END-OF-IPEX QUICK FACTS

INTENSIVE OBSERVATION PERIODS (IOPs)

Number	Date	What Happened? Data Collected
IOP #1	2/5/00	Detailed airborne Doppler radar observation of snowfall in Tetons
IOP #2	2/11/00	Major winter storm at Sundance: 14" snow
IOP #3	2/12/00	3 feet of snow in Little Cottonwood; major avalanche near Bridal Veil Falls resulting in damming of Provo River
IOP #4	2/14/00	Unusual severe storm during February in Nevada, Idaho and Utah; 71 mph wind gust in Cache Valley; Woman killed in Brigham City due to high winds
IOP #5	2/17/00	Very localized snowfall in Tooele County 6-8"; 14" in Settlement Canyon
IOP #6	2/21/00	Another shot of February thunderstorms: lowland rains, Big Cottonwood Canyon closed due to rockslide
IOP #7	2/24/00	Major winter storm: 41" at Snowbird

RESEARCH RESULTS:

• First intensive observations of winter storms in Teton and Wasatch Mountains
• Detailed observations of the two largest storms in the Wasatch Mountains this winter
• Exceptional radar data collected during Valentine's Day wind storm (killed woman in Brigham City; 73 mph wind gust in Cache Valley)
• Unprecedented measurements of electrification and lightning in winter storms
• First dual-Doppler radar analysis of a cold front interacting with the Great Salt Lake and surrounding mountains
• Demonstrated value of the Mesowest Cooperative Networks for detailed analysis and short-range forecasting of winter storms (such as might be employed during the 2002 Olympics)
• Testing of experimental forecast products (that might be employed in the future by the National Weather Service for public dissemination)
• Real-time interaction of IPEX scientists and forecasters and National Weather Service forecasters
• Educational experience for 20 University of Utah undergraduate and graduate students who assisted in collection of data and forecasting
• 120 local junior high school students toured the NOAA WP-3D Orion Hurricane Hunter aircraft
• Multiple local media stories helped explain the project's purpose and educate the public about the complex weather forecasting challenges in the Intermountain West.

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

• The P-3 flew a total of 41 research hours and 10,000 miles
• About 1 gigabyte of data was collected per flight

DOPPLER ON WHEELS:

• First use of two mobile Doppler radars in winter-storm research
• 70 total hours of operation
• 7 gigabytes of radar data collected throughout IPEX
• Unique observations of complex airflow within Tooele Valley

WEATHER BALLOON RELEASES:

• NWS released 205 additional balloon launches at the following locations: Salt Lake, Utah (55); Reno (14), Elko (58), and Desert Rock/Las Vegas, Nev. (9); Grand Junction, Colo. (16), and Boise, Idaho (53)
• 100 research balloon launches from the two NSSL Mobile Laboratories

S-BAND VERTICALLY POINTING DOPPLER RADAR:

• 1 Gigabyte of data collected
• Observed air motions and reflectivity from clouds producing rain, snow, and graupel at very fine temporal and spatial (60 m) resolutions
• Interactions with Ski Patrol at Snowbasin Ski Resort were invaluable in helping maintain in situ measurements on the mountain

Quotes from participating scientists

For more information about IPEX, see http://www.met.utah.edu/jimsteen/ IPEX and http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/~schultz/ipex.

For further information:
Keli Tarp NOAA/NWS Public Affairs PH: (405) 366-0451
Marilu Trainor NOAA/NWS Public Affairs PH: (801) 524-5692 Ext 226