The White Falcon - 04.11.1977, Qupperneq 1

Navy Weather Detachment displays current conditions
in Keflavik-just turn to AFRTS Channel 2
Have you flipped your TV channel sel-
ector to Channel 2 on AFTV lately? -y?
If you have, that stuff on there pro-
bably looks pretty confusing. But, now
you can set that new barometer and com;-
pare your window thermometer with the one
at the Navy Weather Detachment at the
airport because Channel 2 displays
current base weather. Although the
screen may look complicated, it's really
a fairly simple code, describing in de-
tail the weather at the NATO base . And
it’s updated every hour on the hour.
The weather is coded several different
ways, but the easiest one to read is the
part right after the word "AVIATION".
In order, cloud height and amount of
cloud cover, prevailing visibility and
any weather restrictions to visibility,
sea level pressure, air temperature, dew
point temperature, wind direction and
speed, aircraft altimeter setting (you
can set your home barometer to this
value) and remarks are covered in a few
lines after the word "AVIATION". Here
is a typical sequence:
. AVIATION 15 SCT 30 OVC 3SW- 981/-
32/30/3511/897
The amount of cloud cover is reported
in symbols such as SCT which means
scattered clouds or partly cloudy, BKN
meaning broken clouds or mostly cloudy,
OVC meaning overcast or cloudy and
occasionally CLR or clear skies. The
cloud bases are reported in hundreds of
feet. For example, eight means 800 feet
and 25 means 2500 feet. So, the first
part of the example should read:
Scattered clouds at 1,500 feet and over-
cast clouds at 3,000 feet. Occasion-
ally, the height will be prefixed by a
letter which means the height is M-
Measured or E=Estimated. An "X" means
the sky is obscured, by snow, for
instance.
Prevailing visibility is reported
next in miles, with the weather re-
striction to visibility (if any) follow-
ing "L" and "R" and "RW" mean drizzle,
rain, or rain showers while "S", "SW" or
"SP" mean some type of snow. "F" stands
for fog. In the example above, the vis-
ibility is three miles on the average,
restricted by light snow showers.
Sea level pressure is next. That
value is reported in millibars and the
first digit is omitted. Sea level
pressure at Keflavik ranges between 940
and 1025 millibars. The pressure in the
example is 998.1 mb (millibars).
Confused? Well, it takes a little
practice, but soon you'll get the hang
of it and amaze your stateside friends.
The next group of numbers are the air
temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit and
a dew point of 30 degree Fahrenheit. If
the two numbers are very far apart, watch
for static electricity because the atmo-
sphere is dry. If the air temperature is
dry. Lf the air temperature is below 39
degrees Fahrenheit, watch for icy roads
and sidewalks.
The next four digits are wind direc-
tion and speed; 3511 translates to a
wind from 350 degrees true (northerly)
at a speed of 11 knots. North is 360
degrees, east is 090, south 180, and
west 270 degrees, just like on a compass.
Finally, the next group of numbers
tell the aircraft altimeter setting.
That value is always around 28, 29 or 30
inches of mercury and the first digit
is omitted. So, 897 means 28.97 inches.
Set that number on your home barometer.
The people at the Naval Weather
Service Environmental Detachment are
there to answer your questions. They
offer free guided tours through the
detachment on the second floor of Bldg.
810 at the Navy Air Terminal. Call 7829
first for tours or for questions about
weather information on Channel 2.
Volume 33 Number 44
Keflavik, Iceland
November 4, 1977
Beauty Shop’s ribbon cutting ceremony
New hairstyles from Paris
The Beauty Shop held its ribbon cut-
ting ceremony Oct. 28 at 10:30 a.m. in
the new location within the Viking Build-
ing.
Captain Jack T. Weir, Commander Naval
Forces Iceland/Commanding Officer Naval
Station Keflavik, along with Lieutenant
Robert A. Brown, Navy Exchange Officer,
Chief J. D. Phillips, Mr. James C.
Grimsley, Merchandising Manager for the
Navy Exchange, Ms. Dale Rife, manager of
the NEX Beauty Shop and the operators,
Karen, Dianne and Edda attended the
ceremony.
Mrs. Cuthriell and Mrs. Wolinski were
White
As you may have already noticed, last
Monday (Halloween) everyone on the NATO
base was tricked, or treated—depending
upon your poiit of view, with the sur-
prise snow fall. The early snow, which
may be just a preview of things to come,
caught many people unaware. The biggest
problem was that many people were caught
without snow tires which made driving
under the icy conditions even more
NavSta Fire Dept.
receives $500
In the recent Learn Not to Burn com-
petition, sponsored by the National Fire
Protection Association, the Naval Sta-
tion Fire Department shared the highest
award of $500.
The award was announced Oct. 3 for
the government and military division as
well for the Facilities Engineers, Fire
Prevention and Protection Division,
Ft. George S. Meade, MD.
According to Charles S. Morgan, NFPA
president, the NavSta Fire Department
is eligible for the 1977 Grand Award,
of $2,000 in early 1978 plus a free
trip to Anaheim, CA for the associa-
tion's annual meeting in May.
This phase of the NFPA competition
included the U. S. Army, Air Force
and Marine Corps in addition to Navy
installations. Government agencies in
the United States and Canada also par-
ticipated.
NFPA offers a total of $13,000 an-
nually in competition awards. Winners
are expected "to increase their ex-
pertise and education or to benefit
their fire prevention projects and
programs."
There are competition phases for
the municipal division twice a year;
for the industry, health care and
educational institutions division
twice a year; and, for the government
and military division once annually.
the first customers to share in the
ceremony and receive a piece of Good
Luck cake.
Karen has gotten back from Paris
with some new women hairstyles. And
the hours of operation are Monday by
appointment only, Tuesday from 1 to
6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 9 to
6 p.m., Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. and
Saturday from 9 to 1 p.m.
The Beauty Shop also would like to
inform the men that they too can receive
the latest hairstyles.
The telephone for appointments is
6211.
hazardous.
Icelandic law requires all vehicles
to be equipped with one of the following
combinations of snow tires:
* Studded tires on all four wheels.
* Non-studded tires on all four
wheels.
* Studded or nonstudded snow tires on
the front wheels with chains on the
rear wheels.
If you don't have one of these com-
binations on you vehicle it would be in
your own interest to have it done as
soon as possible. It can get mighty
cold walking to work during a snow
storm.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
With the oncoming., winter weather
NATO base residents will be hearing more
and more announcements concerning traf-
fic conditions Alpha limited, Bravo, and
Charlie. An explanation of these con-
ditions follows:
*ALPHA LIMITED—Traffic proceeds as
required by existing conditions, but a
speed limit of 20 m.p.h. is imposed
throughout the base.
*BRAV0—Movement of emergency and
essential traffic is permitted. Essen-
tial traffic is defined as official
vehicles, service vehicles, buses and
private vehicular traffic necessary to
proceed to and from work. ,• When this
condition is in effect, snow tires or
chains are required.
*CHARLIE—Only emergency vehicles are
allovfed to move and they must move at a
reduced rate of speed. Emergency
vehicles include ambulances, fire de-
partment vehicles, command and duty of-
ficer vehicles, private vehicles on re-
call and snow removal equipment.
One final nuue on winter driving, the
snow removal equipment operating on the
NATO base can be identified by the
flashing blue light on top. All
vehicles are required to yield to snow
removal equipment. The snow removal
equipment is very large and often
cannot maneuver around your car like
smaller vehicles can.
Halloween’ on base
Marines to celebrate
202nd birthday Nov. 10
The Marines stationed at Keflavik
will be celebrating the Corps 202nd
birthday with two days of special
events.
t Thursday, the local Marines begin
the day with memorial services at the
base chapel at 10 a.m. which will be
followed by a picture taking session at
11 a.m.
After lunch there will be sports com-
petitions from 1-3 p.m. Sporting
events leading the list will be volley-
ball, racquetball and basketball.
A Marine Corps ball at the Officers'
Club will highlight the celebration.
The ball will begin-at 6:45 p.m. with
dinner at 7:15. A special ceremony will
be held at 8:15. The guest of honor
will be Captain Jack T. Weir, Naval
Station Commanding Officer. Dancing
will begin at 9 p.m.
On Nov. 11, the Marines will cele-
brate with physical training and run-
ning in the morning and organized sports
in the afternoon.
I
RECEIVING A FIRM WELCOME,
Vice Chief of Naval Opera-
tions Admiral R. L. J. Long
is greeted by Rear Admiral
Karl J. Bernstein, Commander
Iceland Defense Force, and
Captain Jack T. Weir, Com-
mander Naval Forces Iceland/
Commanding Officer Naval
Station Keflavik. Admiral
Long made a stopover and
familiarization tour of the
NATO base last week when he
visited Hangar 831 for an
Operation Command Center
briefing. (photo by AN
John Pappas)