danielwAdministrator
(Moderator)
Thu Jul 28 2011 10:18 PM
Re: Windshear

It appears that the difference in the NOAA and the Air Force dropsonde pressure reading is 4 millibars.

If I'm reading the drops correctly the NOAA drop recorded 1000mb -41m (-135 ft).
USAF drop reported 1000mb -5m (-16 ft)

135ft - 16ft = 119ft divided by 33.4 constant equals 3.56 or 4 millibars.
One millibar is roughly 33.4 feet or one atmosphere if you are a diver.

As to which one is more correct. I don't know. They both were dropped in a windy area so it appears that they may not have sampled the lowest pressure.

I am not a Met, but the preference for dropsondes is to be in an area with less than 20 knot winds. If my memory serves me correctly. I'll double check.



Note: This is NOT an official page. It is run by weather hobbyists and should not be used as a replacement for official sources. 
CFHC's main servers are currently located at Hostdime.com in Orlando, FL.
Image Server Network thanks to Mike Potts and Amazon Web Services. If you have static file hosting space that allows dns aliasing contact us to help out! Some Maps Provided by:
Great thanks to all who donated and everyone who uses the site as well. Site designed for 800x600+ resolution
When in doubt, take the word of the National Hurricane Center