Thurs night update

From: SD
Activity_Date: 3/15/02
Remote Name: 4.33.114.220

Comments

10 pm Thursday night.

This mornings forecast for NE flow on Friday seems to have shifted to more of a NW. The current forecast for Friday favors a SB launch as early as possible. It should be soarable early, but may be blowing down at the Skyport, so we may need to let the thermal strength build enough to block the north wind. The afternoon wind is forecast to pick up out of the west, so the plan is to get downrange ahead of the afternoon breeze.

Check Debbie and the Montecito observation to get a handle on how strong the north is in the morning. The Montecito station sits up at 1,500’ and blows down harder than anywhere else in a NW, including Debbie. Montecito is currently gusting to 40 out of the north, and Debbie is reporting gust approaching 30.

If Debbie is down to 15 at sunrise, we can probably get off by 9:30 or 10, but if she is still gusting to 25+, we may need to let it heat a bit. We don’t want to wait too long, because with such a strong lapse rate, the afternoon wind is likely to build. Rather than waiting until the wind has backed down all the way, we want to move toward launch once the wind shows sings of backing off so we can launch near the beginning of the thermal block..

I’ll post an update by 7:30 Friday morning.

Rain looks probably for Sunday. Saturday may have an early window, but I’ve got a preschool commitment and wouldn’t be able to get to launch until midday.

SD