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Norway is a beautiful country filled with sprawling mountain ranges, mesmerizing glaciers, and deep coastal fjords. Each of those natural features are painted white with bouts of inclement weather during Exercise Cold Response 2022, where U.S. Marines and their NATO Allies face conditions like hail, snow, sleet, and rain.
Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) Analyst Forecasters of II Marine Expeditionary Force, work around the clock collecting data, studying the atmosphere and forecasting the weather for operations during the exercise.
Weather plays a vital role for Marines operating in the exercise, according to Capt. Zachary Fossum, meteorology and oceanography officer. Fossum, who is currently assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force, explained that understanding what the weather will be for a given day, or sometimes a particular hour, is vital to mission accomplishment from flight operations to movements across land or sea.
During Cold Response ‘22, II MEF METOC Marines used the Advanced Micro-Weather Sensor, giving more accurate weather forecasts with a small and effective system which has never been employed in the Arctic by II MEF Marines.
The Advanced Micro-Weather Sensor weighs 3.8 pounds. With an included tripod and case, the total weight of the system is 15 pounds. In a world where Marines must travel lighter and faster, the system is light-years ahead of the cases of gear METOC Marines once lugged around, each containing different machines to take separate measurements.
“The sensor is designed to be placed in a pack if needed, further illustrating the ruggedness and expeditionary capability of the sensor,” explained Fossum, “It allows a forecaster to bring minimal gear on an exercise or deployment.”
A laser located atop the system provides readings of temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, cloud elevation and many more features back to a METOC Marine for action. Additionally, four imbedded cameras provide a 360-degree view for photos of the sensor's surroundings. The small system also features a built-in iridium satellite modem, which allows an operator to access weather data from anywhere in the world, while the built-in solar panels provide power, resulting in a fully self-sufficient system.
“In the past, we would have to have a larger sensor that would need power and the ability to connect to the internet,” Fossum explained, describing how the compact sensor gives METOC Marines the opportunity to see the environment outside of previous means. “Now we can place this sensor anywhere and leave it for months at a time.”
The Marine Corps is always adapting for better and more efficient ways of completing missions and Exercise Cold Response 2022 provided an environment of operational growth in the Arctic.
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2022 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 418197 |
| Location: | BODO, NORDLAND, NO |
| Web Views: | 239 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, II MEF METOC Use New Weather System during Exercise Cold Response, by SSgt Megan Roses, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
