DESERT STORM WEATHER 17 JANUARY-2 MARCH 1991

File: aabva_25.txt
Page: 25
Total Pages: 106


DESERT STORE 25 January l991

General Weather A low covered east-northeast across Syria and
Iraq, producing light snow and rain showers, blowing dust, and
extensive cloudiness. Conditions improved toward the end of the
day as the swam moved into Iran. By the end of the day, another
low had developed along the eastern Mediterranean coast,
Increasing cloudiness in western Iraq.

Area of interest The low produced light snow over western Iraq,
northeastern Jordan, and Syria: light rainshowers fen in
northwestern Saudi Arabs and Iraq. Winds to 20 know ~ northern
Saudi Arabs produced duststorms from 0900 to ~ 500Z as far south
 I             as 28� N. The lowest recorded visibility was 2,200 meters.

Areas of Intense Interest. Cloud cover was extensive until
evening, by which time the system had moved into Iran. Broken to
overcast low and middle clouds, along with some high clouds,
preceded the low and 1~ cog Font Scattered to broken low clouds
followed the front; ceilings were 2,000-3,000 feet but as low as
500 feet in rainshowers. Low clouds extended to 6,000 feet middle
clouds from 8,000 ~ 18,000 few; and high clouds from 25,000
30,000 feet. Figure 3-10 provides a mid-morning overview of the
system.

Precipitation consisted of light rainshowers that developed with the
frontal system. At 1100z, Baghdad skies were overcast with
rainshowers.

Winds were northerly to easterly, becoming northeasterly to
westerly after the system moved through. Speeds were 10-15
know, but a peak wind of 25 know was observed gong the western
edge ~ the ago

Visibilities were generally 9 km in precipltatlon--the lowest observed
was 5 km. From 040010 1100Z ~ Saudi Arabs, fog reduced
visibly to as low as 3,600 meters. Fog redeveloped In the
evening. Some dust may have been advected into the area from
storms father west

High temperatures only about 4( C in the north and 13( C ~
the south. Lows were near 0( C in the north and about 19( C in the
south as the low-pressure system brought cooler ad into the area
during the afternoon and evening.

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