Delta Air Lines Meteorology

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Department Information

• Begin in 1960

• 12 Meteorologist

• 2-3 Meteorologist on-shift • every hour, every day• 1 Surface Forecaster• 1-2 Upper Air Forecaster

• Weather data comes in from WSI and the NWS

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Primary Customers

• Flight Control and OCC• Flight Operations• In-Flight• Stations• De-Icing Operators

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Upper Air Hazards

Metro Alerts include:• Turbulence• Mountain Waves• Thunderstorms• Low Level Turbulence/Wind Shear• Tropical Systems• Volcanic Ash• Icing

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Upper Air Turbulence Chart

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Upper Air Turbulence Chart

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Metro Alert Example

SE1 031908-041500 ******* SOUTH CENTRAL REGION ******OVR MS-GA-SC-NC..FM SJI-MCN-CAE-RDU..100NM WIDE LINE OF LGT-MDT TURBC AT FL340-390/TROP MOVG SE 10KTS.

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Current Text Distribution

Meteorologisttypes forecast

Main Frame

DispatcherQueue

Flight’s MetroBriefing Message

FlightsAffected

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Monitors:PIREPS – for icing and turbulenceVolcano Activity

Suggest:Smoothest Flight Levels

Upper Air Meteorologists

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** NORTH ATLANTIC EBND FLT PLANNING MSG - 14 NOV 08 **/1. COLD TEMPS..ERN TRACKS-EUROPE (FL370-390)..SEE MAP/2. RTES/FLS.. COASTAL NEW ENGLAND: SUGG AOB FL320..NBFL LOWER. OVR SERN CANADA: SUGG FL340-360..NBFL HIGHER. TRACKS/SRN RANDOMS (32-20W): SUGG FL310-340..NBFL HIGHER. OVR WRN EUR: MIN COST..NBFL HIGHER. SCANDINAVIA/ERN EUROPE/WRN RUSSIA: SUGG 270-340..NBFL HIGHER. /3. ETPS.. YYT/YQX/YJT/YYR..USEABLE. KEF/TER..USEABLE. DUB/GLA..USEABLE. TRD/OSL..USEABLE. LIS..USEABLE.

Flight Planning Message Example

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Normal Operations:

• 3 Shift Change Briefings with Stations• Dispatcher Briefings• Planning for the week/weekend• TAFs

Irregular Operations (IROPS):

• Tropical Activity• Major Snowstorm

Surface Desk

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DELTA TAF CITIES

SLC

LAXATL

MCO

CVG

DCA, IAD, BWI

PHL

LGA, JFK, EWR

BOS

TAF Cities

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DCARunway 04/22: 4911 feet

Runway 15/33: 5204 feet

Runway 01/19: 6869 feet

Our aircraft fleet generally prefers 5500ft.

Leaves operation on Runway 01/19

Strong winds from the west or east cause

crosswind issues.

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DCAMax Cross Wind

MD88/90 30

B737-800 36

B737-800 W 33

B757-200 29

B767 29

B777 38

Wind Direction

Runway 01/19Max winds to stay below

29kt Cross Wind

360 60+

040 51

090 29

140 41

180 60+

220 51

270 29

310 35

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Delta TAF Example

TERMINAL FORECASTATL DL 231405 AMD 02 VALID 231405-240400 UTC FM231400 09010KT 2SM -RA FG OVC003 TEMPO 1SM -RA FG FM232000 17010KT 2SM -RA FG OVC008 FM232200 29010KT 5SM -RA OVC010 FM240000 31012KT 7SM OVC015DISCUSSION – LOW CIGS WILL IMPROVE AFTER FRONT MOVES

THRU AND WINDS BECOME FROM THE WEST.

• Extra fuel and alternates are needed when clouds are below 1000ft or visibility is below 2SM or thunderstorms are forecast.

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Deicing Chart

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Deicing Chart

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Hurricane Chart

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Deicing Chart

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Long Range Planning Forecast – Day 1- 5

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Flight Planning System uses GFS Wind forecast.

Back-up source is UKMO.

Also Supply:• Radar• Satellite• Lightning• Charts• Text Data (METARS, TAFS, SIGMETS, etc)

Delta Meteorology Provides:

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My weather radar became inop. Can I continue to my

destination?

Will that broken line of thunderstorms become solid?

What does that unusual code in the TAF/METAR

mean?

What is the best alternate?

What do you think about the SIGMET?