A variety of means were utilized to meet the first objective in the Phoenix area. The NOAA P-3 aircraft, a fixed MCLASS upper air sounding unit at NWSFO and the NSSL mobile laboratory (NSSL2) as well as the surface mesonet data collected via SRP automated weather network provided the basis for creating a comprehensive database for studying the diurnal evolution of the local thunderstorm environment. AZTC was also included in this massive data gathering operation. Information obtained from the AZTC program (meteorological field observations, photographs and video) provided additional and unique observational data (e.g., section 6) to complement information obtained from other sources. Members of AZTC also participated in the daily briefing and synoptic weather pattern discussions associated with SWAMP operations. During the final days of SWAMP, slight modifications to the communication setup of the National Severe Storms Laboratory Mobile Observatory (NSSL2) allowed that unit to participate directly as a vehicle of AZTC providing direct weather observations to NWSFO and to other AZTC mobile units. No severe weather was encountered when NSSL2 participated; however, AZTC field team members and NSSL personnel did have detailed discussions on equipment improvement and AZTC field team members did have the opportunity to observe and question experts in severe storm observation.
SWAMP 