B737-300 FLT CREW RETHINKS THE ADVISABILITY OF TAKING OFF INTO APCHING STORM GUST FRONT.

Narrative

THIS FLT WAS THE THIRD OF THREE FOR THE DAY AND THE END OF A 3 DAY TRIP. AS THE CAPT AND I HAD FINISHED ALL OF OUR PREFLT PLANNING AND VIEWING OF THE RADAR IN STATION OPS; WE WERE JUST SITTING IN THE COCKPIT WAITING FOR THE PAX TO BOARD. LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW; I SAW THE WX DETERIORATING TO THE W. THE CAPT COORDINATED; THROUGH STATION OPS AND DEP CTL; THE BEST RTE AROUND THE BUILDING WX. WE BLOCKED OUT EARLY SO WE COULD 'BEAT' THE WX. AS WE WERE GOING TO RWY 14R; THE WINDS SHIFTED (#1 CLUE) TO FAVOR A RWY 18 DEP. WE TAXIED OUT AND WERE PRIMED TO GO. THE TWR QUERIED US AS TO WHETHER WE WANTED TO 'TAKE A LOOK' AT THE WX AND THE RWY (CLUE #2). WE HAD VIEWED IT ON THE RADAR AS WE TAXIED OUT AND DECIDED WE COULD 'PRESS' (#3 CLUE). AS WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE RWY; THE GUST FRONT OVERTOOK THE FIELD AND REQUIRED ALMOST FULL RUDDER INPUT TO MAINTAIN RWY CTRLINE. ONCE WE GOT AIRBORNE; I HAD TO FIGHT WITH THE ACFT TO MAINTAIN CTL. WE EXPERIENCED A GAINING PERFORMANCE SHEAR. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT FOR THE CONTINUOUS CONVERSATION BTWN BOTH PLTS AS TO HOW WE GOT INTO THE SIT AND HOW TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE. WE WERE DEFINITELY IN THE 'GO' MODE. WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A MUCH MORE RESTRAINED VIEW TOWARDS THE TKOF; READ THE CLUES AND CONSTANTLY REEVALUATED THE 'THREAT.' HAD WE DONE THIS; I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THE WX TO PASS AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF WITH MUCH LESS RISK TO OUR PAX AND OURSELVES.