Sea Breeze The Invisible Tsunami

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Sea BreezeThe Invisible Tsunami

• For the area of
• NJ Southeastern PA
• By Todd Nixon

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The Objective

• To provide you an understanding of how NJ sea
  breezes pose a significant hazard to hot air
  balloon ride operations in NJ and southeastern
  PA.

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Typical Sunset Balloon Flight Path
Flight Path - May 31, 2006 - Pilot Todd Nixon
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The Problem

• Sea breezes are a significant weather event to
• balloonists because
• The landing speeds are increased.
• The landing approaches may be in turbulence.
• Our options to reduce hazardous landings are very
  limited.

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The Solution

• Balloon pilots need to
• Understand the sea breeze process and its many
  variations.
• Learn to forecast track sea breezes for
  ourselves.
• Learn to estimate sea breeze strengths and
  penetration distances.
• Know when to cancel the flight.

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My Sea Breeze Experiences In Ballooning

• As chase crew
• Pre-launch near miss
• Run, trip drag
• As a pilot
• May 25 August17, 2004
• May 28, 2006

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A Balloon Flight Affected By A Sea Breeze
Flight Path - June 8, 2002 - Pilot W. Barry Nixon
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A Balloon Flight Affected By A Sea Breeze
Flight Path August 17, 2004 - Pilot Todd Nixon
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Flying In A Sea Breeze

• Altitude Speed Bearing
• 8/17/2004 185923 565 ft 241 ft 000105 2.5
  mph 277 true
• 8/17/2004 190509 1253 ft 266 ft 000025 7.2
  mph 318 true
• 8/17/2004 191522 485 ft 262 ft 000040 4.5
  mph 291 true
• 8/17/2004 192609 846 ft 278 ft 000024 7.9
  mph 315 true
• 8/17/2004 193128 843 ft 285 ft 000022 8.8
  mph 305 true
• 8/17/2004 193510 843 ft 263 ft 000020 9.0
  mph 313 true
• 8/17/2004 194353 833 ft 280 ft 000021 9.1
  mph 310 true
• 8/17/2004 195628 552 ft 266 ft 000031 5.9
  mph 304 true
• 8/17/2004 195944 656 ft 265 ft 000014 12.9
  mph 326 true
• 8/17/2004 200000 600 ft 247 ft 000016 10.5
  mph 305 true
• 8/17/2004 200019 538 ft 257 ft 000019 9.2
  mph 305 true
• 8/17/2004 200056 508 ft 145 ft 000037 2.7
  mph 296 true
• 8/17/2004 200224 494 ft 263 ft 000128 2.0
  mph 295 true
• 8/17/2004 200331 474 ft 260 ft 000107 2.6
  mph 293 true
• 8/17/2004 200436 450 ft 266 ft 000105 2.8
  mph 310 true
• 8/17/2004 200530 436 ft 271 ft 000054 3.4
  mph 312 true
• 8/17/2004 201007 422 ft 153 ft 000437 0.4
  mph 14 true

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A Balloon Flight Affected By A Sea Breeze
Flight Path - May 28, 2006 - Pilot Todd Nixon
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Flying In A Sea Breeze

• Altitude Speed Bearing
• 5/28/2006 184546 764 ft 153 ft 000030 3.5
  mph 337 true
• 5/28/2006 184940 511 ft 152 ft 000027 3.8
  mph 308 true
• 5/28/2006 185625 702 ft 144 ft 000022 4.5
  mph 315 true
• 5/28/2006 191250 511 ft 158 ft 000024 4.5
  mph 340 true
• 5/28/2006 192017 410 ft 167 ft 000026 4.4
  mph 323 true
• 5/28/2006 192714 562 ft 154 ft 000019 5.5
  mph 324 true
• 5/28/2006 193244 806 ft 167 ft 000014 8.1
  mph 328 true
• 5/28/2006 193744 582 ft 163 ft 000027 4.1
  mph 336 true
• 5/28/2006 193946 731 ft 168 ft 000014 8.2
  mph 348 true
• 5/28/2006 194117 581 ft 163 ft 000015 7.4
  mph 336 true
• 5/28/2006 194928 611 ft 164 ft 000016 7.0
  mph 343 true
• 5/28/2006 195248 768 ft 163 ft 000012 9.2
  mph 336 true
• 5/28/2006 195300 767 ft 168 ft 000012 9.5
  mph 332 true
• 5/28/2006 195311 748 ft 158 ft 000011 9.8
  mph 333 true
• 5/28/2006 195322 726 ft 165 ft 000011 10.2
  mph 334 true
• 5/28/2006 195333 694 ft 161 ft 000011 10.0
  mph 331 true
• 5/28/2006 195345 679 ft 160 ft 000012 9.1
  mph 326 true
• 5/28/2006 195358 661 ft 167 ft 000013 8.8
  mph 328 true

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Flying In A Sea Breeze

• Your two choices if caught up in a sea breeze
• Ride out the sea breeze front
• Could be a long distance flight.
• Crew help doubtful.
• Fly above the sea breeze current
• The current may slow towards sunset.
• Target a preferred landing site.
• Coordinate a landing approach with your crew.

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Flying In A Sea Breeze
Flight Path - May 25, 2004 - Pilot Todd Nixon
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Flying In A Sea Breeze
3D Flight Path - May 25, 2004 - Pilot Todd Nixon
- Image created by Keith Sproul
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Flying In A Sea Breeze
Synoptic flow above sea breeze
Top of sea breeze
Main feed currents
Calm air
Land surface
Sea breeze front
Rotor
Surface obstructions create resistance
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Flying In A Sea Breeze
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Flying In A Sea Breeze

• Flight characteristics vary with each sea breeze
• The strongest current in a sea breeze is
  typically between 500 to 1200 feet AGL
• Strong sea breezes will have significant
  turbulence at the surface and usually advance
  quickly
• Even slow moving sea breeze fronts can still have
  significant turbulence
• Weak or dissipating sea breezes can become a
  gentle wind shift or even decouple from the
  surface and go unnoticed

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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking

• Methods
• NEXRAD - Doppler radar
• Visual satellite images
• Surface weather observations

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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image loop from Intellicast.com
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image loop from Intellicast.com
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image loop from Intellicast.com
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image loop from Intellicast.com
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image source WeatherBug
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A Typical Balloon Flight With An Afternoon River
Breeze
Flight Path - June 23, 2002 - Pilot Todd Nixon
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image from Unisys Corp.
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image from NWS
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image from Unisys Corp.
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image from Weather Underground
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image loop from Intellicast.com
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Sea Breeze Identification Tracking
Image loop from Intellicast.com
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Closing Remarks

• Sea breezes and other onshore breezes are a
  dynamic weather event.
• Onshore breeze analysis is time consuming.
• Predicting sea breeze penetration distances is
  challenging.
• Internet access is vital to the success of my
  detection and tracking methods.

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Closing Remarks

• Wireless Internet access is a great asset on the
  launch site with an approaching sea breeze.
• Sea breeze spotters are second best to wireless
  Internet and a great asset while piloting a
  balloon.
• It would be very helpful if more information
  about onshore breezes could be included in the
  afternoon forecast discussions from local NWS
  offices.

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Acknowledgements

• Sea breeze information provided
• by James Eberwine
• National Weather Service Mt. Holly
• Sea breeze research data provided by
• Louis Bowers of