AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 88

P&E

WX WATCH
AOPA Wx Watch coverage sponsored by DTC DUATS

Convective
coverages
Convective sigmets-the first line of defense
BY THOMAS A. HORNE

WHETHER YOU believe in global warming or
not, here's a hard fact: the days are getting
warmer as we make our way toward summer. And that means thunderstorm season
is here. In fact, some of the worst convective weather occurs in April and May,
when supercell systems march through
the Midwest.
By now we all should be on the lookout for convective sigmets. You can learn
of convective sigmets via a preflight briefing from Flight Service stations, on the
Internet through the Aviation Digital Data
Service (ADDS, at www.aviationweather.
gov), and in the cockpit from talking with
Flight Watch on 122.0 MHz. Datalink
weather service providers also can give us
both graphic and text postings of convective sigmets. Graphics are always best, of
course, because you receive a clear picture
of the coverage area-and your position relative to it. This relieves you of the tedious
chore-especially tedious if you're busy

88 | AOPA PILOT April 2014

CLUSTERS and lines of thunderstorm
cells run in a line from the Ohio Valley
to the Gulf of Mexico (top). A classic
hook echo (above) is a good indicator
of a tornado.

flying!-of looking up and locating the
VORs that serve as sigmet boundaries.
Unless, like the gifted few among us, you've
committed VOR identifiers to memory.
Here are a few convective sigmet basics
you need to understand:
When are they issued?
* When thunderstorms are occurring, or
* When forecasters expect them to form
* On a scheduled basis at 55 minutes after
the hour. If no convection is expected, then
the issuance will say "Convective sigmet...
none."
What are the conditions and coverage
implications?
* A line or lines of thunderstorms at least
60 nm long with storms affecting at least 40
percent of the length of a line or lines.
* Active thunderstorms affecting at least
3,000 square miles, with storm coverage of at least 40 percent of the area. The
storms exhibit very strong radar reflectivities, and/or significant satellite or lightning
signatures.
* Embedded or severe thunderstorm(s) are
expected to occur for more than 30 minutes
during the valid time, regardless of the size
of the area.
Pilots have issues with these definitions
and issuance guidelines. One big gripe is that
3,000-square-mile parameter. Entire multistate regions of the nation fit this criterion,
so why put out a convective sigmet when
only 40 percent of this area experiences-or
is expected to experience-thunderstorms?
"I'm only flying locally, or making a short
cross-country flight outside that 40-percent
area," you might say.



http://www.duat.com http://www.aviationweather.gov http://www.aviationweather.gov

AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014

AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014
Contents
President’s Position
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Endeavor Awards
Debonair Sweepstakes
Pilot Products
Events
People
First Look
Test Pilot
Industry News
Airport Stories
AOPA Action
GAMA report
Regional Events
Fly-Outs
Time Traveler
Craftsmanship: Where Wacos Take Wing
Luxury-Level LSA
Culture of the Smallest Corps
Cost Comparison
Proficiency
Dogfight
Wx Watch
Avionics
Never Again
AOPA Action
State & Local Action
AOPA Foundation
Member Services
Insurance Services
Fly by Wire
Tips from PIC
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Endeavor Awards
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Debonair Sweepstakes
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Pilot Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Events
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - People
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - First Look
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Industry News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Airport Stories
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - D1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - D2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - GAMA report
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Regional Events
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Time Traveler
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Craftsmanship: Where Wacos Take Wing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Luxury-Level LSA
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Culture of the Smallest Corps
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cost Comparison
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Proficiency
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Dogfight
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Wx Watch
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Avionics
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - State & Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Member Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Insurance Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Tips from PIC
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cover4
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