapidly.
I'm at a total loss as to what it could be. Me being the weather geek I am can't stand not knowing what it is. Anyone on here got any idea whats causing these?

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map33.gif)

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map12.gif)

I'm doing some research on radar for another group.  My guess is that we have the weather at work here.  It could be that there part of the signal is being masked by the weather, giving the return a cresent shape. :headscratch: 

Weather radar will choose a frequency that will reflect off of weather.  It also tends to reflect off of other stuff in the air.  Maybe some atmospheric anomoly caused the signal to bend, but it doesn't make sense with the storm in one period and not in the other. :headscratch:
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: AWwrgwy on July 15, 2010, 08:03:41 PM
Sometimes they get up there, and i also didnt know there was metal in thnderstorms
Yes, everyone knows radar needs to reflect off metal in order to generate a return....

 :headscratch:

Strip
Sad

Using my interpolating skills, I deduced that the Mosquito, the plane not the bug, was invisible to radar as it was made of wood.  What does wood do?  It floats.  What also floats?


 :confused: :noid


wrongway
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: dkff49 on July 15, 2010, 08:14:11 PM
Using my interpolating skills, I deduced that the Mosquito, the plane not the bug, was invisible to radar as it was made of wood.  What does wood do?  It floats.  What also floats?


 :confused: :noid


wrongway

My understanding was that the Mossy was not invisible to radar but it's signature was significantly reduced due to the fact that the wood would absorb the sound waves and given the level of sophistication of the radar at the time it was nearly impossible to see them coming.

With today's level of radar they can see things with much greater detail making it possible to see things that were not possible earlier on. That is why they can see a rainstorm coming and possibly a large number of bats or many other things including (possibly) the Mossy (if there are any flying today).

This is just my understanding though it may be way off.


BTW what does floating have to do with radar? :headscratch:
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: DREDIOCK on July 15, 2010, 08:36:16 PM
What does wood do?  It floats.  What also floats?


 :confused: :noid


wrongway

ducks and Witches.

Its a witch party!
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Vulcan on July 15, 2010, 10:35:55 PM
My understanding was that the Mossy was not invisible to radar but it's signature was significantly reduced due to the fact that the wood would absorb the sound waves and given the level of sophistication of the radar at the time it was nearly impossible to see them coming.

ooooooooooooook then...
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: E25280 on July 15, 2010, 10:57:51 PM
Using my interpolating skills, I deduced that the Mosquito, the plane not the bug, was invisible to radar as it was made of wood.  What does wood do?  It floats.  What also floats?


 :confused: :noid


wrongway

(http://www.olive-drab.com/images/id_dukw_landing_full_2.jpg)
 :noid
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: Masherbrum on July 15, 2010, 11:49:32 PM
I've noticed this on my local Radar twice within a few weeks. If you look NW of Altus you'll notice a U shaped echo that expands outward fairly rapidly.
I'm at a total loss as to what it could be. Me being the weather geek I am can't stand not knowing what it is. Anyone on here got any idea whats causing these?

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map33.gif)

(http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss304/longhornsfan2010/WUNIDS_map12.gif)

Easy.

There are only two possibilities.   "Dry intrusion" (dry air being sucked into a thunderstorm per se) giving it a distinct V or U shape.  Severe thunderstorms have dry air mixing in the middle altitudes which can create an intrusion. Hail rising and descending in a thunderstorm would also appear as a missing area cutout from the storm.

You wanted the answer, that is the answer.
Title: Re: Unusual Radar Loop
Post by: dkff49 on July 16, 2010, 01:43:06 AM
ooooooooooooook then...


Sorry best description I could think of at the time. I've just always envisioned them more like sound waves than anything else. Same principle though.


Sorry wasn't thinking of you nit pickers here when I posted that.