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Deployed weather observers report more than the obvious

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Cheryl L. Toner
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  When people think of the job a weather observer has in Southwest Asia, they may believe it would be relatively simple. After all, day after day, it is hot, humid and dusty. What else would there be to report?

More than meets the eye, especially when taking into consideration the mission of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location. Realizing this, the answer becomes much more complex. With a number of different aircraft, each operating within its own parameters, “What will the weather be like today?” is not a redundant question.

“No aircraft can take off or land without talking to us,” said Master Sgt. Wesley Mathias, who heads up the weather observer station in the 380th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Since wind drives the temperature, wind direction and speed are “critical for our aircraft,” he said.

With daily briefings, five-day forecasts, watches, advisories and maintenance of two tactical systems, as well as briefings for every flight, the four-person crew said business is good.

Satellite imagery is one of their primary tools, said Sergeant Mathias, who is deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Observers are trained to differentiate between sand and clouds, he said.

With the 360-degree look at weather, the observers know the thresholds for the various aircraft and their pilots. For instance, U-2 Dragon Lady pilots suited up in a spacesuit can only endure so much time sitting in their aircraft, warming up in more than 105-degree weather, before they take off.

“They’ll pass out if they sit there long enough,” said Senior Airman Michael Ragsdale, a weather observer also deployed from MacDill.