FIRE FOLKS -

Do we have it all here at SHEBA today or what?  Bears, new leads, 
low cloud, high clouds, middle clouds, sushi, you name it. Looks
like the C-130 will be doing their first flight today. Keep
your fingers crossed for a sighting on the Borys Balloon.

DATE May 4

TIME 1430 UT

SHIP OBSERVER Taneil Uttal

GPS SHIP POSITION 76.00.22N 165 25.54W

SHIP MOVEMENT IN LAST 24 HOURS 1.3 nm ESE

SURFACE TEMPERATURE -20 C

SURFACE WIND CHILL

CLOUD HEIGHTS Radar echo to 6 km AGL

LIQUID WATER LAYERS at 1 km AGL

INVERSION HEIGHT Mixed layer, upper level inversion between 1 and 1.5 km
AGL from 11:15 UT sounding

SHIP ORIENTATION 358 degrees true

PREVAILING WINDS 9 knots at 220 degrees

RAWINSONDE STATUS Normal launches

TETHERED BALLOON STATUS Flights planned today.  Will bring down
by 12:00 ADT (20:00 UT) in anticipation of C-130 being on site
at 13:00 ADT (21:00 UT).

VISUAL OBSERVATIONS Solid overcast.  No sun visible.  Light precipitation
rimed irregular particles.  Large Male Bear by bow of ship.

LEAD REPORT Leads to east and west are covered with grey ice.  New
leads N or camp cutting off the Seattle and Quebec PAM and ice sites.
Another lead accross the end of the runway.

INSTRUMENT STATUS Operational

HELICOPTER STATUS No Helicopter on site

ULTRALIGHT STATUS No Ultralight status

SHIP-TO-AIR COMMUNICATION FREQUENCIES VHF/AM 121.5/126.7 - Please do
radio checks when inbound. It is likely we will hear you before you
can hear us.  Will start to monitor at 12:00 ADT (20:00 UT)

SHIP-TO-LAND COMMUNICATION FREQUENCIES HF 6200/6501

COMMENTS AND MISSION RECOMMENDATIONS 
the current cloud situation (low level boundary) has persisted
since April 29 when a liquid layer appeared at 2 km AGL, descended
to 1 km AGL and stayed in place with continuous radar echo (precip)
below, but varied visual conditions.  At present, radar shows echo
to 6 dm AGL, terascan shows cloudiness throughout the Arctic Basin,
at all levels.  The SHEBA site is in SW flow, and upper level
clouds have moved over the site.  Some clearer patches of sky to
NW and SW but looks like SHEBA will have a very cloudy day with
clouds at all levels.  Mixed layer at surface, ceilings at
750 meters.  Good day for validation of surface sensor retrievals.

NOTE:  LOST BORYS BALLOON AT ABOUT 249 DEGREES FROM SHIP AT 19 KM.
APPROX GPS POSITION IS 75.53N 166.37W AT PRESENT TIME.