First rain in months keeps 451st OSS Weather Flight on toes

Published Oct. 29, 2010
By Senior Airman Melissa B. White
451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The first rain in months showers Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, but doesn't give the 451st Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight cold feet Oct. 29.

With the last recorded rain being May 16, the change of weather has kept the weather flight busy for the past couple of days.

"Forecasting for rain showers and thunderstorms in Afghanistan is more complicated than in the states because the increase in winds caused by outflow boundaries kicks up the dust and reduces visibility," said Capt. Brandee Harral, 451st EOSS Weather Flight commander. "In addition, we do not have lightning detectors or a Doppler radar to aid in tracking the storm cells which can make it a challenge to forecast the timing and intensity of the weather system. Our biggest eyes forward are the pilots who provide weather information to us ..."

Though there are some challenges with predicting storms here, that didn't slow this weather flight down from getting the news out to Airmen and those supporting the flying mission. Supporting more than 500 missions weekly, the weather flight provides vital information to close-air support, airdrops, aeromedical evacuations, airlifts, refueling, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

"Weather updates are critical for a lot of missions here," said Captain Harral, who is deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill. "Airdrop missions are critical, and a lot of times they depend on our predictions for wind to get their stuff to land in a decent spot."

Airdrops are an essential source for resupplying the troops on the ground, and having crucial weather information could make the difference of getting supplies directly to the troops rather than hundreds of yards away. During the recent storm, with up-to-date weather information, the C-130 crews here were able to maintain near 100 percent accuracy with their airdrops.

The three Airmen assigned to the 451st EOSS Weather Flight control one of five weather shops on the airfield, sharing the responsibilities with other services and their NATO partners. Their shop specifically impacts a total of nine Air Force and Marine Corps flying squadrons with 24/7 weather support to assist with resource protection and flight and personnel safety.

"With the recent rain, our biggest challenge is adjusting our fuel plans. Poor weather drives us to divert to a different landing location, which forces us to always carry extra gas. This typically means less time on station and more trips to the tanker," said Capt. Chris Petek, 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron pilot. "The updates from the weather flight give us the necessary information to plan for the extra gas. Their updates also let us know where in the theater we most likely can work and support troops on the ground visually."

One of the biggest weather concerns is dust storms, a common occurrence in the region. The dust storms typically last three to five days and are more common in the summer months. Summer temperatures have also been recorded as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hot or not, the weather is always changing.

"Sometimes it's hard to predict," said Tech. Sgt. Eric Andrews, 451st EOSS Weather Flight NCO in charge. "It's like a whole deck of cards that you're building up, and then it just collapses. Sometimes, you can miss one little thing and it throws off your prediction, or sometimes the weather can just sneak up on you."

Now, the seasons are changing. This first rain storm kicks off what is known as the rainy season in Kandahar. The season's harshest parts generally span from January to February and can bring an average of two inches of rain a month, or as much as five to six inches a month. Winter temperatures generally average in the upper 50s, but can also dip down as low as five degrees Fahrenheit.

"Weather will become more of a concern to flight operations as we move into the winter months because the increase in cloud cover, precipitation, and fog will obstruct the view of the mountains," said Captain Harral.

What will be their next prediction ... maybe snow?

"Not likely," chuckled the captain who has been here since July. "Last winter, there were no reports of snow in Kandahar; however, there have been winters where five to seven days of traces of snow were reported during the months of January and February."

Rain showers Kandahar