2012 NDCMP Final Report North Dakota Cloud Seeding

7/28/2019 2012 NDCMP Final Report North Dakota Cloud Seeding

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2012 NDCMP Final Operations ReportState of North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board State Water Commission

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report details Weather Modification, Inc. (WMI) activities during the 2012 NDCMP field operations.

This was the 52nd consecutive summer season of the NDCMP project. Operations were conducted by WMI

in this, the final season of a three-year contract with the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board

(NDARB). WMI provided eight specially modified aircraft, seeding equipment, pilots, aircraft maintenance,

aircraft data systems, aircraft tracking and telemetry, intern copilot training, and communications

equipment in the state radars.

The aircraft mix was the same as 2010-11, with a

high-performance, turbine powered aircraft (Piper

Cheyenne II) serving as the Williston cloud-top

seeding aircraft. The Minot cloud-top seeding

aircraft was a hybrid along with one of the

Bowman aircraft, meaning that those aircraft

(Cessna 340As) are primarily base seeders, but

with the capability and equipment to conduct top

seeding. The other five aircraft (Piper Seneca II)on the project continued to be base seeding only.

Figure 1 (left). N9798C, Seed 5 conducts a routine

maintenance flight near Watford City, ND on a sunny

August evening. Picture by WMI pilot Greg Snodgrass.

District I included Bowman County, and, Conner,

Hume, Carroll, Cash, Sheets, Mineral Springs, and

Cedar Creek Townships of southern Slope County.

Two aircraft were based in Bowman, one capable

of conducting cloud-top seeding if needed (a

C340A hybrid), and the other a base-seeding

Seneca II.

District II operated in McKenzie, Mountrail, Ward

and Williams Counties. One cloud-base aircraft

each was based in Stanley and Kenmare, and two cloud-base aircraft were based in Watford City. A

hybrid C340A aircraft was based in Minot, and the cloud-top aircraft was based in Williston.

Operations were conducted on a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week basis. The project period ran from June

1 through August 31. A summary of project data shows that the eight project aircraft flew a total of 639.85

hours (District I 131.23 hours, District II 508.62), dispensing 139.85 kilograms of silver iodide and 4,767.2

lbs. of dry ice pellets.


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The weather for the 2012 NDCMP was characterized mostly by upper level ridges setting up over the

project areas being broken down by shortwaves. The summer started out very active as several shortwaves

moved through both districts. District II operated on a nearly daily basis in June, while operations in District

I were conducted every few days (near normal). Flight hours for the 2012 season were above average due

to the active early summer weather pattern. July was still a fairly active month, while operations in August

declined significantly, especially for District II.

Even with an active start to the 2012 season, precipitation amounts for the summer (JuneAugust) were

below average. This is partially due to having many thunderstorms with higher cloud bases than average,

which caused less of the precipitation to actually make it to the surface. Moderate drought conditions

existed in District I for most of the summer, while slight drought conditions existed in District II during the

latter part of the summer. Rain enhancement continued through the end of project due to dry conditions,

even though harvest started in midAugust. Overall, it was a typical summer leaning more towards the

dry side.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................. .............................. .............................. ............................... .... 2

1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 8

2.0 ECONOMIC IMPACT....................................................................................................................113.0 2012 AIRCRAFT CONTRACTOR ....................................................................................................12

4.0 PROJECT DESIGN ........................................................................................................................13

5.0 OPERATIONAL AREAS .................................................................................................................13

5.1 WMI AIRCRAFT BASE LOCATIONS ...............................................................................................................13

5.2 NDARB WEATHER RADAR SITES..................................................................................................................15

6.0 DAILY OPERATIONS ....................................................................................................................16

7.0 METEOROLOGICAL SYNOPSIS .....................................................................................................17

7.1 JUNE 2012 .................................................................................................................................................17

7.2 JULY 2012 ..................................................................................................................................................19

7.3 AUGUST 2012 ............................................................................................................................................20

7.4 WEATHER SEASON IN SUMMARY...............................................................................................................22

8.0 AIRCRAFT ...................................................................................................................................22

8.1 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ..........................................................................................................................24

8.2 WMIAIRCRAFT TELEMETRYSYSTEM- AIRLINK............................................................................................25

9.0 SEEDING EQUIPMENT.................................................................................................................26

9.1 SEEDING EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE .......................................................................................................27

10.0 WEATHER RADAR SYSTEM..........................................................................................................28

11.0 PROJECT RECORD KEEPING.........................................................................................................30

12.0 WMI AND NDARB PROJECT PERSONNEL .....................................................................................31

12.1 GROUND SCHOOL......................................................................................................................................31

12.2 PILOTS.......................................................................................................................................................32

12.3 COPILOT INTERNSHIP.................................................................................................................................32

12.4 NDARB METEOROLOGY STAFF ...................................................................................................................33

12.5 NDARB ADMINISTRATION..........................................................................................................................37

12.6 WEATHER MODIFICATIONINC. ADMINISTRATION......................................................................................38

13.0 PUBLIC RELATIONS .....................................................................................................................40

13.1 SAMACONFERENCE...................................................................................................................................40


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14.0 AWARDS............................. .............................. ............................... .............................. .............40

WILBUR E. BREWER PROFESSIONALISM AWARD .....................................................................................................40

OUTSTANDING INTERN AWARD..............................................................................................................................40

15.0 POLCAST (POLARIMETRIC CLOUD ANALYSIS AND SEEDING TEST) IV............................................41

16.0 CONTRACTORS SUMMARY ............................. ............................... .............................. ..............43

APPENDIX ITEMS....................................................................................................................................44

APPENDIX A ...........................................................................................................................................................44

APPENDIX B ............ .............. .............. .............. .............. ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............. ..... 44


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 (left). N9798C, Seed 5 conducts a routine maintenance flight near Watford City, ND on a sunny

August evening. Picture by WMI pilot Greg Snodgrass............................................. .............................. ...... 2

Figure 2 (left). Fields of barley lay in wait for a looming hail storm in the distance. Picture provided by WMI.

.................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Figure 3. Weather Modification, Inc. and Fargo Jet Center headquarters, located on Hector Intl Airport,

Fargo ND.....................................................................................................................................................12

Figure 4 (left). N39655 (Seed 4) returns to base after a mission during sunset. Photo by WMI pilot Phil

Kost. ...........................................................................................................................................................13

Figure 5 (left). NDARB personnel, (Mark Schneider shown) assess the runway situation in Watford City, ND.

Due to construction during the 2012 NDMCP project period, fuel was not available at this location. The two

aircraft based here (Seed 5 and Seed 6) routinely fueled in Williston or Stanley prior to returning to Watford

City after each mission. Photo courtesy of NDARB......................................... .............................. ...............14

Figure 6 (right). 2012 NDCMP Operational Target Areas. Graphic provided by NDARB............................. ..15

Figure 7. Throughout the summer, precipitation was below normal for most of North Dakota....... ............17

Figure 8. District I precipitation was slightly, to well below, normal for June, while precipitation in portions

of District II was well above normal.............................................................................................................18

Figure 9. SPC severe hail reports for June showing District II with significant hail reports, and District I with

no significant reports. .............................. .............................. .............................. ............................... ........18

Figure 10. Precipitation in both districts was slightly below, to fairly well below, normal for July................19

Figure 11. SPC severe hail reports for July showing significant hail reports for both districts.......................20

Figure 12. Precipitation for District II was well below normal, while precipitation for District I was slightly to

well below normal. .....................................................................................................................................21

Figure 13. SPC severe hail reports for August showing one significant hail report in District II. ...................21

Figure 14 (right). Cessna 340A, N340FR (Seed 9) ready on the ramp in Minot, ND for its next mission. Photo

by WMI Pilot Peter Van Duzer.....................................................................................................................22

Figure 15 (left). Cheyenne II, N234K (Seed 7) after a late afternoon mission in Williston, ND. Photo courtesy

of NDARB....................................................................................................................................................23

Figure 16 (left). WMI aircraft datalogger, installed in the rear of a seeding aircraft. Visible is its rugged

casing and secure mounting. LED lights on its front panel indicate operational status. ............................. ..25

Figure 17 (left). WMI 102-count ejectable flare racks mounted to the belly of a top seeding aircraft..........26

Figure 18 (right). WMI burn-in-place flare rack with 75g silver iodide flares.......................................... ......26

Figure 19 (left). The 200lb. capacity dry ice hopper installed in N234K. The hopper is sealed to hold cabinpressurization and augers dry ice pellets down through the aircraft belly. This hopper was designed and

installed in 2010..........................................................................................................................................26

Figure 20. A lit WMI Lohse silver iodide generator burns as S8 base seeds, picture by WMI Pilot James

Kovac..........................................................................................................................................................27

Figure 21. Bowman weather radar tower, picture by NDARB Meteorologist Amanda Wertz................ .......28


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Figure 22. Stanley weather radar atop the operations building, picture by NDARB Meteorologist Leandro

Ribeiro........................................................................................................................................................29

Figure 23 (left). The iPads were encased in a protective cover and also included several other applications

such as ForeFlight (designed specifically for aviation navigation) and additional weather/radar information.

Picture courtesy of WMI. ............................................................................................................................30

Figure 24 (right). An NDARB iPad shown on the PARS live acquisition screen, June 14, 2012 for Seed 2.

Image courtesy of NDARB. ............................ .............................. .............................. .............................. ....30

Figure 25. Hans Ahlness, WMI Vice President of Operations, describes how the Lohse wing-tip generator

works during ground school in Bismarck, ND. Picture courtesy of NDARB.......... .............................. ...........31

Figure 26. Jody Fischer, WMI Chief Pilot, discusses the NDARB pilot internship and what its like to be a

cloud seeding pilot with a potential candidate at the 2012 SAMA Conference in Grand Forks, ND...............40

Figure 27. POLCAST4 participants pose in front of UNDs dual polarimetric radar. Pictured are (left to right)

Jeff Tilley and Dave Delene (UND), Darin Langerud (NDARB), Tony Grainger (UND), Paul Kucera (NCAR), and

UND students Mariusz Starzec, Phondie Simelane, Timm Uhlmann and Nicole Bart. Photo by UND graduate

student Travis Toth. ............................ .............................. .............................. ............................... .............41

. ............................. .............................. .............................. ............................... .............................. ............42

Figure 28. WMI C340 aircraft, N98585, shown on the ramp in Fargo, ND as it awaits a POLCAST4 mission.

Visible are the window inlets for the CCNC, hygroscopic flare rack and flares, and the FSSP and AIMMS-20

3D wind probes on the left wing. Photo by Jane Ahlness. .............................. .............................. ...............42


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1.0 INTRODUCTION

North Dakota farmers have historically faced above-average crop losses due to hail and drought; these

challenges have contributed to reduced crop yields and farm incomes. This led to the search for ways to

manage these conditions, which could consequently improve the average North Dakotans way of life. One

promising new technology was the emerging science of weather modification. The first cloud seeding

activities of record in North Dakota occurred in 1951, performed by farmers using ground based generators.

In 1961 the founders of Weather Modification, Inc. began using aircraft for a program to suppress hail in a

target area of 540 square miles, in the central area of what is now District I. This area has had an active

program in some form each year since, with the exception of 1990 when District I did not participate in

cloud seeding operations due to budget constraints.

The history of District II is very similar, starting one year later and remaining active in various counties every

year since. This year marked the 54th consecutive season of some form of seeding in Ward County. A third

district, including Benson, Nelson, and Griggs Counties, started operations in 1974 and was active through

the 1981 season. In the mid 1970s, there were as many as 17 counties in North Dakota participating in the

cloud seeding program. The number has decreased due to various factors over the years, and currently

there are 6 active counties in target areas that cover 10,425 square miles (or, almost 6.7 million acres) nearly 15% of the states area.

The North Dakota Legislature established the North

Dakota Weather Modification Board (later renamed

the Atmospheric Resource Board) and the Office of

the Director in the 1975 legislative session. The

State Legislature further provided an appropriation

for the remainder of the biennium to implement the

1976 operational program on a cost sharing basis.

Before the 1976 operational year counties, or

associations of counties, pooled resources to financetheir local programs. In 1965 and 1969 legislation

was passed enabling counties and townships to levy

two mills for funding of cloud seeding projects. The

source of funds was this 2 mill levy, by township

elections under NDCC Chapter 58-03-07, or by

voluntary funding. The Program was primarily

implemented by emphasizing hail reduction. Rain

enhancement operations provided added economic

benefits to those counties which had an Authority.

Figure 2 (left). Fields of barley lay in wait for a looming

hail storm in the distance. Picture provided by WMI.


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The cloud seeding projects before the creation of the NDWMB had been paid for by voluntary contributions

and county appropriations. The 1976 operational program included 50% state matching funds equaling the

county appropriations in support of the project in their area. These matched county funds were used

specifically for field operational costs. State funds were also used for maintaining the Office of the Director

and for research and evaluation, although some federal funds supported UND-trained co-pilots and

evaluation data underwritten by the Bureau of Reclamation.

The recently concluded 2012 program was the 38th consecutive

season under the Board's direction. The North Dakota

Atmospheric Resource Board is comprised of seven members

appointed by the Governor of North Dakota. Each member

represents a geographic district and serves a four year term.

Weather modification authorities within the districts establish

possible candidates through nomination. Ex-officio members

also serve on the board.

Counting ARB staff, ARB Board of Directors, the five participating County Weather Modification Boards,

Slope County Severe Weather Management Association members, and applicable WMI and FJC staff, there

were over 100 people directly associated with some facet of the 2012 NDCMP. This does not include the

local vendors and technicians employed by the ARB and WMI during the season.

2012 NDCMP BOARD MEMBERS (*Denotes Chair, **Vice Chair)

DISTRICT 1 Williston, ND Monte Hininger

DISTRICT 2 Kenmare, ND Henry Bodmer*

DISTRICT 3 Bremen, ND John Bollingberg

DISTRICT 4 Emerado, ND David Hagert

DISTRICT 5 Vacant

DISTRICT 6 Bismarck, ND Tom TupaDISTRICT 7 Bowman, ND Bobb Brewer**

2012 NDCMP EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

Larry Taborsky Director, ND Aeronautics Commission

Steven Weber Environmental Scientist, ND Department of Health

Todd Sando, P.E. State Engineer, ND State Water Commission


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2012 COUNTY AUTHORITY MEMBERS (*Denotes Chair)

BOWMAN WARD

Wayne Mrnak* Bowman Pat Murphy* Berthold

Robert Andrews Bowman Jerome Behm Burlington

Bobb Brewer Bowman Henry Bodmer Kenmare

Dean Pearson Bowman Chuck Tompkins Minot

Wade Schaaf Bowman Gail Yuly Minot

MCKENZIE WILLIAMS

Orville Hellandsaas* Watford City Jim Seidel* Williston

Rodney Cross Alexander John Hovde Epping

Eldean Flynn Cartwright Jeff Knox Ray

Gary Levang Keene Cory Paryzek Williston

Lynn Swenson New Town Ervin Opsal Alamo

MOUNTRAIL SLOPE Severe Weather Management Association

Mark Nesheim* Palermo Robb Narum* BowmanRoger Christinson Plaza Ryan Brooks Bowman

Jim Goettle Donnybrook Dan Powell Bowman

Tim Johnson Stanley Wayne Wegner Bowman

James (JC) Moen Plaza


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2.0 ECONOMIC IMPACT

In February 2009, a report prepared for the NDARB estimated the NDCMPs impact on the states economy.

An update of a 1998 analysis, the study considered the value of hail suppression and enhanced rainfall

during the growing season. Using the harvested acreage of the top eight crops plus alfalfa, the study

combined crop insurance data, production statistics, and NDCMP results to estimate the added value of the

project for both the actual target areas and the benefits if the project was statewide. Rain enhancement

was figured at two levels, a 5% and a 10% increase (covering the range of results from long-term

evaluations of the NDCMP), and combined with hail reduction estimates to derive the results.

In the NDCMP seeded counties, the direct economic value of cloud seeding was estimated to range from

$5.16 to $8.41 per planted acre, or $12 - 19.7 million in direct benefits to agriculture production.

Compared to the cost of the project, those figures would give a benefit-to-cost ratio of 16 to 1 up to 26 to

1. Adding secondary economic activity into the mix, the gross economic benefits just to the District 1 and

District 2 counties could be $37.1 million to $60.5 million. This shows the huge benefit that the NDCMP

provides.

If the NDCMP were expanded to a statewide program, whichthe ARB estimates could be run for about $3 million per year,

the study estimated that the direct benefits would range

from $95.4 million to $134.5 million. When direct and

secondary economic activities are combined the increased

gross business volume statewide was estimated to range

between $293.8 million and $414.2 million enormous

potential impacts.

A copy of the complete report and other NDCMP program

evaluations are available on the North Dakota State Water

Commission website at:http://www.swc.state.nd.us/4dlink9/4dcgi/GetSubContentR

ecord/PB-390


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3.0 2012 AIRCRAFT CONTRACTOR

Weather Modification, Inc. is a global atmospheric sciences company committed to continued advances in

the field of weather modification. With over 51 years of successful operations, WMI has pioneered safe

and effective techniques for cloud seeding. These advances have made it possible to conduct operations 24

hours per day, seven days a week. These techniques many formulated in North Dakota operations have

allowed WMI to provide aircraft, seeding and research equipment, radars, personnel, and company

expertise in the areas of cloud physics research and atmospheric sampling for various governmental

agencies and private entities around the globe.

WMI was originally formed in 1961 in Bowman, North Dakota, and the anti-hail program begun at that time

was the genesis for the current NDCMP. WMI relocated to Fargo, ND in 1993 and a sibling company, Fargo

Jet Center, Inc. (FJC) was incorporated in 1994. Since 1994, WMI has grown exponentially. Today, WMI

facilities in Fargo have more than doubled in size and employees with FJC number more than 135 personnel

worldwide.

Figure 3. Weather Modification, Inc. and Fargo Jet Center headquarters, located on Hector Intl Airport, Fargo ND.

FJC adds a wide range of

aviation services including a

charter flight department,

aircraft refueling services, an

FAA approved aircraft

maintenance and overhaul

facility, avionics shop, aircraft

rental and a flight school. The

operating companies

frequently share resources,

skills, talents, and equipment each contributes to the

success of the other. The

synergy realized from several

multi-faceted operating

companies highlights a strong

aviation enterprise that

continues to grow.

Weather Modification, Inc. as part of a three-year contract with the NDARB provided the services described

herein. This year marks the 52nd summer season WMI has contributed to the program. Weather

Modification, Inc. is dedicated to providing the NDARB with reliable, professional operations now and into

the future, and our personnel are proud to be a part of the North Dakota Cloud Modification Project.


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4.0 PROJECT DESIGN

The design of the 2012 North Dakota Cloud Modification Project was based on techniques developed and

refined over years of operational programs. These techniques, many developed here in North Dakota, were

used in conjunction with seeding criteria evolved by compatible research programs and the comprehensive

North Dakota Cloud Modification Project Operations Manual, March 1993, latest revision May 2010.

As set forth by the NDARB, the project design is a non-randomized, development and operational program

for the purposes of decreasing hail damage, increasing seasonal rainfall, and achieving certain development

objectives for improved operations.

In summary, the project design is one

in which any cloud that meets the

criteria for increasing rainfall or

decreasing hail is seeded (within the

limits of equipment and personnel)

rather than clouds being chosen on a

random basis for seeding. In theory

any project member can initiateseeding operations, but in practice

the ARB radar meteorologists usually

direct when and where the WMI

pilots operate.

Figure 4 (left). N39655 (Seed 4) returns

to base after a mission during sunset.

Photo by WMI pilot Phil Kost.

5.0 OPERATIONAL AREAS

North Dakota weather modification activities were conducted in two operational target areas, or Districts.

District I included Bowman County, as well as Conner, Hume, Carroll, Cash, Sheets, Mineral Springs, and

Cedar Creek Townships in Slope County this year. District II encompassed Williams, McKenzie, Mountrail,

and Ward Counties.

5.1 WMI AIRCRAFT BASE LOCATIONS

Aircraft bases are determined by the ARB in cooperation with the county weather modification authorities

and WMI. Airports are chosen using location, runway length, fuel availability, and facilities as factors. The

top-seeding aircraft need to have access to instrument approaches to fully utilize their capabilities. Housing

availability for the crews is also important, and is bound to become more of a deciding factor in the future

as western North Dakotas oil boom continues to crowd out other activities.


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The oil boom has not only made housing difficult, but has also made the availability of aircraft bases

difficult. Watford Citys airport ramp was under construction throughout the entire 2012 season, making it

unusable for refueling. And while the airport wasnt really suitable as a base for this reason during the

summer, the two aircraft still had to be located there as the man-camp housing in Watford City was all that

was available in the region. While Watford City still had a chemical shed onsite, Seeds 5 and 6 often

replaced chemical while refueling at other project bases. Additionally, airport improvements are on thehorizon for many of the other current aircraft bases.

A Cessna 340A (US FAA registration number N812V) and a Piper Seneca II (N33144) were based in Bowman,

ND for District I operations. District II aircraft were based at Kenmare (Seneca II, N121WA), Stanley (Seneca

II, N39655), Watford City (Seneca IIs N9798C and N13AG), Williston (Cheyenne II, N234K), and Minot

(C340A, N340FR). WMI also had a spare C340A aircraft available in Fargo, although it wasnt needed and no

aircraft replacements were made during the 2012 season.

Figure 5 (left). NDARB

personnel, (Mark Schneider

shown) assess the runway

situation in Watford City, ND.Due to construction during the

2012 NDMCP project period, fuel

was not available at this location.

The two aircraft based here

(Seed 5 and Seed 6) routinely

fueled in Williston or Stanley

prior to returning to Watford

City after each mission. Photo

courtesy of NDARB.


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5.2 NDARB WEATHER RADAR SITES

Two Enterprise Electronics Corporation WSR-74C 5-cm weather radars, both owned by the ARB, were

employed on the project. These radars are surplus and upgraded National Weather Service units,

purchased and moved to the project sites. One unit each is located at the Bowman and Stanley airports.

A vendor through a separate ARB contractmaintained and calibrated the radars. The ARB

owns the structure that houses the radar at

Stanley, and is donated use of the structure that

houses the radar in Bowman from Bowman

County. The structure at Stanley was constructed

prior to the 1998 field season.

Figure 6 (right). 2012 NDCMP Operational Target

Areas. Graphic provided by NDARB.


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6.0 DAILY OPERATIONS

The 2012 season of the North Dakota Cloud Modification Project became active for District I at 11:00 am

local time and 12 oclock noon local time for District II on June 1. The project ended for both districts at

11:59 pm local time on August 31 2012.

Specialized project forecasts were prepared each morning by ARB staff in Bismarck and were based on

National Weather Service data, the UND Weather and Research Forecasting (WRF) model, regional synoptic

observations and satellite information. The meteorologists in the field offices received the forecast by

approximately 12:00 noon, CDT and then briefed each pilot on expected activities. In the event of

significant changes, updates were furnished to the radar meteorologists by phone and/or on the website.

Radar meteorologists and pilots all kept an eye out for significant weather activity. Sometimes with input

from the aircraft crews, the ARB meteorologists launched aircraft for seeding missions. Cloud candidates

for seeding were usually chosen by the radar meteorologists, with the pilots making the final

determinations based upon storm inflow, cloud structures, flight safety, and other factors.

WMI supplied multi-channel VHF (Very High Frequency) aviation-band communications base station radiosto be used at each radar field office for communications with the seeding aircraft. WMI also supplied

antennae and low-loss cabling at each site for good reception, and power supplies for the radios that

ensured adequate transmitting power. With the advent of better radios in both the aircraft and ground

stations, VHF communications have become far more reliable than in years past. During operations,

aircraft working far from the radar at low altitudes will normally relay through a nearer, or higher, seeding

aircraft to communicate with the radar meteorologists. WMI is experimenting with remote VHF radio

repeater units to enhance low-level communications in District II, but the vendor was unable to provide a

working system this season. WMI is still committed to further communication improvements in the future,

however.

The NDARB maintains the appropriate FCC radio station licenses for the radar sites.


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7.0 METEOROLOGICAL SYNOPSIS

The 2012 North Dakota Cloud Modification Project experienced near normal precipitation during the month

of June to below normal precipitation by August. Operations in District I were conducted fairly regularly in

the beginning of the summer (Junemid July) and waned by August, while operations in District II were

conducted nearly every day during the start of the summer (Junemid July) and then decreased

significantly by August. Due to a dry, mild winter, crops were planted on-time this year as opposed to the

2011 season. Also, rain enhancement began at the start of project on June 1st and continued all the way

through the last day of project on August 31st because of the drier conditions. The drier conditions led to

an early harvest in both districts, with neither district requesting an extension for the 2012 season.

Figure 7. Throughout the summer, precipitation was below normal for most of North Dakota.

7.1 JUNE 2012

The month of June was drier than normal in District I, but precipitation in portions of District II was above

average (E Williams Co., W Mountrail Co., and NE McKenzie Co.). An upper level ridge parked itself over the

Central United States during the first part of June with shortwaves riding along the N portion of the ridge

affecting both districts. By mid-June, the ridge started to break down and an upper level trough moved into

the area (just N of District II), resulting in precipitation chances for both districts. District II continued to

receive substantial precipitation, while District I received slightly below normal precipitation in mid-June. Inlate June, upper level ridging set up again over W North Dakota, and an upper trough that parked itself over

the Pacific NW sent a series of shortwaves through both districts. The severity of the storms that moved

through District II in June was greater than the storms that moved through District I; no SPC (the NOAA

National Weather Services Storm Prediction Center) significant hail reports were recorded for District I

during the month of June although there were local reports of dime-sized hail in District I.


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Figure 8. District I precipitation was slightly, to well below, normal for June, while precipitation in portions of District II

was well above normal.

Figure 9. SPC severe hail reports for June showing District II with significant hail reports, and District I with no

significant reports.


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7.2 JULY 2012

July started out with an active weather pattern. Another series of shortwaves moved through both districts

during the first part of July. This resulted in operations being conducted regularly as showers and

thunderstorms accompanying the shortwaves moved through both districts. However, due to rainfall

amounts from several storms being less than predicted, neither district had large areas of above normal

precipitation. The pattern of upper level ridging setting up and being broken down by shortwavescontinued into mid-July. Operations conducted throughout July for both rain enhancement and hail

suppression were fairly regular. A few supercells moved through both districts by late July (a couple in

District II and one in District I), which led to SPC significant hail reports for both districts.

Figure 10. Precipitation in both districts was slightly below, to fairly well below, normal for July.


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Figure 11. SPC severe hail reports for July showing significant hail reports for both districts.

7.3 AUGUST 2012

The last month of the NDCMP started out fairly normal and then took a significant downturn in operations.

The beginning of August started out relatively active, with an upper level low moving into the N portion of

District II. This brought a few chances of showers and thunderstorms into both project areas. By mid-

August, the upper level ridging with shortwaves eroding the ridge pattern set up again, but instability wasless established, so storms that developed had difficulty producing hail threats like they did in June and July

(mostly for District II). By the end of August, stable conditions, with a few storms here and there, persisted

as a drier airmass was in place over both districts. Precipitation amounts in August were well below normal

for District II and slightly to well below normal for District I. Throughout August, District II flew mostly on

rain enhancement missions with a few hail suppression missions here and there, and District I flew on at

least one hail suppression mission every week, except for the last week of project. Also, only one

significant hail report was recorded by SPC for District II in August.


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Figure 12. Precipitation for District II was well below normal, while precipitation for District I was slightly to well

below normal.

Figure 13. SPC severe hail reports for August showing one significant hail report in District II.


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7.4 WEATHER SEASON IN SUMMARY

The weather for the 2012 NDCMP was near normal, especially compared to the 2011 season.

Thunderstorms were more prevalent during June and July in both project areas, and the number of

thunderstorms decreased significantly by August. Flight hours were above average for both districts due to

the active months of June and July. Hail suppression missions dwindled in August, but rain enhancement

missions were fairly regular throughout the summer. Although, rain enhancement was a bit difficult,especially in District I, since cloud bases were higher on average than previous years, and precipitation

rarely made it to the surface. Overall, the 2012 NDCMP was near normal with above average flight hours

due to an active beginning leading into a quiet end.

8.0 AIRCRAFT

For cloud-seeding flight operations WMI uses only well-equipped, twin-engine aircraft. In addition to their

high performance characteristics (compared to lower-powered, single-engine aircraft), the twin-engine

aircraft provide an extra measure of safety in bad weather, in-cloud, and nighttime operations. All of the

seeding aircraft are owned and were modified by WMI.

As in recent seasons, eight seeding aircraft were specified by the 2012 contract. WMI operated five PiperSeneca II (PA34-200T) aircraft for cloud-base seeding, and two Cessna 340A aircraft that were capable of

both base and top seeding. WMIs Piper PA34-200T Seneca II aircraft are turbocharged, twin 200-

horsepower engine light aircraft, while WMIs Cessna 340's are turbocharged, twin 310-horsepower engine

aircraft with pressurized cabins. A Piper Cheyenne II aircraft was used for cloud-top seeding, though it was

also equipped with wing flare racks for cloud-base work if needed. The WMI Cheyenne II has twin 620 hp

turboprop engines with a pressurized cabin. Besides North Dakota, WMI has operated these types of

aircraft on projects in Argentina, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, Mexico, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Mali, Greece,

Turkey, India, and multiple US states. They have proven well capable of absorbing the stresses ordinarily

encountered while seeding clouds.

Figure 14 (right). Cessna340A, N340FR (Seed 9)

ready on the ramp in

Minot, ND for its next

mission. Photo by WMI

Pilot Peter Van Duzer.


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Aircraft must be flown and maintained in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and

regulations. WMIs specially modified cloud seeding aircraft, when fitted with seeding equipment, must be

operated in RESTRICTED category meaning that their operations are limited to the special purpose

operations for which the equipment installations are certified by the FAA, and are bound by extra rules

which prohibit these aircraft from carrying passengers who are not part of the project, among other things.

All aircraft must also be inspected and maintained according to approved schedules; the Senecas andC340s used on this project must all have a yearly annual inspection and certain required maintenance

checks at each 50 and 100 hours of operation. The turboprop Cheyenne II (Figure 15) must be operated

under a progressive inspection program, and has mandatory 100-hr inspections.

All of WMIs seeding aircraft are equipped and certified for flight in icing conditions should the need arise.

In addition to normal aircraft and seeding systems, all aircraft furnished for the project were equipped and

certified for instrument flight rules (IFR) with GPS navigation equipment.

Prior to the 2012 season all WMI project aircraft underwent renewed annual inspections (as required by

the FAA) and had the appropriate WMI seeding equipment mounted to conform to the project contract

requirements. Project pilots assisted WMI and FJC mechanics in Fargo to prepare the aircraft. This

provides the pilots with valuable training and hands-on experience with seeding equipment and their

particular aircraft. All seeding generators were flight tested with acetone before delivery to ensure proper

operation.

The project aircraft were delivered to their sites on May 28th (N340FR), May 29th (N13AG, N812V, N33144,

N9798C, and N121WA), and May 30th (N234K and N39655). VHF voice and data radios for the Bowman

and Stanley radars were delivered in 2010 and remained in place through the contract. All of the WMI

pilots mixed solution, filled their burners and flare racks, and conducted test flights by sometime on June 1,

and were thereafter

ready for missions.

Figure 15 (left).Cheyenne II, N234K

(Seed 7) after a late

afternoon mission in

Williston, ND. Photo

courtesy of NDARB.


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8.1 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE

All pre-season and major aircraft and seeding equipment maintenance was performed at the WMI / Fargo

Jet Center facilities in Fargo, ND. Hans Ahlness, WMI Vice President - Operations (FAA Airframe &

Powerplant mechanic, Inspection Authorization) tracked and supervised the required maintenance and

support for the aircraft during the summer. The Pilot-In-Command (PIC) of each aircraft was instructed to

call immediately if any unscheduled maintenance was required. Each PIC also called WMI Project FieldRepresentative Peter Van Duzer (Minot Seed 9 PIC) on Sunday of each week to provide the status of their

airplane and to provide the airplanes total flight time for maintenance tracking. Van Duzer used e-mail and

phone to keep Mr. Ahlness updated on any problems with aircraft, seeding equipment, or personnel.

Smaller items were taken care of by local maintenance shops in western ND when possible. Unfortunately,

many of the local shops that WMI has relied on over the years have lost capable mechanics or are

maintaining smaller parts inventories as business has declined for them, which often limits our options.

Also, these small shops are not often open after hours or on weekends. These factors, combined with the

24/7 nature of WMIs commitments for the ARB, mean that WMI must either fly a mechanic and parts to

the broken project aircraft or ferry it to Fargo for more extensive work when possible. Mr. Ahlness made

several trips during the summer to perform required maintenance on project aircraft while in the field, and

five of the project airplanes made trips to Fargo N9798C S5 on 6/7 for a bad magneto and gyro

instrument repair; N812V S1 on 6/14 for a broken landing gear strut (fixed that same day); N39655 S4 on

6/20-21 for a 50hr, alternator, weak engine; N812V S1 on 6/22 to finish up details on the landing gear;

N234K S7 on 6/25-26 for the required 100hr inspection; N39655 S4 on 6/26-27 for engine and turbo work.

The other required 50 and 100 hr inspections were performed by shops in Bowman, Bismarck, Williston,

and Minot. Mr. Ahlness made several trips from Fargo to perform repairs to various aircraft during the

summer as well, sometimes combining maintenance events with times he was filling in as Roving PIC.

WMI has a large fleet of aircraft, and a spare C340A (N37356) was available for use this summer. Although

not required by the contract, WMI tries to keep this option to help avoid down time and penalties when

major problems or maintenance issues arise. WMI always tries to perform maintenance when there is no

weather threat, although of course the weather doesnt always cooperate; despite all the abovemechanical mayhem only two missions were missed due to maintenance issues this summer.


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8.2 WMI AIRCRAFT TELEMETRY SYSTEM - AIRLINK

The NDARB contracted with WMI to provide the project radars with the ability to track each seeding

aircrafts position, altitude and seeding events. Each aircraft was equipped with a WMI datalogger

system that is composed of a computer with WMIs ADAS (Aircraft Data Acquisition System) software. The

computer receives inputs from the aircrafts GPS receiver, silver iodide generators, and the firing systems

from the BIP and belly mounted ejectable flare racks. All project aircraft were equipped with a dataloggeras part of the telemetry systems that provided position and altitude information as well as seeding events.

The datalogger systems were designed and are specially built by WMI in Fargo.

The WMI ADAS system logs the GPS position of the aircraft (latitude, longitude, altitude, groundspeed)

during the entire flight at a data rate of once per second. The computer also notes the time and location of

seeding events. A telemetry radio in each aircraft transmits the ADAS information to the AirLink computer

in the radar. This information is then sent to the TITAN computer to generate the aircraft tracks on the

TITAN display. Files are created on the aircraft computers hard drive that can then be transferred to a USB

drive for later analysis.

Figure 16 (left). WMI aircraft datalogger,

installed in the rear of a seeding aircraft.

Visible is its rugged casing and secure

mounting. LED lights on its front panel

indicate operational status.

The NDARB was provided with the AirLink

computer software to replay the flight

track data for post-flight analysis. The

data was downloaded from each aircraft

on a regular basis, checked by WMI, and

sent to the ARB at the end of the season.

AirLink is able to provide, in real-time, a

display of the seeding aircraft flight paths

generated from aircraft GPS data. AirLink

displays position information, seeding

status, and atmospheric microphysical information (if the aircraft is equipped with probes), all transmitted

via radio modem from each seeding aircraft to a receiver in the radar. The event tracking capability allows

the radar meteorologists to determine which thunderstorm complexes were seeded and the number of

flares used. If chosen by the radar operator, files can also be created on the ground computers in the

radars to enable playback of flight tracks for post-mission analysis.


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9.0 SEEDING EQUIPMENT

WMI designs, manufactures, and operates a wide variety of seeding equipment. Each PIC received

operation and maintenance training on the seeding equipment. WMI maintains an extensive inventory of

seeding equipment spares that was restocked as needed during the project. WMI also maintains an

inventory of spare parts for the airplanes used on the project to avoid downtime waiting for parts.

Each Seneca II aircraft was outfitted with the following equipment:

2 WMI-Lohse ram-air pressurized liquid-fueled AgI generators, with a 7-gallon usable capacity,

calibrated to a flow rate of 3.0 gallons per hour at 120 mph airspeed.

2 Wing-mounted flare racks, each capable of carrying 12-16 burn-in-place flares.

Each Cessna 340 aircraft was outfitted with the following equipment:

2 WMI-Lohse ram-air pressurized liquid-fueled AgI generators, with a 7-gallon usable capacity,

calibrated to a flow rate of 3.0 gallons per hour at 120 mph airspeed.

2 Wing-mounted flare racks, each capable of carrying 12 burn-in-place flares.

2 Belly-mounted ejectable flare racks, 204 flare capacity total.

Figure 17 (left). WMI 102-count ejectable flare racks mounted to the belly of a top seeding aircraft.

Figure 18 (right). WMI burn-in-place flare rack with 75g silver iodide flares.

The Cheyenne II aircraft was outfitted with the following equipment:

2 Wing-mounted flare racks, each capable of carrying

16 burn-in-place flares.

1 Dry ice dispenser, capable of holding 200 lbs.

3 Belly-mounted ejectable flare racks, 306 flare capacity total.

Figure 19 (left). The 200lb. capacity dry ice hopper installed in N234K. The

hopper is sealed to hold cabin pressurization and augers dry ice pellets downthrough the aircraft belly. This hopper was designed and installed in 2010.


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9.1 SEEDING EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE

WMIs contract with the ARB states: Generator performance shall be calculated by dividing the total time

the generators were inoperative by the total aircraft seeding time. The resulting figure will represent the

percentage of time Project aircraft were operating at less than desired capability. The generator failure

rate for the 2012 season was 2.45% (lower than the 5-year average, see chart below). This amounted to

5.00 hours of flight time during the entire summer that a seeding generator was inoperative when required.

All of the seeding materials used during the project were supplied by the ARB. These included dry ice

pellets, silver iodide flares (both ejectable and burn-in-place), and a silver iodide solution. This solutionsmixture contains silver iodide, ammonium iodide, paradichloro-benzene, and sodium perchlorate, all

dissolved in acetone. Chemical

formulations have evolved with research

and experience, and now incorporate

ingredients that make the formulas

faster acting - better for hail

suppression. The seeding solution was

mixed at each field site by the flight

crews. The ARB provided secure storage

for the seeding materials at each site.

Figure 20. A lit WMI Lohse silver iodide

generator burns as S8 base seeds, picture by

WMI Pilot James Kovac.


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10.0 WEATHER RADAR SYSTEM

The NDARB operates two five-centimeter EEC WSR-74C radars, located at the Bowman and Stanley

airports. Both radars were upgraded to Doppler in 2009, providing meteorologists in the field with velocity

data to forecast rapid storm development from outflow boundaries and avoid directing aircraft into areas

of turbulence from microbursts. The Doppler upgrade also improved the sensitivity of the radars, allowing

them to detect early echoes, which aids in the response time for rain enhancement missions. Another

upgrade that is useful for both radar sites is the remote access capabilities, which allow the radar technician

or anyone at the NDARB to monitor the radars remotely and fix any software problems.

Each radar consists of an antenna pedestal and a dish. The antenna pedestal is the elevation-over-azimuth

type. The dish is parabolic, 8 ft. (2.4m) in diameter, constructed of aluminum and installed within a 12 ft.

(3.7 m) diameter fiberglass radome, which protects the radar from wind, precipitation, and hail damage

and allows it to operate continuously. The antenna assembly is positioned on a steel tower at the Bowman

Airport, and atop the radar building in Stanley, at an

adequate height to provide the best possible radar

coverage for the target areas.

The data collected by the radar are analyzed through an

IRIS/TITAN system. The Interactive Radar Information

System (IRIS, a Sigmet/Vaisala product) and the

Thunderstorm Identification, Tracking, Analysis, and

Nowcasting (TITAN) system developed by scientists from

the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR),

and the NDARB provided each radar site with these

software/hardware systems, as well as keeping these

systems in Bismarck for remote data analysis.

Figure 21. Bowman weather radar tower, picture by NDARBMeteorologist Amanda Wertz.

IRIS is very useful for meteorologists in that it provides

the real-time display of the radar data. Along with displaying the reflectivity detected at each elevation

angle in real-time, IRIS also has tools available to do cross sections on the most recently completed scan

data (cannot do cross sections on real-time display data). IRIS is not as useful when directing aircraft, since

it does not display aircraft and their position. IRIS is a great tool to use to determine if a storm is increasing

or decreasing in intensity, and it is a good backup tool for cross sections if the TITAN machine is inoperable.

While IRIS is useful, the TITAN system is the main software used when running operations. The TITAN

system provides 16 levels of contoured color radar reflectivity data, zooming capabilities, custom target

overlays, instant playback, and real-time aircraft flight track/seeding event superimposition. The TITANsoftware runs on a LINUX operating system, and the TITAN system displays constant altitude plan position

indicator (CAPPI), vertical storm cross section, storm history, storm time-height profile and reflectivity

distribution. The history of storm motions (yellow circles) and forecast storm motions (red circles) are also

displayed. A CAPPI display can be selected for various altitudes starting at 2 kilometers above the surface

and stepping up in 1 kilometer increments. It is also possible to create a composite PPI display, which

plots the strongest radar reflectivity at any altitude in a PPI (radar display) format. A zoom function allows

the radar operator to zoom-in on interesting features, such as hail cores, on the display.


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The vertical cross section capability enables a radar

operator to produce a two dimensional slice through a

thunderstorm. Unlike conventional radar Range

Height Indicators (RHI), the vertical cross section

option permits cross sections to be made along any

two points on a PPI display and not just along theazimuth from the radar.

Aircraft flight tracks can be superimposed upon the

TITAN display, and the field offices and project aircraft

have the equipment to do so. Superimposed flight

tracks aid the radar meteorologists in directing the

cloud seeding aircraft to the most suitable seeding

candidates. An electronic overlay generated by a

computer file displays the project target area as well

as county boundaries and prominent cities and

geographical features.

Figure 22. Stanley weather radar atop the operations

building, picture by NDARB Meteorologist Leandro Ribeiro.

Radar maps and flight track data are saved automatically in approximately 6-minute increments. The time

period required to complete a volume scan varies dependent upon the RPM setting of the radar. The large

volume of graphical data being recorded and stored is the reason for the necessity of upgrading to a

specialized computer. The weather radar data is recorded onto hard-drive disks for storage and playback at

a later time, and the storms can be replayed for future analysis.

The radar maps are automatically sent to the ARB website every 6 minutes (or when a scan has been

completed) to provide access to recently recorded data. The links (accessible from the ND State WaterCommission website, www.swc.nd.gov/arb) can be viewed using any PC with an internet server, and show

current radar maps displaying reflectivity data and aircraft flight tracks. The Bowman radar operates year-

round, while the Stanley radar is only used during the project season.

WMI often uses TITAN on its projects throughout the world as well and originally supplied the ARB with the

software and necessary hardware. Continuing upgrades have expanded the softwares capabilities to meet

specific project requirements.


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11.0 PROJECT RECORD KEEPING

Due to discontinued hardware and software, the need to upgrade the NDCMP record keeping system

became clearly evident after the 2011 season. The previous system (initialized in 2004) featured a Personal

Digital Assistant (PDA) with software called Palm Aircraft Recordkeeping System, or PARS. Today the PDA

is obsolete and its replacements, like the Apple iPhone and iPad have taken over the digital market.

The decision to move forward with the implementation of a

new record keeping device, the Apple iPad, was made in early

2012. ARB staff worked with NDSWC IT technician Paul Moen

to develop the new system. The iPad 32G was selected due to

its diverse platform and operating system. Furthermore, its

large touch screen (9.7 inches, diagonally) made it a functional

choice for the cockpit. Several aviation companies including

WMI, although not for this project, have started using the iPad

to eliminate the need for bulky paper charts.

Figure 23 (left). The iPads were encased in a protective cover and alsoincluded several other applications such as ForeFlight (designed

specifically for aviation navigation) and additional weather/radar

information. Picture courtesy of WMI.

Like the PDA, the iPad features PARS software and

is able to track position and altitude data. The

iPad receives this data from its built-in GPS. This

data is used to create the flight form as well as

accurate maps, with seeding areas depicted as

entered by the flight crew. Two additionalprograms, ARBSync and ChemInv, are included on

the iPad to execute data uploads to the ARB

database, and to monitor seeding chemicals and

flares at NDCMP field sites. The new iPad allows

for speedy uploads via Wi-Fi, whereas the previous

PDA Bluetooth modem was routinely slow.

Other key benefits of the new iPads include an

increased battery life, a built in camera for seeding

pictures, and a screen with high resolution. Kudos

to Paul Moen for his work on the iPad!

Figure 24 (right). An NDARB iPad shown on the PARS

live acquisition screen, June 14, 2012 for Seed 2. Image

courtesy of NDARB.


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12.0 WMI AND NDARB PROJECT PERSONNEL

12.1 GROUND SCHOOL

The 2012 North Dakota Cloud Modification Project Ground School was conducted in Bismarck, ND on May

22-24. Atmospheric Resource Board and WMI personnel conducted the ground school, which was held at

the ND State Water Commission building. Various aspects of the program were discussed such asresponsibilities of all personnel, cloud physics, opportunity recognition, use of seeding chemicals, project

documentation, safety procedures, iPad training, and selected examples that could serve as lessons from

previous projects that might help to improve efficiency of the 2012 program.

Figure 25. Hans Ahlness, WMI Vice President of Operations, describes how the Lohse wing-tip generator works during

ground school in Bismarck, ND. Picture courtesy of NDARB.

Numerous questions typically

surface during the project as

problems arise and remedies are

explored. It is invaluable to have

experienced personnel in the field

during the season to resolve these

problems. ARB Director Darin

Langerud and ARB Chief

Meteorologist Mark Schneider

were always available for advice

and answers whenever their radar

meteorologists needed guidance,

and all project personnel were

given copies of the NDCMP

Operations Manual and Radar

Applications Manual asappropriate prior to the season

start.

Hans Ahlness provided support for WMI field personnel during the season. Mr. Ahlness worked with pilots

and meteorologists alike and provided insights into seeding systems and seeding strategy. The WMI Pilot

Information Manual, written by Mr. Ahlness with contributions from other WMI project pilots, is used by

WMI project pilots as a training and reference aid, supplementing the NDCMP Operations Manual. Mr.

Ahlness handled weather and aircraft questions, helped write the equipment manuals, and provided

additional training for field personnel during the project.


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12.2 PILOTS

Each pilot was checked out in his or her designated aircraft before the beginning of the project. Five of the

eight initial PICs, and all relief (Hans Ahlness, Chad Gravesen) and replacement (Todd Janvosky) pilots, had

previous experience cloud seeding as either PIC or SIC on the NDCMP or another weather modification

project. WMI training pilots were Hans Ahlness, Jody Fischer, and Peter Van Duzer. One of the instructors

flew with each pilot to ensure that they were familiar with the airplane systems and the operation of theseeding equipment. The pilots were also instructed on the airspeeds and power settings used during a

seeding mission. These flights provided quality assurance to standardize the WMI procedures for each

pilot. All of the pilots were involved in the preseason maintenance and flight testing of airplanes and

seeding equipment.

During the summer, some of the WMI pilots requested personal time off. Hans Ahlness, Roving PIC, was in

Williston June 13-17, August 4-8, and August 29 flying Seed 7, and in Bowman covering Seed 2 on August

21-23. Also, James Kovac (Kenmare Seed 8 pilot) travelled to Watford City covering Seed 6 on July 13-14,

and Stanley to cover Seed 4 on July 27-29 and again on August 23-26. During the times Kovac was away

from Kenmare, Chad Gravesen (a WMI NDCMP pilot in 2011 and flying as an aerial applicator this summer)

filled in there to cover Seed 8.

Tim Chervenka, the WMI PIC flying the Cheyenne II in Williston, left the project for other employment on

August 3. WMI replaced him with Todd Janovsky starting August 7. Janovsky was an intern in Kenmare way

back in 1997, and a PIC in Bowman in 1998 and 1999. He then flew for an airline for several years before

returning to WMI to fly in Saudi Arabia in 2008-2010. Janovsky was able to cover most of August as he was

between deployments for a civilian contractor flying Dash 8s in Afghanistan. Ahlness filled in as PIC after

Chervenka left and then checked out Janovsky on the Cheyenne aircraft and seeding systems in Williston on

August 7-8.

12.3 COPILOT INTERNSHIP

The co-pilots completed the Advanced Weather Modification course at the University of North Dakota, and

were interviewed and selected from the class for their internship by Mike Poellot, Chair of AtmosphericSciences at UND and Kelli Schroeder of the ARB. Kelli Schroeder oversaw the intern program for the ARB.

Due to a shortage of students in Poellots Spring 2012 class, this summers internship was open to previous

class participants. Nick Roadman, a 2011 NDCMP intern, returned for a second season and three 2010

students - Trent Tell, Andrew Pfalzer, and David Edmonds - became 1st year interns.

The interns each rotated through Williston to gain additional experience in the top seeding aircraft. Most

of the interns, except Roadman and Edmonds, returned to school before the end of August.

The pilot internship program is funded by the ARB. The intern pilots are paid an hourly wage and are

required to maintain a timesheet of their project activities. The Pilot Internship Program was initially begun

in 1974 by the Bureau of Reclamation. A memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ARB and theUniversity of North Dakota has been in place since 1975. At the completion of the 2012 program, the

program has provided training and experience for 325 pilots.


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WMI provides, for a nominal charge, each seasons copilot interns with flight instruction and signoffs for

High Altitude and High Performance training to give them the proper FAA certifications to act as pilots in

the WMI aircraft used on the NDCMP. This allows the interns to log flight time in the aircraft used on the

project, making the experience far more worthwhile for them. These certifications are not normally earned

during flight training at UND. The flights, which involve several takeoffs and landings as well as flight

operations at 25,000 feet, were completed on May 16th and 24th this year. Ground instruction and twoinstructional flights in a WMI King Air C90A were provided by WMI Chief Pilot, Jody Fischer.

12.4 NDARB METEOROLOGY STAFF

All radar and intern meteorologists were employed by the NDARB. Two meteorology interns were chosen

to spend the season as assistant meteorologists in both Districts I (Caleb Steele) and II (Matt Leszak), and

one intern (Robert Spinetti) was selected to assist with forecasting from the Bismarck office. Each intern

also spent approximately two weeks rotating through each of the other site locations during the project.

The NDCMP Meteorology Internship Program began in 1996 and to date has provided hands-on radar,

operations and forecasting experience for 41 meteorology undergraduates.


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DISTRICT I (Bowman) FLIGHT CREW

SEED 1 PIC, Nicholi Lanier SEED 2 PIC, Lauren Peterson

INTERN, Drake Brands INTERN, Chad Wilson

DISTRICT I (Bowman, ND) METEOROLOGY TEAM

METEOROLOGIST, Amanda Wertz INTERN, Caleb Steele


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DISTRICT II (Stanley, Watford City) FLIGHT CREW

SEED 4 PIC, Phil Kost SEED 5 PIC, Greg Snodgrass SEED 6 PIC, Lucas Hitz

INTERN, Nick Roadman INTERN, David Edmonds INTERN, Trent Tell

DISTRICT II (Stanley) METEOROLOGY TEAM

METEOROLOGIST, Kyle Schanus METEOROLOGIST, Leandro Ribeiro INTERN, Matt Leszak


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DISTRICT II (Williston, Kenmare, Minot) FLIGHT CREW

SEED 7 PIC, Tim Chervenka SEED 8 PIC, James Kovac SEED 9 PIC, Peter Van Duzer

SEED 7 - PIC, Todd Janovsky INTERN, Cameron Kostelecky INTERN, Andrew Pfalzer

DISTRICT I & II ROVING PILOT INTERN & FORECASTER (Bismarck)

ROVING INTERN, Logan Newsom FORECASTER, Robert Spinetti


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12.6 WEATHER MODIFICATION INC. ADMINISTRATION

Hans Ahlness, Vice President Operations of WMI was the Primary Project Manager for the 2012 NDCMP.

Patrick Sweeney, President of WMI and Bruce Boe, WMI Director of Meteorology served as Co-Project

Managers in case Mr. Ahlness needed to travel outside the state. Both Mr. Ahlness and Mr. Sweeney are

Weather Modification Association Certified Weather Modification Operators, and Mr. Boe is a WMA

Certified Manager. Mr. Sweeney has handled radar technician, pilot, and management duties at WMI since1975, and has been a shareholder since 1979. Mr. Boe assumed his present position at WMI in 2001. Prior

to coming to WMI he served as Director of the ARB for 12 years. James Sweeney, Vice President of WMI

was Assistant Project Manager to aid in the fulfillment of contract obligations. James Sweeney began

working at WMI in 1992.

Hans Ahlness of WMI was also responsible for hiring and training the project pilots, overseeing aircraft

operations and aircraft and equipment maintenance, and providing relief pilot and mechanic duties. He

also served as the POLCAST IV research aircraft pilot. Mr. Ahlness has worked in the weather modification

field since 1977, with duties including radar operator, mechanic, operational and research pilot, and

manager. He has worked at WMI full time since 1985.

Peter Van Duzer, District II Project Pilot, served as the Field Representative for WMI during the season. All

North Dakota WMI field personnel reported problems and equipment status to him, and he then provided

summaries to Mr. Ahlness. He also assisted with pre-season seeding equipment maintenance and project

pilot flight training. Van Duzer has worked on WMI programs since 2011; this was his third season on the

North Dakota Cloud Modification Project.

Erin Fischer, with assistance from Alexandra Ahlness, checked project data, compiled billing info, and did

the vast majority of the work on this report.


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WMI (Fargo) ADMINISTRATION

VP OPERATIONS, Hans Ahlness TECHNICAL WRITER, Erin Fischer

CHIEF PILOT, Jody Fischer PROJECT ASSISTANT, Alex Ahlness


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13.0 PUBLIC RELATIONS

13.1 SAMA CONFERENCE

To increase internship awareness, WMI and the NDARB participated in the Spring 2012 Student Aviation

Management Association (SAMA) Conference and Career Fair in Grand Forks, ND on April 20 th. The

conference features a variety of speakers from all facets of the professional aviation industry and is heldannually. Prospective and current students were able to interact with NDARB representatives Kelli

Schroeder and Darin

Langerud. Thanks to the

ARB, a great new pilot

internship brochure was

distributed at this years

conference. WMI Chief

Pilot and NDCMP veteran

Jody Fischer, with his wife

Erin Fischer, attended on

behalf of WMI.

Figure 26. Jody Fischer, WMI

Chief Pilot, discusses the

NDARB pilot internship and

what its like to be a cloud

seeding pilot with a potential

candidate at the 2012 SAMA

Conference in Grand Forks,

ND.

14.0 AWARDS

NDARB recognizes field personnel professionalism and dedication to the project with the presentation of

the following project awards. Nominations are taken from project personnel, WMI administration, and ARB

staff the last week of project and are carefully considered.

WILBUR E. BREWER PROFESSIONALISM AWARD

Named in honor of one of the founders of WMI and longtime NDCMP advocate, this award was presented

to District II Radar Meteorologist Kyle Schanus. Kyle exuded excellent decision-making and leadership skills

throughout the project, assuring that District II was well-protected this season.

OUTSTANDING INTERN AWARD

A desire to learn and further their education attracts interns to the NDCMP. This award is given to the

intern who had the greatest positive impact on the project and its daily operations. Matt Leszak was the

2012 recipient. Matt was extremely reliable, and he displayed motivation and enthusiasm for project

operations. His initiative to begin forecast verifications helped the ARB staff immensely.

Congratulations for a job well done Kyle and Matt!


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15.0 POLCAST (Polarimetric Cloud Analysis and Seeding Test) IV

The Polarimetric Cloud Analysis and Seeding Test (POLCAST) is an atmospheric research project designed to

help determine if hygroscopic cloud seeding (warm cloud seeding) could help increase rainfall and reduce

damaging hail from summer thunderstorms. Sponsored by the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board,

it includes participants from the University of North Dakota Atmospheric Sciences Department (UND), the

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Weather Modification, Inc. (WMI), and Ice Crystal

Engineering (ICE). This summer, Phase IV was conducted from June 27 through August 3 2012.

Figure 27. POLCAST4

participants pose in front

of UNDs dual polarimetric

radar. Pictured are (left to

right) Jeff Tilley and Dave

Delene (UND), Darin

Langerud (NDARB), Tony

Grainger (UND), Paul

Kucera (NCAR), and UND

students Mariusz Starzec,Phondie Simelane, Timm

Uhlmann and Nicole Bart.

Photo by UND graduate

student Travis Toth.

The POLCAST IV experiment is a continuation of the original field program that was conducted in the

summers of 2006, 2008, and 2010. The 2012 project focused on a continuation of sampling with the

University of North Dakota (UND) polarimetric Doppler weather radar and in situ sampling to address the

overall projects objective:

To better understand the effects of hygroscopic cloud seeding at cloud base on convective clouds in

North Dakota.

Specifically, POLCAST IV worked to:

Determine identifiable signatures of hygroscopic seeding in polarimetric observables or derived

fields;

Characterize hygroscopic seeding effects stratified by aerosol and CCN concentrations;

Characterize how aerosols and CCN concentration change between the surface and cloud base.


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The POLCAST project area covers a 62-mile (100 km) semi-circle area from Grand Forks on the west side of

the Red River. WMI C340A aircraft N98585 was specially equipped with instrumentation for gathering in

situ measurements and flown out of WMIs facilities in Fargo by Hans Ahlness, with in-flight scientist Dr.

Dave Delene and grad students from UND. Operations were directed by NCAR scientist Dr. Paul Kucera

from the UND radar in Grand Forks. Although installation of the under-wing research probes was held up

by FAA approval delays, that instrumentation was eventually approved and installed on the aircraft July 16.Besides the hygroscopic flare racks, two different Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter units, and

temperature and dewpoint probes, the aircraft then carried a Passive Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe

(PCASP), an AIMMS-20 wind-sensing probe, and a Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP). All of

these instruments were linked to a SEA Model 300 data acquisition system and displayed in the aircraft

cabin. WMI also provided VHF radio equipment for the radar, and a tracking receiver to allow the aircrafts

flight track to be displayed on the UND radar screen.

During 2012 operations

a total of 12 flights

over 23.19 hours were

conducted, with 17

experimental cases. 72

hygroscopic flares (40

of which were donated

to the project by Ice

Crystal Engineering of

Kindred, ND) were

burned during the 9

seeded cases. Post-

project analysis

continues at this time.

.

Figure 28. WMI C340 aircraft, N98585, shown on the ramp in Fargo, ND as it awaits a POLCAST4 mission. Visible are

the window inlets for the CCNC, hygroscopic flare rack and flares, and the FSSP and AIMMS-20 3D wind probes on the

left wing. Photo by Jane Ahlness.


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16.0 CONTRACTORS SUMMARY

The summer of 2012 has come and gone. WMI would like to congratulate the Atmospheric Resource Board

on another successful project, as well as the completion of another installment of the POLCAST research

effort. The results of the recent NDSU study have reinforced the need for this program, and the benefits

that can be accrued from its continuation.

The upgraded, iPad-based PARS recordkeeping system worked well this summer, even though it was a

testing period for all involved. The speed at which Paul Moen could make changes to the software to

address issues as they were discovered was astounding. Some improvements can yet be made, including a

better display of the target area boundaries on the iPad map display, but overall the system proved to be

very user-friendly.

WMI fielded a fairly green crew of pilots this summer, due to the wholesale depletion of our past-years

crew. It is always a challenge to hold on to personnel each year when the jobs are seasonal in nature.

However, the leadership of a few experienced pilots made the difference and operations were handled

normally. Hopefully well be able to continue with some of these now-familiar faces next season.

The number of potential pilot interns seems to be dropping each year as well, and this summer was a

particularly critical situation. With the addition of some previous applicants a full crew was crafted, but

obviously something needs to happen at UND to spur increased participation in the program.

One of the biggest challenges in future seasons will continue to be housing for project personnel. The oil

boom in western ND has strained all infrastructure and resources, and will certainly do so for several more

years. Housing costs are way up, and living and operating expenses in general are greatly increased.

Although weve successfully managed so far, there may be times in the future that WMI is not able to place

crews in the desired locations. ARB personnel and Board contacts have been extremely helpful in locating

housing in the past few years, but the process of finding lodging for short-term employees each year always

seems to come down to the last minute. And truthfully, some of the accommodations that weve foundhavent been the most desirable.


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APPENDIX ITEMS

APPENDIX A

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY TABLES (Note all flight times are recorded in hundredth of hours, Zulu time)

District I Hybrid Cloud Top Aircraft (N812V)District I Cloud Base Aircraft (N812V, N33144)

District II Cloud Base Aircraft (N39655, N9798C, N13AG, N121WA, N340FR)

District II Cloud Top Aircraft, Turbo-Prop (N234K)

District II Hybrid Cloud Top Aircraft (N340FR)

APPENDIX B

AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATIONS

Piper Seneca II

Cessna 340A

Piper Cheyenne II


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APPENDIX A

District I Cloud Top Aircraft

2012 DISTRICT I FLIGHT SUMMARY

CLOUD - TOP

DAILY

2012 NDCMP Final Report North Dakota Cloud Seeding

Documents

Transcript of 2012 NDCMP Final Report North Dakota Cloud Seeding