DESERT STORM WEATHER 17 JANUARY-2 MARCH 1991

File: aabva_79.txt
Page: 79
Total Pages: 106
DESERT STORM                                             20 February 1991

General Weather.  The low over Iraq moved eastward into Iran as
the secondary low over northern Saudi Arabia moved southeast
along the Persian Gulf coast  Thunderstorm activity that started the
day before continued across eastern Iraq, Kuwait and northeastern
Saudi Arabia.  Lines of thunderstorms moved gradually eastward
as new cells developed on their southwestern ends.

Area of Interest.  A cold front moved southeast across central and
eastern Saudi Arabia, producing scattered rainshowers and
visibilities as low as 800 meters in blowing dust. Skies were
scattered from 4,000 to 6,000 feet, and broken from 10,000 to
15,000 feet.  Thunderstorms that had been in Northern Iraq earlier
in the day moved into Iran, followed by broken to overcast low and
middle clouds with ceilings at 3,500 feet Western Iraq remained
generally clear.  Figure 3-38 shows conditions In late morning.

Area of Intense Interest. Thunderstorms moved across the area
from west to east.  Bases were at 1,000 feet and tops reached
40,000 feet.  Cloud cover outside thunderstorms was broken to
overcast, and multilayered from 3,000 to 35,000 feet. Surface
moisture helped produce low broken clouds west of the front in
central Iraq; ceilings were 3,500 feet, with tops to 6,000 feet.
There were also broken middle clouds from 10,000 to 15,000 feet
Parts of south-central Iraq and north-central Saudi Arabia cleared
as the thunderstorms moved east

Precipitation was moderate to heavy In thunderstorms, but light
away from the strong cells.

Winds were east-southeasterly at 10-20 knots, becoming west
northwesterly at 10-25 knots as the storms moved through.
Isolated gusts in thunderstorms were above 30 knots.

Visibilities were 9 km outside thunderstorms, but less than 1,000
meters In heavy thundershowers. Blowing dust in areas along the
front that had not received much rain lowered visibilities to 7 km.
Evening fog formed along the Persian Gulf coast, lowering
visibilities to 1,500 meters by 2300Z.

High temperatures ranged from 24( C In the southeast ahead of the
cold fron to as low as 15( in the northwest behind it.  Lows were
9(C In the North and 14(C in the southeast



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