SOARING FORECAST JANUARY 18-21, 2013

LAST WEEK I took an early launch and flew a slow searching glide inevitably back to the field without finding any lift. I should have waited till about 1:00. Pilots Baum, Brown and a few others found good thermals for several hour flights. They reported that is was brutally cold aloft. REMEMBER (note to self) it is the LAPSE RATE that is the important indicator of potential for lift -temperature differential between air parcels determines thermal strength prospects. I had made the assumption due to the very cold conditions that there would be no opportunities for lift. All it takes for thermals to happen is a bit of air to warm above the lapse rate for -lift!THIS WEEK The jetstream powered trough that parked over So Cal has moved east. Temperatures will be 20+ degrees higher this week than last making for a nice warm up.High pressure system has moved into our area from the east. That means wind component will spin in from the Northeast throughout this period. Look for thermal and ridge soaring conditions on our local mountains.  The National Weather Service is predicting the following local surface conditions for Friday through Monday: FRIDAY:Sunny, Temperature: 61 degreesWind: Northeast 15 mph. Gusty.SATURDAY:Sunny, Temperature: 62 degreesWind: Northeast 5 to 10 mph.SUNDAYSunny, Temperature: 63 degreesWind: Northeast 10 mph.MONDAY:Sunny, Temperature: 64 degreesWind: Northeast 10 mph.email weather comments to robert.settle@gmail.com