23 July 2003 – Flight 813

Research Flight from GXY

Pilot: Charlie Summers

T.O. 22:45 UT

T.D. ~23:30 UT

A short wave coming through a ridge over the Front Range helped trigger elevated convective development 20 to 30 nmi N of CHILL by late afternoon. The T-28 was launched when tops on the most organized cells were rising through 24 kft AGL.  Several passes at 18 kft MSL were made through 2 cells. Peak reflectivities were less than or equal to 45 dBZ, and turbulence was light.

An NO test was conducted at 2255. Lightning was noted in the electric field record at 23:19 just at the end of the final cloud pass, although the pilot did not see it visually.