BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Aug. 26, 2004 –– No matter what the season, the weather changes quickly in the mountains of Afghanistan. Within 30 minutes, the skies can go from clear blue to dark and stormy. Or the wind can pick up drastically, gathering up dust and reducing visibility.

With air and ground forces conducting operations around the clock, many organizations need to know what the weather is, or what it will be in the future. A team of U.S. Air Force airmen on Bagram Air Base ensures those organizations get accurate information.

“We provide support to all the Coalition forces here at Bagram or at any other location in Afghanistan – including the forward operating bases,” said Air Force Maj. Ann Gravier, lead weather officer for 12 forecasters on Bagram.

“We support on-going operations, protect resources and help with planning,” she said. “For instance, if a commander knows he will be operating in a certain area in five days, he'll get with us to find out what the projected weather is for the area – that way, he can determine how weather can impact his operation.”

“The weather support we provide to the aviators, ground forces and decision makers is instrumental to the success of on-going operations,” said Tech. Sgt. Christopher Blanch, weather operations noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “The observed and forecast weather information we relay to battlefield commanders is key to the planning process and will sometimes make or break a mission. Knowing when and where bad weather will hit allows troops to move to safer locations.”

Accurately predicting the weather is extremely important.

“Commanders will make a decision whether a particular mission will go or not,” said Staff Sgt. Sherdean Brisendine, one of the 12 forecasters. “If the crosswinds are too high, or the visibility is too low, the weather can cancel a mission. We have to make sure we give the commander the information he needs to make a wise decision on weather – it gives him additional situational awareness.”

Since wind speeds can go from 11 knots, about 12 mph, to 35 knots, about 40 mph, in about 30 minutes, “we also report rapidly changing conditions and warn of thunderstorms and high winds,” Brisendine said.

Without many of the traditional tools, the forecasters here have to go back to basic observation skills to determine what the weather may be.

“You have to go outside and look – find out ‘what does it look like out there?' ” Brisendine said.

Finding out what it “looks like out there,” gives the weather forecasters more information to be able to improve future predictions.

“We have to collect as much data as we can,” said Gravier. “It's important to be able to observe the weather around the clock. We really rely on forecasting skills and knowledge here.”

That knowledge is also useful during the weather briefings. Most of the forecasters here have had experience in the units they provide assistance to. For example, Brisendine comes from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, the home of the A-10 Thunderbolt II unit currently stationed at Bagram. On the other hand, Air Force Staff Sgt. Alison Long hails from Wheeler Army Air Field in Hawaii. She provides weather forecasting for Army ground forces deployed here from Hawaii.

“It's helpful that I have worked and trained with these people long before I got here,” said Long. “I know their specific sensitivities, and know what they will need to know about weather. Many of the weather briefings I do are for helicopter pilots – they need to know different information from the fixed wing pilots.”

There are significant differences between briefing pilots of fixed-wing aircraft like the A-10s and those piloting helicopters used at Bagram, like the Army's CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache. Helicopters travel much lower than fixed wing aircraft and, since the weather can be more turbulent closer to the ground, it can be more challenging to brief, said Long.

“The people who are regularly embedded with Army units are able to provide weather information important to that unit's mission,” said Gravier. “They will know how particular weather will impact the unit and the unit's equipment. It really pays off for both the weather forecasters and the unit. We are able to bring people into a deployment environment who are familiar with the weapons system.”

With enough weather information, Soldiers and Airmen can accurately plan operations for bigger impact, said Blanch.

“It means a lot to me to see the troops who are in combat take the weather information we give them and use it to their advantage to defeat those enemies trying to take away the (Afghan) freedoms.”

An Air Force forecaster working with the Army isn't unusual – the Air Force regularly provides weather support to Army units.

“This is a part of the joint environment,” said Gravier. “We do provide some assistance to the Marines and the Navy here, since they didn't bring enough aircraft to justify bringing a dedicated forecaster. We don't turn anyone down.”

That mission is vital to the success of Operation Enduring Freedom, now moving into a phase where forces are supporting preparations for elections. The forecasters are well aware of their impact.

“I'm very proud to be here in this crucial time,” said Brisendine. “It's great to be here to give men and women, especially women, some of the equal opportunities that I have stateside.”

“I am awestruck by the fact that I am contributing to the pages of a future history book,” said Blanch. “A book that will describe how a Coalition of many countries provided the means for a democratic process to become possible.”