Tuesday?

[BobA]

'Spread' is also used around here as the temperature difference between the predicted high and low for a given day...the higher the spread, the better the day.

[Chris G]

I think I've heard every description of the spread except for the one we use in Ojai which is the temp difference between the ground and 6k.

[BobA]

I may have had it wrong then - Dean S help me out "Spread' to you is what ???

[Dean S]

When I make a reference to the spread I'm usually talking about ground level highs for the day and the temp at 6k.

The last couple times I’ve been at launch I saw a lot of new faces. For the benefit of the newer pilots, I’ll do a quick break down of what I look for in SB as to temp spreads.

I normally don't put down my ice cream and make the drive out to SB for anything under a 20 degree difference between the forecasted highs for the day at ground level and the temp at 6k. That doesn't mean that SB won't work, it just means it's most likely going to be marginal with a little scratch and sniff thrown in. 20 - 25 degree spread is pretty good, and I'll put down the ice cream (but save it for later), call my fellow delinquents, and boogie to launch. 25-30 degree spread is awesome, as long as the humidity is in check, and I'll toss the ice cream, trip over my laundry on the way out the door, call all my delinquent friends and tell them their freakin’nuts if they don’t take the day off, and act like a 5 year old all the way to launch Sound familiar…

Of course there are other factors; wind, etc, but that’s generally what I look for as to temp spreads. Tomorrow is a good example being that there’s almost a 30 degree spread in SB, however, the window of opportunity looks tight with high humidity and another weak front coming in tomorrow night – but I’m still watching it (ice cream in hand).

Bob, maybe you and a few others could pitch in for the noobs – what do you look for?

[Southside]

"...maybe you and a few others could pitch in for the noobs – what do you look for?"

Me, I play one game of solitaire the night before I intend to fly; if I win it's going to be good.

Or I look for something like this (tomorrow's forecast)

Winds are a tad high and it could be a bit dryer in the boundary layer, but it just might turn out to be the day of the year.

[Ramey]

As I write this, cloudbase looks a little low.

BUT - Bate looks like it's going to build.

Robert Ramey

[dschuhl]

To all the contributors on 'spread'.. thanks. I figured there might be some differing opinions. Personally, I like southside's solitaire idea. And if it does turn on tomorrow, have fun. I'll be wishing I was there.

[Simon]

My method of checking the spread is a bit less formal, but it goes something like this. I roll out of bed, grab a cup of coffee, and stand naked in my backyard looking at this:

(That is Santa Paula Peak in the distance)

[Dean S]

Too much information; the part about the coffee that is

[andy dainsberg]

faoro taught me one that can work for sb local soaring and is easy to use: 10+ F spread between mont and lacumbre peaks. u gotta trust the stations howev and your snapshot changes as they cycle. for me i interpret lifty days ala carl sagan; "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" and just hunt.