Chicago Area Program: A Major New Atmospheric Effort

Abstract

A series of mesoscale meteorological research projects have developed since 1975 in the area over and around the south end of Lake Michigan. These regionally focused projects, under the label of the Chicago Area Program (CAP), are being performed by scientists from 12 research groups or universities using funds from a variety of state and federal agencies. Efforts to date have led to the installation and operation of a major rain gage network, other weather networks and sondes, several weather radars, meteorological aircraft, and a ship. This sizeable program is addressing five major study areas including lake meteorology, water resources and hydrometeorology, inadvertent weather modification, air pollution and its impacts, and severe weather. Multigroup field experiments and the exchange of data are coordinated at the scientist level.