Forecast for Thursday, July 17

Issued: Tuesday, July 15 Launch Weather Officer: Jim Sardonia, 45th Weather Squadron Synoptic Discussion: "Warm temperatures and a very saturated atmosphere today will combine to produce another round of afternoon rainshowers and scattered thunderstorms throughout all of Florida. Activity in the local area will initiate along the east-coast sea breeze and today's steering flow will move these storms closer to Cape Canaveral in the afternoon hours. Similar conditions are expected on Wednesday. "On launch day (Thursday), upper-level winds are expected to decrease and may be more easterly throughout the local atmosphere. This would carry both the inland thunderstorms and associated cloud cover to the west and away from SLC 41. However, southeasterly low-level winds will produce a chance of scattered coastal rainshowers along the coast. Some of these rainshowers may violate the Cumulus Cloud Rule during the launch countdown. "Conditions worsen in the event of a 24 and 48-hour delay as the upper-level winds switch back to a westerly component increasing the chance of Anvil clouds overhead in the late afternoon hours of Friday and Saturday. "The main concern for Launch Day will be the chance of enhanced Cumulus clouds from coastal rainshowers within 10 nautical miles of SLC 41." Clouds: Scattered Cumulus at 4,000 feet with 2/8ths sky coverage and tops at 8,000 feet; Broken Cirrus at 25,000 feet with 5/8ths sky coverage and tops at 27,000 feet Visibility: 7 miles or better Launch Pad Winds: Southeasterly from 120 degrees at 12 gusting to 18 knots (as measured at 230 feet) Temperature: 80 to 82 degrees F Relative Humidity: 75 percent Weather: Chance of scattered coastal rainshowers Solar Activity: Low-moderate Probability of Violating Weather Constraints: 30 percent Concerns: Enhanced Cumulus Clouds within 10 nautical miles

24- and 48-hour Delay Forecasts

Friday's Probability of Violating Constraints: 60 percent Concerns: Chance of Anvil Clouds and Enhanced Cumulus Clouds within 10 nautical miles Saturday's Probability of Violating Constraints: 60 percent Concerns: Chance of Anvil Clouds and Enhanced Cumulus Clouds within 10 nautical miles