The upper level trough affecting the North of the Iberian Peninsula seems to no longer be a problem with increased high pressure (what we believed woud prevent the Cbs yesterday).

We continue with the now typical pattern of an upper westerly flow. Winds at lower levels early on should be around 15km/hr west to north west. At thermal tops (2600m rising to 3200m) around 20km/hr. Thermal quality is high.

These conditions are typical for a goal flight to Segovia/Arcones or Open Distance. The wind will tend towards N towards the end of the afternoon which may reduce the potential.

Low level N still expected in Avila.

Convergence expected.

The skew T below assumes 28ºC max temp. The inversion at 2600m should rise to 3200m by late afternoon.

Skew T 15:00

The Cross section below shows time and conditions along a cross section of the route from Peña Negra to Segovia.

Tiempo/condiciones a Segovia

Conditions for next 3 days. Good quality though top end for wind speed tomorrow.

3 day forcast

What Happened

Much lighter conditions with the early inversion, but by the Pass climbs to 3000m.  Really really nice in Avila Valley – so unlike afew weeks back.  It seems the turbulence button has been switched off.   I bombed near Avila, but James on his 8 year old Nova Radon climched the day landing after Avila.  In the Tandem comp on glider in goal at Villacastin.

Tracks

Bienvenido a los pilotos y co pilotos del Campeoanato. Os deseo a todos buenos vuelos y mucha suerte. Ddurante los siguentes dias pondré en esta pagina un sinopsis del tiempo y algunas consideraciones del microclima que puede ayudaros a selectionar vuestras managas y orientaros en vuestros vuelos.

Weather Briefing.

High pressure is increasing, though a high level trough which entered the North of the Peninsula yesterday has brought some instability to the upper levels. With the expected maximum temerature of 25ºC we can expect good quality thermals to a cloud base of around 3500m. Early on the clouds may grow to significant depths. Howerver these Congestus clouds should thin out later in the afternoon as high pressure continues to increase.

(Click on Skew-Ts for lager clearer image)

Skew T late afternoon

What can we expect to do?

The winds at Peña Negra at 8.30am are WNW and light- Although upper level winds are from the SW the lower level winds in the Corneja and Ambles valley will be from the NW. There is a tendency for the wind to move more North during the day. This makes flighs beyond Avila difficult as low level winds will impede progress. Convergence in the Ambles valley is likely from Mñogalindo N-S towards Solosancho.

Convergencia en Amables con noroeste

Crossing he Pass should be relatively safe and easy (crossing high ground to S, not via Antenna).

The problem for task setting is that you will have a low level cross headwind after leaving Muñogalindo towards Avila, and the same if you return. A goal at Avila is good as the last 15km are a struggle but normally eaily achieveable. You could fly back towards the Pass – but do not try to cross back agains the headwind at the Pass (Goal in Poveda or Amavida).

You can try a dog leg using the covergence Muñogalindo – Solosancho, then retruning towards Pass for a goal, or finishing in Avila.

Good tasks for Tandems/CEN B class gliders with these conditions

3 day

Next days:

Tomorrow we have a more favorable day for Open XC. Friday wooks difficult for flights far beyond Avila.

Much better prospects for today.  Light winds at surface and take off level, later increasing to around 15km/hr and upto 40 at thermal tops.  Nil wind at take off at 8.30am (yesterday strongish from S then quickly changing to Strong WNW).  Good Open Distance day for flights beyond Avila.

Noon

Skew T 15:00

Time/ distance X section to Segovia

6 over Pass today, with James, Clair and myself landing at Ávila. Wim and Mike at Quarry Spine and Dave with a long walk after landing on the montain near the Big Spine.

noon

Skew T 15.00

Relative Low pressure with a upper level trough moving in Wednesday. Winds at 8.30am are S at take off. Winds in SW and good themal quality will give convergence out in the flat lands and should give us a good potential XC day. Wind speed is on the strong side with around 20km/hr at take of level and c40km/hr at 3000m. I imagine the wind will not come onto launch untill mid day, then the safe launch window may be quite short.

X section to Segovia over time

3 day forecast

Conditions a launch at midday at two o’clock too strong so we decided to fly in the evening.

Airport shuttle day for me but the day looked very good with high convergence Cu inthe Ambles valley. Nice evening flight and comercial tandem for me.

The approach of a cold front associated with the depression over the UK will increase the westerly flow and instability.  Potentially an excellent Open XC day for the brave, with mainy blue thermals to above 3000m and with winds at 50km/hr at this level.

Windsock showing a fair bit of wind from early on and crossed to W.  Safe recreational flying unlikely during XC hours today.

Noon today

Skew T 15:00

X section to Avila/time

20:30:

Some hang gliders flew, but wind came in really strongh so we spent a day at the river with the Kayaks and some watched Tour de France on TV at home.

The UK continues with the depression maintaining a westerly flow over the Iberian Peninsula.  Early morning Cu and wind cross on at Peña Negra.  later blue thermals to around 3000m with a 15km/hr flow from the W at around t.o altitude.  around 20km/hr at top of lift.

South of west flow so convergence very likely in flatlands.  100km+ potential.  Lets see what happens!

Noon

15.00

Time section P.N to Segovia

Mike T, Mike B, Dave , Alan and myself over the pass,  Difficult early conditions but between Villatoro and Avila perfect conditions: smooth and strong with good Cu development.  AFte Avila more of a NW and blue.  Alan made 70km landing near the Windmills.

Nice evening conditions once again.

Tomorrow looking a bit windy!

The depression continues to move very slowly across the UK.  W flow in altitude contines here as it has done for some time now.  Early morning Stratocumulus which should break down by midday with mainly blue thermals later in the afternoon.  Bear in mind tha this extra cloud cover during the morning will give us a slightly later thermal start.

noon

Skew T 15.00

Time/conditions to Avila

Three day

Posibilities

Providing we can take off safely and the wind strengh stays withing that forecast above then we can certainly consider a goal flight to Avila.  Winds are likely to be uncomfortably strong in the Avila Valley which may make us decide to stay in the Corneja Valley.  The instability will make flying around in the flats reasonably easy and the direction(more N compared to previous days) will mean that it should be very easy to sustain on the mountain.

Tomorrow offers a better Open Distance XC day with convergence in the flatlands, higher base, Cu and less wind (and better direction for Open XC).  Saturday similar, but a bit more breezy.

4.40PM

Some nice flying around the valley.  We decided not to got for the pass.

Some reaonable evening flying done too.

I guess we did not really do justice to yesterdays conditions – maybe I oversold, or perhaps the shadowing redued the potential.  Today we start with 8/8 cover of statocumulus which since around 8.30am has been cycliclly breaking down then reforming near the hill.  This is unlikely to lift and clear full untill after mid day.  However, the normal pattern is that it will lift significantly throughout the afternoon and we should get near 2900m towards the end of the day.  Winds are forecast to be a little lighter and more WNW, so we should not have the same problems at launch that we did yesterday.  Small risk of some Congestus later in the day.

A flight to Avila is certainly possible with these conditions.  N wind may prevent pushing on beyond.  Should be a pleasant day with reasonable thermal quality and smoothness.

1st brief around 11.45am, probably leaving for hill around 12.15-12-30 if clear.

yet again the almost constant depression over UK. W. Flow Iberia

Tracks

Fred walking out of the Desert in the Promised land

What happened?

Not a bad day with nice conditions to around 2800m.  We had to go from the curve as it was a bit blowy at the top.  Fred, Alan, Catherine, Dave and myself over the pass.  Fred was the only one to get a decent climb on the other side, the others landing in 20km/hr + wind near Amavida.  Fred landed as it was a bit chopppy near Muñogalindo and I found some nice 4m/s down to join him.  V. strong climbs and 25kmhr+ winds in Ambles.  A big distance day if we had decided to put up with the turbulence.

Noon

Skew T 15.00

Overview

Todays weather is wholly charecteristic of a typical 200km+ day.  Heat low forming and previous to arrival of a weak front tomorrow.  Winds are SW, reasonably strong at the top of the convection (20km/hr), and light enough low down for safe take off and landing (15km/hr).  Cloud base potemntial to 4000m, though 3200-3600m more likely.

Classic Convergence likely.  Some cirrus likely, but should not be a problem – in fact it may calm it a little at peak time making it a little less stressfull.

Tomorrow the base will drop (cloud on hill during early morning), though hopefully will be flyable by early afternoon.

3 DAY FORECAST

What happened

Wind was a bit cross and strong so we elected to go from the bend lower down even though others were getting off the main launch.  We went late and by which time altostratus began to reduce the sunlight.  Even with that there were good smooth climbs to over 3000m.  Lack of sunlight madethe thermals a little more scarce.  Cathering , Paul and Alan ove the Pass but failing to get up on the other side.  I went to land at Muñogalindo.   Alto Cu now comming in during the evening flight.  Instability tomorrow.