DESERT STORM WEATHER 17 JANUARY-2 MARCH 1991

File: aabva_61.txt
Page: 61
Total Pages: 106
DESERT STORM                                             11 February 1991

General Weather. High pressure was centered over southeastern
Saudi Arabia, but low pressure formed over western Saudi Arabia.
The subtropical jet stream brought Increased moisture in the mid
and upper-levels to Iraq and northern Saudi Arabia.  A mid-level
disturbance moving over Iraq and northern Saudi Arabia caused the
isolated thunderstorms and rainshowers shown in Figure 3-28.

Area of Interest.  Scattered  over western Iraq became
broken with bases at 20,000 feet from morning through
afternoon. There were scattered low clouds over northwestern
Saudi Arabia.  Scattered low clouds also developed during the
afternoon over northeastern and east-central Saudi Arabia,
becoming broken with bases at 4,000-6,000 feet by late afternoon.
Isolated late afternoon and evening thunderstorms with rainshowers
formed over northeastern Saudi Arabia. Tops were about 35,000
feet. Light rain fell over east-central Saudi Arabia during late
evening. Visibilities in precipitation were 5-7 km.

Area of Intense Interest.  Scattered to broken upper clouds with
bases at 22,000-25,000 feet were present during the morning and
mid-afternoon over central Iraq.  Morning skies were clear over
Kuwait and southeast Iraq, but smoke plumes are visible in Figure
3-28. Cloudiness decreased in central Iraq during the day, but
increased in southeastern Iraq and Kuwait. Skies became
scattered to broken, occasionally overcast, at 4,000-6,000 feet. By
late afternoon, thunderstorms (tops to 35,000 feet) and rainshowers
has formed over Kuwait; they moved off to the east and
dissipated by late evening.

Winds accompanying the thunderstorms in Kuwait reached 25-35
knots, but over the rest of the area, they were northwesterly at
10-15 knots.

Smoke and haze lowered morning visibilities 10 4,800 meters In
Kuwait and southeastern Iraq. Rain and rainshowers reduced
evening visibilities 101,600-3,200 meters.

High temperatures were 10-15( C; lows were 0-5( C.



3-60