Forecast for Thursday, March 8

Issued: Monday, March 5 Launch Weather Officer: 45th Weather Squadron Synoptic Discussion: "High pressure will continue to dominate the peninsula through mid-week with fair weather. Gusty winds to near 30 knots (at 230-foot level) will persist through Monday morning and begin trending down by the afternoon hours as the high moves in and the pressure gradient relaxes slightly. Northerly winds on Monday will persist through Tuesday gusting in the midtwenties by the afternoon. "For the Mobile Launch Platform roll on Wednesday, winds will be from the East with gusts to 20 knots. No thunderstorms are expected during the MLP roll nor through RP-1 tanking with a small chance of an isolated shower with the Easterly winds. "Wednesday evening, a cold front moves into the Southeast progressing South on launch day with a relatively weak boundary off the East coast of Florida. A weak upper level disturbance enhances the boundary over the Atlantic increasing chances for coastal showers and thick clouds. Winds will be from the Eastnortheast at 12 knots gusting to 18 knots. "The primary concerns for launch day are thick clouds and disturbed weather associated with the upper level disturbance and boundary off the coast. "In the event of a 24-hour delay, conditions are less favorable with increased moisture and coastal showers associated with the trough of low pressure off the coast. The primary concerns for a 24-hour delay are thick clouds, disturbed weather, and strengthening winds with a tighter pressure gradient." Clouds: Strato-Cumulus scattered at 2,500 feet with tops at 4,500 feet; and Cirrus Scattered at 24,000 feet with tops at 26,000 feet Visibility: 7 miles Launch Pad Winds: Northeasterly from 060 degrees at 12 to 18 knots Temperature: 63-64 degrees F Relative Humidity: 80 percent Weather: Isolated Showers Solar Activity: Low Probability of Violating Weather Constraints: 30 percent Concerns: Thick clouds and disturbed weather associated with isolated showers

Forecast for 24-hour delay

Friday's Probability of Violating Constraints: 60 percent Concerns: Thick clouds and disturbed weather associated with isolated showers

Times of note

Thursday's launch window: 9:37-11:42 p.m. EST Friday's launch window: 9:35-11:41 p.m. EST