Quiz: question?

Question

In a TAF, how does a forecaster tell a pilot about the possibility of a SEVERE thunderstorm within the TERMINAL area?

Answer 1

TAF -

PROB30 2124 2SM TSRA BKN010CB

The 'TSRA' indicates rain associated with thunderstorm.

If there were a '+' sign in front of it, it would mean severe.

Answer 2

Issuance of a Sigmet or Convective Sigment

However in a TAF a +TSRA, +GR, a SQ, a FC or a +FC ,WS are always bad.

a really bad TAF would look like this... TAF ....22045G80 2SM 25/18  SQ  +FC +TSRA GR WS050/18095kts   - (a squall line with a well delvolped funnel cloud, thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail, and low level windshear at 500 feet, wind 180 at 95kts)

edit- i made this one up of course.. If this was a real taf.. i would bury my self under ground.. or avoid the whole region not just the state..

Answer 3

There would be no mention other than the TSRA

The product that one must check for information about severe thunderstorms is a Convective Sigmet (WST).

WSTs are forecasts issued and updated every two hours.  When one of them is issued, a pilot better take notice.

Answer 4

great question.  found it in the faa ac 00-45E

never though of that.

good one for my cfi brief that my candiates will be doing next week.

I see you point and it is very valid.

here is one for you .....afer I endorse a student for a knowledge test how long is th esignoff godd for.   I have printed out and read the knowledge test conduct guide and called laser grade.?  get back in an email....

seriously impresive thoughts

Answer 5

there is no such thing like a >severe< thunderstorm. there is only icing value using "severe" description

thunderstorms are encoded by TS, or TSRA when combined with rain.

edit

http://www.bragg.army.mil/www-wx/taf_cod...

no severe thunderstorms, just descriptor of phenomena TS and +heavy/ - light / nil moderate intensity

http://www.nwas.org/committees/avnwxcour...

here somewhere SEV abbreviation appears near thunderstorms, havent found that yet.

edit2:

found it, its SIGMET information

>

A Convective SIGMET is issued when any of the following minimum criteria are met:

        Ã‚· Severe thunderstorms (SEV). A severe thunderstorm is defined as one containing hail ł 3/4 inch in diameter, winds ł 50 knots, and/or a tornado.

>end of copypaste.

the sigmet pops up in decoded view anyway :) usually "TS observed and forecasted"

Answer 6

SQ in a TAF is a big attention-getter for me.  I haven't seen FC or GR in a TAF anywhere I have flown, but those are certainly other attention-getters, as is VRB50G80.

EDIT: I didn't mention that those items above would be in addition to TS.

Captsead: If I ever see that in a TAF, I think I'd leave the state.  I don't even want to be on the ground for that!

edit - yeah, I thought leaving the state might not be enough, although that does sound somewhat apocalyptic, so running away might not do any good... Thanks for the chuckle anyway!

EDIT- You already know how much I enjoy these roundtable discussions as a way to dig deeper.  I was the same kind of instructor when I was teaching actively - I was never satisfied until I knew there was a correlation level understanding.

I was wondering what you were getting at when you stressed the "TERMINAL" area with the added emphasis.  Everybody has been correct in saying that severe thunderstorms are stated as such in convective sigmets, center weather advisories, and convective outlooks... But TAFs are only good for within 5nm of the airport (although they do include VC, meaning 5 to 10 nm from the airport).

I applaud your research... but I do have to throw this out there - as far as a TAF is concerned for OPERATIONAL purposes, is there a reason to discern between a severe and a "non-severe" thunderstorm?  I understand extra precautions of getting a plane in a hangar, or triple-chocking the wheels and installing all available control locks... but an active TS of any magnitude should be a sign to delay the operation or go somewhere else.

Answer 7

Man you ask some zinger's. I get a kick out them even though I dont always fell confident enough to go on record and open myself up to possibly being shot down by answering one wrong.

What I want to know is who are you?

Rod Machado? John or Martha King? A DE? FAA? Retired 35,000hour United Cap with a billion track crossings?

Just kinda wondering for the fun of it. Have a great day. I am. I am out flying in the bright sunshine today in MI. Super cold though OAT was 3F and it did not lapse at all up to 13,000.