First weekend in May 2020

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First weekend in May 2020

Postby sd » Fri May 01, 2020 6:33 am

Friday Night Update

The mountain window for Saturday looks narrow. The mid-afternoon lapse rate is strong, but the wind is forecast to pull down and in from the west down lower and from the NW up higher. Possibly manageable from the lower launches? Based on Windy, Bates to Ventura looks likely both Saturday and Sunday… If you choose to run the Rincon, recommend launching before the wind builds.

I was up at Western Skies today (west VOR). Blowing down mid-morning, then trying to block midday, then building stronger into the afternoon.
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Friday Morning Perception

Today (Friday) High pressure and a strong lapse rate, but perhaps too much wind from the north in the Santa Barbara mountains for PGs? Less wind to the east, so if you can get airborne it looks good downrange through Fillmore… The lower launches should offer more protection and might block…

Tomorrow (Saturday) both the wind and the lapse rate fade some, so on balance, Saturday might be the best opportunity for the weekend for PGs but Friday (today) might work better for HGs? Ojai has better protection, but SB might be good enough to get up and over?

Sunday, the wind is forecasted to be similar to Saturday, but a weaker lapse rate. Likely flyable but not as good as Saturday?

Although the lapse rate fades through the period, don’t really see an inversion other than a low-level marine influence at the beaches. The North wind is holding off the marine air except for down low today, but it appears the ocean air will increasingly pull in through the weekend. Not a good weekend for motor boating with a lot of mid channel wind.

I was in the mountains yesterday (Thursday) and it was quite windy from the north even at the lower altitudes, however, there were some questionably launchable zephyr cycles coming through from the south at the Skyport mid-afternoon.

May is typically Plowshare season, but we go to Plowshare for bigger altitude and with strong wind up high, I recommend launching from the lower elevation sites this weekend, unless your flying a HG and can handle the stronger wind up high.
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