Is it colder at the approach end of the runway?

On Apr 2, 5:43 pm, "Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea Hawk at wow way
d0t com wrote:
If I were to guess (and it's just a guess) I would suspect that the long
open space along the runway allows the wind to blow a little faster (less
drag from buildings and stuff) and pulls down a little more cool air from
higher altitudes.

A similar sort of guess would be that it's the same effect as a sea
breeze. The runway surface heats up and causes a cool breeze towards
it.

Chris, is this in the morning or afternoon?

Kev

I would sooner think that it is the ground in the area... is there water or
a marshy area near there?

BT

"Chris W" wrote in message
...
My dad drives along the south side of OKC to work every day and his OAT in
his car always goes a few degrees colder around the where the extended
centerline for the runways would intersect the road. Then it goes right
back up after he is through that area. He thinks this is because the
airplanes are descending from very cold air and bringing down some of it
with them. He has noted that this isn't always the case but it often is.
You would think most of the traffic would be landing from the north since
our winds are mostly from the south, but it seems like I see a lot of
traffic coming in from the south, maybe because it is easier for the
traffic from DFW to just come strait in.

Anyway, any one here think it is really the case that the planes are
causing the temperature to be lower on the approach end of the runway? I
guess if he monitored the ATIS frequency to find out which runway was
active when he drives by every day, he would have a better idea.


--
Chris W
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Is it colder at the approach end of a runway?

No.


--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

tony roberts wrote:
Is it colder at the approach end of a runway?

No.

But isn't it true, or so I've been told, that it is always cloudier over an
airport than the surrounding area? :-)

Is it colder at the approach end of a runway?

No.

But isn't it true, or so I've been told, that it is always cloudier over an
airport than the surrounding area? :-)


Now that IS true

Tony

--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

I posted this and then got busy so I am just now reading the replies. I
will try to respond to most of the replies in this message.

Airport is KOKC (Will Rogers International)
The location where the temperature change is noticed is SW 104th Street
which is just a hair over 1 mile south of the runway 35L and 35R.

We weren't thinking so much that the temperature change was due to the
down wash of air following the plane as it was the fact that at 30,000
feet the plane mass (which is quite a bit in an airliner) becomes very
cold and as it moves through the warmer air at the the lower altitudes
near the airport, it absorbs the heat from the air and therefore leaves
it colder than it was.

I do suspect though that as at least one poster suggested it may be due
to the fact that there isn't much development out there. If you look at
the satellite map, you will see very little development for a long way
south.

Another reason my dad thought this might be at least partially caused by
the aircraft is the fact that sometimes it is warmer there. In that
case he was thinking that the planes had been sitting on the ground for
some time and most of the structure was at least as warm as the ambient
air, then with the engines putting out full power for about 3 miles
before they cross the road, would be generating a lot of heat. So if the
planes were departing on runway 17L or 17R, it wold tend to warm it up.

However it could just be due to what direction the wind was blowing.
South wind blowing over mostly farm land and the river a few miles
south. Keeping it cool and a north wind blowing over the city, keeping
it warmer.


--
Chris W
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I forgot to mention, yes this is in the morning around 7 to 8 am.


--
Chris W
KE5GIX

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