A moderate SW flow today.  We have a trough over central Spain and instability has increased compared to yesterday.  Base looks around 3600m but we don´t really want to go there today. Very likely  Cbs early afternoon.  We cannot wait at the PN take off for it to come on, so we will go to Lastra to get an early flight.  leaving shortly after 10am.  I can´t seem to access a Skew T this morning, but  it is pretty clear that it is unstable and problematic.

What Happened.

An early 11 isn take off at Lastra and all soon over the back after some decent but sometimes turbulent climbs.  We landed in the Valley behind since Puri radioed that we are getting strong winds in the Piedrahita valley.  Cbs around later in the afternoon.

1pm

Track and winds at 1800m

conditions along track.

SW and convergence.  High base to around 4000m  and reasonable PG winds.  Very good quality thermals.  Epic stuff for a really big flight towards and beyond Segovia……….However, I am driving to the airport.

Track and winds at 1800m

Conditions along track

track and winds at thermal tops

Track to NW . conditions over time

conditions along Jerte valley

Luc, yesterdays flight and landing near the Tornavavas Pass

We continue with the Anticyclone and increasing temperatures.  Hopefully less inverted than yesterday .  We have less wind which may allow us to fly out towards the NE.  There may be a local competition today so we should have more wind dummies.

What Happened.

A great day with plenty of us going from Barco and back to Piedrahita.  The day really got going around 4 pm with climbs of over 3000m.

A nice evening soar at 7 pm where I did a tandem for a bride to be with a Hen Party group.

Slowly getting through the DSC group.  Alan Horsefield, Dave Allen and now Alan Ford (and the pub dog Eric).

Chinny and Eric

Potentially not a bad day.  We continue with the NE flow,   Once again an inversion , the not so abrupt, at 2600, but climbs to c3000m should deb possible later in the day.  The wind maybe light enough to take the NW track of yesterday (see track log and map below).  this would take us clear of the more difficult landings.  However, we may be obliged to go to the Cherry Tree valley.  Most probable take off at Peña Negra today for the XC flight.

What Happened

Nice gentle conditions but not much of a ceiling.  Most of the group around Barco, though a number of us carried onto he Tornavacas Pass.  It was a bit stable to venture  beyond down there amongst the cherry trees though.

1pm

1500

track. winds at top of climbs

conditions along track over time

Yesterdays track to see terrain.

A more stable day with less risk of high winds early on, though for sure at peak times the wind and thermal strength on the ground will get a bit uncomfortable.  However, with the forecast we can expect to get a more enjoyable PG day.

There is  a strong inversion at 2600m, so most of the early climbs will not go above that in the flatlands.  However, with the expected top temperature of 23ºC, we can expect some climbs to 3000m.

The wind at 6.30 is lightly from the SE at take off, however it is very likely that it will come onto the hill by 11.30am.  We can go for a later take off today as we are not expecting such an alarming increase in wind speeds as previous days.

skew T

possible track and winds at 1800m

conditions along track over time

The Atlanic high is positioning itself to give us sunny weather for the week.  However, today the tail end of a cold front with pass through.  Winds are actually a little stronger than yesterday.  Once again today it will be worth getting into the air early before we have problems getting off.

Here is a link which shows some of the problems with an E wind in our valley

https://vimeo.com/64294975

track

conditions along track

1pm

1pm

cross section

 

 

The Atlanic high is positioning itself to give us sunny weather for the week.  However, today the tail end of a cold front with pass through.  Winds are actually a little stronger than yesterday.  Once again today it will be worth getting into the air early before we have problems getting off.

Here is a link to an animation explaining a little some problems with E winds here

A quick sketch of Rob Couper done this afternoon between flights.  Rob came to Flypiedrahita first way back in the  90s

Rob Couper

Steve was an old client of ours.  After retiring form the UK police force he set up XC Paragliding Brasil which he runs with his wife Jaqueline in Governador Valadares.

The bad weather yesterday enabled me to finish off this caricature of him which he requested.

Steve Barton.