let the "Heavy Thunderstorm / Rain" move elsewhere
 

Whilst avoiding a CB and rain is a good plan for the airborne phase of an approach and landing, the on-ground aspects must also be considered.

It may take 15 min for the runway to drain after heavy rain to achieve a reasonable condition for landing.

If 10/28 was used, note that it is concrete, which is not always the best surface, even though it is grooved; runway 01/19 is not grooved. Savannah-KSAV

Even if a runway is grooved it has to be clean to be effective. Google Earth shows a lot of rubber deposits on the main runway, especially on the 10 touchdown zone – the last chance 28 rollout braking area – which is also down hill.

Silent Pressures
 

One of the saddest things I ever heard from a chief pilot: WE can't make a rule to avoid thunderstorms near an airport by 5 miles because it would impact schedule too much.

Now, think about that.

Whether it is in a book or not...there is a silent pressure to make schedule. That dumb ranking of airline on time performance is more of a detriment to safety than one might imagine. There isn't a column for weather delays, or mechanical delays...just delays.

why did southwest have such good on time performance? good weather areas...but their venture to the east will show them.

That is of course a good point to consider. What I was looking at was the visibility jumping from around 2000m in heavy rain/ TS around the time of the approach to 16km / light rain by 12.43 .. personally I would prefer the latter ...

Presumably waiting for the storm to clear and landing in a calmer less windy phase also means carrying less speed on the approach?

Gust factor ...
 

From the Metars ... max adjustment to Vref I can see is 5kts .. so not really significant



12:12 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1009.4 hPa 2.8 kilometers WSW 11.1 km/h / 3.1 m/s - 0.1 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271612Z 25006KT 1 3/4SM R01/4500VP6000FT +TSRA BR FEW003 SCT012CB BKN030 OVC130 22/20 A2981 RMK AO2 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC SW-W TS SW-W MOV NE P0002
12:18 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1009.7 hPa 1.6 kilometers WSW 24.1 km/h / 6.7 m/s 31.5 km/h / 8.7 m/s 0.2 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271618Z 25013G17KT 1SM R01/3000V6000FT +TSRA BR FEW003 SCT012CB BKN018 OVC130 22/20 A2982 RMK AO2 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC OHD TS OHD MOV NE P0009 $
12:21 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1009.7 hPa 1.2 kilometers WSW 13.0 km/h / 3.6 m/s 31.5 km/h / 8.7 m/s 0.4 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271621Z 25007G17KT 3/4SM R01/2600VP6000FT +TSRA BR FEW007 SCT012CB BKN020 OVC130 22/20 A2982 RMK AO2 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC OHD TS OHD MOV NE P0017 $
12:30 PM 22.0 °C 20.0 °C 88% 1008.7 hPa 2.4 kilometers WSW 14.8 km/h / 4.1 m/s - 0.7 cm Rain , Thunderstorm Heavy Thunderstorms and Rain
SPECI KSAV 271630Z 25008KT 1 1/2SM R01/4500VP6000FT +TSRA BR FEW007 SCT012CB OVC029 22/20 A2979 RMK AO2 VIS 3/4V4 TSE02B12RAB07 FRQ LTGIC N-NE TS N-NE MOV NE P0029 $
12:43 PM 23.0 °C 21.0 °C 88% 1008.4 hPa 16.1 kilometers South 11.1 km/h / 3.1 m/s - 0.9 cm Rain Light Rain
SPECI KSAV 271643Z 19006KT 10SM -RA FEW007 SCT027 BKN037 OVC130 23/21 A2978 RMK AO2 TSE02B12E42RAB07 PRESFR CB DSNT NE-E MOV NE P0034

Sorry guys, but what does this group mean:

Haven't seen it before.

Thanks
Nic

TSE02B12RAB07
Thunderstorm ended 2 minutes after the top of the hour
began at 12 after
rain began at 07 after

Thanks a lot, gcap.

I used to fly to the US a lot, but I don't recall seeing one of those before...

Nic