Pulpit Friday 3/21

[sailin]

Anybody want to give the Pulpit a try on Friday?

thanks,
Jon

[Danny Brotto]

Jon

I'm seeing a Friday morning westerly forecast turning a decidedly SW by afternoon and then even SSW late in the afternoon. I think Highland might be the best bet for Friday.

Cooking out of the west prefrontal on Saturday; might be another Smithsburg day.

Post frontal NW on Sunday. Wind velocity prediction favors HR or McConnelsburg... but I think they are under calling it.

Danny Brotto

[Matthew]

Looks like a Woodstock weekend.

Not sure which day yet.

Matthew

[XCanytime]

Looks like a Woodstock weekend.

Not sure which day yet.

Matthew

Sunday. Saturday looks more cross. And very warm too to melt what may be left of the snow so the road will be open? Bacil

[andybalkphysics]

Jeez I hope so...I'm itching to fly so much I think a rash is breaking out.

[gdezarraga]

Any PG guys interested in doing a training hill day on Saturday?

[mingram]

I might be interested in a training hill day on Saturday. Looks like the right direction for Long Hill. If we decide to go I will call the land owner Saturday morning.

[gdezarraga]

That would be great. I'd really like to get checked out so I can join you guys at the P2+Observer sites this season.

[wmelo]

It looks like it would be SW in the afternoon. However, if the weather improves, I would love to go to Pulpit this Friday (3/21/2014) after 3:00pm.
walt

[sailin]

I am going to give the Pulpit a try tomorrow. Danny seems to be right on about the switch to the south, but I am hoping it happens a little later in the day and lets us have some nice flights earlier on.

Jon

[Danny Brotto]

Jon

The SW influence indeed will occur later than originally predicted. Wind speed and direction do support McConnelsburg earlier in the day. With the passage of the warm front, cloud cover will increase to near complete overcast by mid afternoon and then decrease to clear by the end of the day. That's the good news. The bad news is that the decreasing overcast coincides with the switch to SW (although the site does support a SW sometimes.)

I think McConnelsburg is a good call. Let us know how it goes!

Danny Brotto

[sailin]

Dynamic and frustrating day at the Pulpit. Set up but didn't end up flying. Arrived at about 1015am to mostly blue skies and NW winds (bit of a right cross) 15-18mph with gusts to 22-24mph. Was kind of surprised to find things already fairly strong.....and crossing from the right. Set up the glider and by 1115am it was clouded over with NW winds at 24-26mph with gusts to 38mph The clouds continued to thicken and the wind continued to crank. By 1215 I could see rain bands to the SW but things looked okay out front and to the NNW. Not for long. By 100pm I was breaking my glider down in complete cloud cover, as in launch was at cloud base, and blowing snow Second shocker for the day. Went down to McDonalds for some hot chocolate and an apple pie. By 230pm things started to lighten up outside so headed back up top. Now things look mostly good to the SW but they were dark just to the NNW. And it was still honking. By about 315pm the darkness to the NNW parked itself like the evil spaceship from Independence Day right out front....encompassing the whole valley out front. It showed some lenticular wavey characteristics and there was some similar looking (albeit smaller and lighter) looking ones downwind toward Hagerstown. It stayed until about 415pm. When it broke up/dried up/moved on, we finally had some sunshine........and the southwest winds I had been dreading since the night before. Drove home. Rough start to the season.

Jon

[FlyingFelix]

Whoa, quite the crazy day - sorry to hear Jon. The part about Independence day is hilarious. Hey, at least you were out hoping to fly - better than a day at work anyway...Next time you go out it'll be spectacular, Nature owes it to you! I just hope to be there when it happens