[Bristol-Birds] Last Night's Radars (Long & Probably Too Detailed)
- From: "Shane" <tshane@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 19:57:18 -0400
Here are more Radar images on birds migration that I am sharing the TN. &
Bristol Birdwatchers.
Let's see... Wilma has cleared the east coast by the afternoon - check.
A strong cold front has cleared most of the state - check. Both of
these systems combined to produce the first good northerly winds over
Florida in some time. The conditions seemed ripe for a major movement
of nocturnal migrants. This proved to be true with one surprise. All
radar stations on the peninsula showed signatures indicative of a strong
movement of migrants. This included the departure of many birds from
south Florida bound for Cuba. However, radar stations to the north of
the state, where inbound migrants would originate, showed very little
activity. So, a lot of birds were moving over and out of Florida last
night, but very few were moving in from the north. On to the radars...
EVENING DEPARTURES - 0000 UTC
The continental US radar composite shows distinctive departure
signatures from all stations on the peninsula. North of Florida the
only stations showing much in the way of departures are Valdosta, GA and
Charleston, SC.
View USA - http://tinyurl.com/9bp2z
The Jacksonville (JAX), Melbourne (MLB), and Tampa (TBW) radars all show
moderate to high volumes of departing migrants indicated by some radar
returns that a greater than 25 DBz. The volume of departures on the
Miami (AMX) radar is light to moderate, as shown by most radar returns
being less than 20 DBz.
View JAX - http://tinyurl.com/df96m
View MLB - http://tinyurl.com/9xupy
View TBW - http://tinyurl.com/dfo85
View AMX - http://tinyurl.com/b4x2g
MIDNIGHT - 0600 UTC
Moving ahead six hours into the overnight period, the radars show
reduced volumes from the Jacksonville, Melbourne and Tampa stations, but
an increased volume of migrants on the Miami radar. Also, there is a
dramatic increase in migrant activity on the Key West radar, which
showed very little, if any, activity at 0000 UTC. Stations north of
Florida, including Valdosta and Charleston show virtually no activity.
View USA - http://tinyurl.com/a2xnu
PREDAWN - 1100 UTC
The Jacksonville, Melbourne and Tampa stations show virtually no
migration activity at this time, indicating that the birds that departed
on this night shown in the 0000 UTC images were not followed by migrants
arriving from the north. The Key West radar shows a continued moderate
to strong migration signature. The Miami radar was not operating at
this time, but the last available image (0080 UTC) shows a moderate
migration volume.
View USA - http://tinyurl.com/8lx6u
View AMX 0800 UTC - http://tinyurl.com/bp8to
REALLY WONKY STUFF
So, why was there no migration into Florida last night? My guess would
be that the supply of migration-ready birds had been largely exhausted
by a previous migration event. This apparently happened on the night of
22-23 October. At midnight on this night all radar stations in Alabama,
Georgia, South Carolina, and north Florida show moderate to strong
migration signatures.
View USA - http://tinyurl.com/9nlhr
Later...
Shane Adams
East of Hamblen County
Morristown, TN. 37813
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