Dodging Thunderstorms… KZZV-KJBR

Hi all, I’m not sure if this is exactly what you guys have in mind for a trip report, but here goes….

Last week (June 22nd) I was on a trip to Jonesboro Arkansas (from Zanesville Ohio). There was an amazing weather system that stretched from Arkansas up as far as Ohio. I was able to get some photos on this leg. The return flight was just as interesting as we had to cross the line of storms to get behind the weather (fortunately it was breaking up a little and there was a gap that we were able to fly through.

Shortly after takeoff the weather uplink gave us a picture of the weather. Those cells had just popped up as they were not there when we checked the radar picture during the preflight.

Cumulus clouds building.

Now showing some vertical development

Many miles from the main line of storms, we started to see some decently sized CB’s in our path.

A closer view…

Keeping our distance at FL180

Another CB in the distance

Finally cutting through the line.

Behind the line it was pretty much clear to our destination. For the most part we had routed along the front side of the line. For our return to Ohio. we had to break through the line and fly up the back of the system. By the time we reached our destingation the storm line had passed to the East of the airport (KCAK), allowing us to make a visual approach and an uneventful landing. After dropping off he passengers at KCAK we fired up the engines and headed back to Zanesville (KZZV) where we are based. The weather there was still pretty rough and we ended up shooting the ILS approach to runway 22 in moderate rain. A fun trip.