Some captured images taken over southern Michigan and northern Ohio this afternoon as today's strong weather system moves into the area ahead of a sharp cold front. Textures courtesy of REX E+. Weather engine courtesy of FSX. Aircraft is N3411F, my Cessna C340 II. Shots taken at 8,000 ft.

 

Multiple cloud layers with shearing of the mid level clouds due to strong winds aloft above 10,000 ft.

 

 

Later, breaking into an opening from total IFR as the C340, heading southeast, chases down the leading edge of the storm.

 

 

Out of the IFR conditions ahead of the storm, with only a broken layer of cumulus below. A rare spring-like appearance in winter following unseasonable surface temperatures in the 60's. Shortly after this shot we broke out over an only-widely-scattered layer for our RNAV approach to KOSU on our way to take in the Wisconsin vs Ohio State basketball game this evening (7:00pm EST, ESPN). Tomorrow after the storm passes we head back to Bloomington, Indiana, to drop off two guests, before proceeding up to KLAF for the Indiana vs Purdue game.

Nice. That first shot looks scary. Is the 340 subject to shock cooling?

 

Gregg

Read the following thread @ AVCANADA (which includes the Kas Thomas "Shock Cooling" Article)...

 

Shock Cooling / AVCANADA Forum

 

Shock Cooling: Myth or Reality? by Kas Thomas @ AVWEB

I read the Myth or Reality thing a while back. Truly, I don't know the answer. I guess I'd fly relative to predominant behavior.

Is the 340 subject to shock cooling?

 

Might be, but that was not an issue. The sharp drop in temp from this weather system will occur when the C340 is on the ground in Columbus tonight. Never saw an OAT colder than -5C today, and that was over Wisconsin this morning. This afternoon at 8,000 ft the OAT was -1C to +1C, about right as the normal lapse rate is -2C per 1,000 ft of altitude. So reversing that would add around 16 degrees C to the OAT for an expected temp at MSL. It was in the high 50s to low 60s (F) on the ground in that region this afternoon, 60^F = 15.5^C.

Perfect post Fppilot!

 

1.) Awesome pictures

2.) Good destinations.

3.) (and the winner) planned events to attend, knowing full well, they are only excuses for the real mission... FLYING!

 

Now I have to go out and meet this weather... as they say to expect tornados wed, and thursday... in JANUARY for Pete's sake. And I thought last years "Thunder Snow Storms" was crazy.

Thanks for the kind words! I am a former USAF meteorologist circa Viet Nam era, and the weather training has just never left my "systems". Sometimes I go looking for real time weather in FSX. Today it just was in the right place at the right time as I flew a route to familiarize myself with the airports I will fly (FSX) into as I follow the Indiana Hoosiers road schedule. I skipped Ann Arbor today because of the impending weather, so will have to make a separate flight up there when there is a lull in the schedule (and the weather is good!). After returning to Bloomington tomorrow, and continuing to Lafayette for the game tomorrow night, I will return to Bloomington after the game and be there through the game Saturday night (9:00pm EST, ESPN) with #3 IU hosting #1 Michigan. From there I will fly my HondaJet on Sunday morning to New Orleans for the Super Bowl! Will have Indiana Basketball coach Tom Crean and his wife Joani (Harbaugh) Crean on board my event-painted Baltimore Raven's livery HondaJet.

 

Hey Hey! A Manassas pilot! I am a native of Hoosier land and an IU alumn, but am retired and living on the near Maryland Eastern Shore, not far from the bay bridge. Are you a Redskins or Ravens fan? Ravens fan for the Super Bowl?

 

The contrails add some nice variety to the third image!

LOL, now THAT sounds like a sweet plan~!

 

Eastern Shore! I know it well... I cross the towering Bay Bridge almost everyday.. passing the nice airfields along the way, and doing "drive by spotting" whenever possible. My home field is great, but the added headache of the washington ADIZ really spoils the convenience of it.

 

 

Redskin fan by trade, Ravens fan last week, but only passing interest this weekend. I wish your guys luck!

I wish your guys luck!

 

Which "guys"? #3 Indiana Hoosiers vs #1 Michigan Wolverines? Or 4 point underdog Ravens against the 49rs?

 

Or both?

Nice ones!

LOL.. Ravens

 

 

That midwest system caught me off guard when it passed over WVa this afternoon... It knew exactly how much water to dump onto my seats, (having left the windows down) to remind me what it was like to sit in an unchanged diaper. Understanding why babies cry? Check.

Ravens fan for the Super Bowl?

 

Ravens for the Super Bowl.

Love that 340.

Love that 340.

 

Thanks! It's a bit of a custom repaint with a custom tail number. Perhaps tomorrow I'll post a better shot of the 340 itself.

 

Ravens for the Super Bowl.

 

Was inside M&T stadium today. Almost rivaled the atmosphere at Bloomington last Saturday for the Indiana Hoosiers game vs the Michigan Wolverines!

 

Go Ravens!

 

Go #1 Indiana (my alma mater)

 

I'm "skying" this week!!!!!!