On Apr 2, 8:25 am, wrote:
Chris W wrote:
My dad drives along the south side of OKC to work every day and his OAT
in his car always goes a few degrees colder around the where the
extended centerline for the runways would intersect the road. Then it
goes right back up after he is through that area. He thinks this is
because the airplanes are descending from very cold air and bringing
down some of it with them. He has noted that this isn't always the case
but it often is. You would think most of the traffic would be landing
from the north since our winds are mostly from the south, but it seems
like I see a lot of traffic coming in from the south, maybe because it
is easier for the traffic from DFW to just come strait in.
Anyway, any one here think it is really the case that the planes are
causing the temperature to be lower on the approach end of the runway?
I guess if he monitored the ATIS frequency to find out which runway was
active when he drives by every day, he would have a better idea.

I doubt it.

If airplanes were having an effect on air temperature, I would expect
it would be warmer from all the engine heat, just as freeways are
warmer then the adjacent area.

Most likely it is due to the local arrangement of "stuff" such as
asphalt, concrete, trees, grass, buildings, etc.

I live near Sacramento where we have long periods of 100+ degree
temps. The gov't has been doing research here on the affect of asphalt
and roofs (not sure why) on temps. They fly a plane overhead in the
afternoon with sensitive heat detecting equipment. They seem to
believe the city is much hotter simply because of the pavement and the
roofs.

-Robert