Not such a clear day for success as the wind is higher and thermal tops lower. Appoacing cold front is bringing the winds up to an uncomfortable level. This plus the lower base will make for a more problematic crossing of the pass. Convergence will be over the back mountains and surface winds will get quite strong by mid afternoon.
14oo winds at 2400m
along track
Surface winds 2pm
5pm winds
1pm
1pm
track
Conditions along track
Today we should have mainly Blue thermals to above 300om, potentially 3800m. Convergence along the Avila Valley, but after Avila the convergence will be where we can’t get at it…too far back into the mountains and airspace. Avila should be easy, Segovia probable. Should be good soaring on the hill for evening conditions again if we get back in time.
Most of us in Avila , but due to the big convection along the convergence we decided to land. Only Fredi carried on to get another 100km to near Segovia.
Sky Junkie for this Month. Pascal Cambell Jones (parameter Slalom hotshot) and Daisy the cow his Pylon. Daisy´s breakfast is ruined!
Daisy and Pascal
Due to the North wind today any convergence will be well behind take off and this is likely to break down later in the day. Winds not to strong and an inversion mid afternoon around 3200m will help keep big development down till later in the afternoon. Wind may be more to the NW and the whole scenario leaves a doubt as to what is the best task for the day. It will really depend upon the direction early on as to the first direction we go. Possibly it will be more NE early on changing to NW so initially flying to Barco or the Tornavacas Pass and then coming back, or going on from there. Perhaps it will be NW by the time we get going, in which case a flight to Avila then back to the Pass. OR, if the conditions early on are above 3500m and the wind is not too strong, then a flight over the back of the Gredos. We will discuss these merits at the briefing.
1pm
Avila track
Avila track conditions over time
Gredos track
gredos track
1500
Surface winds 2pm
Surface winds 5pm
Here is Mike T’s video from day 1. He stops landing when he stops having fun.
A good bit of advice for dangerous sports.
A special mention for Tin Tin today who broke his PB yesterday with a challenging flight outside the convergence area and flying for 7 hours, much of it with a cross wind. Epic skies early in the afternoon soon developed to congestus in the Avila valley which made us push north along the Salamanca road initially to go around. This is often tricky as you are flying out of the easy convergence lift. He landed in Tordesillas, a medieval town in the wine heartlands of central Spain.
The next best was Freddie with 64km, Catherine and Mike at around 40kms.
Yer Man
More wind today with 20km in much of the boundary layer. convergence in the Avila valley but also enough instability to set off congestus and likely Cbs later in the day. Once again a day to try to get N of the convergence, but with the stronger wind may be difficult to do until you get to the windmills after the Pass.
1pm
1500
conditions at 2400 along track
conditons over time
ground winds mid afternoon
Mike Thomas with his first instalment of his video diary of his stay here.
A ridge of high pressure over the Peninsula should give us good soaring and XC conditions throughout the week. Today the southerly should allow us to push on beyond Avila to Segovia, though the convergence is likely to be wander more to the north after the Pass which will make it more tricky perhaps. A divergent area to the East of Segovia may give us headwinds near there. Not untypical, but may stop us there in a light headwind.
1pm
1200
1500
track
Conditions along track over time
surface winds 2pm
surface winds 5pm
wind Key
Still under the influence of an extend trough and a cold front to the NW. However, instability drops of later in the afternoon. Winds SW but should come onto Pena Negra. Not an easy day but looks more lily than yesterday.
1pm
winds at 2400 1400hrs
track conditions
1200
1500
Hirlam. surface winds early afternoon.
today and next week