Bizarre Weather

After weeks of bitter cold, today was one of those rare January flying days
in the upper Midwest that literally convinced everyone to go flying. I
haven't seen (and heard) this much GA traffic since last summer.

Usually, when we get a warm day in January, the wind howls out of the south.
Today, not a wisp of wind fluttered the flags -- and the calm covered a huge
area. Further, because of the extensive snow cover, a temperature inversion
formed, with 47 degree air at 3500 feet, and 33 degree air at the surface.
When this happens, usually fog or clouds form -- but today was CAVU, with
stunning visibility.

We flew from Iowa City to Prairie du Chein, WI, and saw nary a cloud, and
felt nary a bump, despite all weather circumstances pointing to the
development of such conditions.

Just goes to show you that weather is still as much a mystery than a
science. But after such an unusually harsh winter, we'll gladly take the
occasional pleasant surprise...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
newsVcnj.4739$9j6.2291@attbi_s22:

After weeks of bitter cold, today was one of those rare January flying
days in the upper Midwest that literally convinced everyone to go
flying. I haven't seen (and heard) this much GA traffic since last
summer.

Usually, when we get a warm day in January, the wind howls out of the
south. Today, not a wisp of wind fluttered the flags -- and the calm
covered a huge area. Further, because of the extensive snow cover, a
temperature inversion formed, with 47 degree air at 3500 feet, and 33
degree air at the surface. When this happens, usually fog or clouds
form -- but today was CAVU, with stunning visibility.

We flew from Iowa City to Prairie du Chein, WI, and saw nary a cloud,
and felt nary a bump, despite all weather circumstances pointing to
the development of such conditions.

Just goes to show you that weather is still as much a mystery than a
science.

Only to science deniers..


Bertie

On 2008-01-28, Jay Honeck wrote:
Just goes to show you that weather is still as much a mystery than a
science. But after such an unusually harsh winter, we'll gladly take the
occasional pleasant surprise...

No - not really; a stable atmosphere where there's insufficient
condensation nuclei or insufficient relative humidity, fog won't form
and the visibility can be quite good. You can also get poor visibility
with unstable air, happened quite often when I lived in Houston.

The general case (unstable air, rough, good visibility; stable air,
smooth, terrible visibility) is just the general case. There are
conditions that can result in something other than the general case. No
particular mystery!

--
From the sunny Isle of Man.
Yes, the Reply-To email address is valid.

Dylan Smith wrote:
On 2008-01-28, Jay Honeck wrote:
Just goes to show you that weather is still as much a mystery than a
science. But after such an unusually harsh winter, we'll gladly take the
occasional pleasant surprise...

No - not really; a stable atmosphere where there's insufficient
condensation nuclei or insufficient relative humidity, fog won't form
and the visibility can be quite good. You can also get poor visibility
with unstable air, happened quite often when I lived in Houston.

The general case (unstable air, rough, good visibility; stable air,
smooth, terrible visibility) is just the general case. There are
conditions that can result in something other than the general case. No
particular mystery!


Cold Clear = Nice Solid Air Usually

Jay Honeck schrieb:

Usually, when we get a warm day in January, the wind howls out of the
south. Today, not a wisp of wind fluttered the flags -- and the calm
covered a huge area. Further, because of the extensive snow cover, a
temperature inversion formed, with 47 degree air at 3500 feet, and 33
degree air at the surface. When this happens, usually fog or clouds form
-- but today was CAVU, with stunning visibility.
....
Just goes to show you that weather is still as much a mystery than a
science.

Luckily, today's science is a bit more advanced.

Usually, when we get a warm day in January, the wind howls out of the
south. Today, not a wisp of wind fluttered the flags -- and the calm
covered a huge area. Further, because of the extensive snow cover, a
temperature inversion formed, with 47 degree air at 3500 feet, and 33
degree air at the surface. When this happens, usually fog or clouds
form -- but today was CAVU, with stunning visibility.
...
Just goes to show you that weather is still as much a mystery than a
science.

Luckily, today's science is a bit more advanced.

Well, all we had to do was wait 15 hours. Today we have a "Wind Advisory",
it's overcast, and with poor visibility -- far more in keeping with the norm
for a January warm spell...

Yesterday was a real gem -- best warm-weather (relatively speaking, of
course) January flying day I've seen.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Bertie the Bunyip wrote in news:Xns9A3331C064B4A****upropeeh@
207.14.116.130:

Only to science deniers..

I am a firm believer in Darwin's Weather Evolution principal.

Judah wrote in news:Xns9A336402EBA45Judahnospamnet@
209.197.15.254:

Bertie the Bunyip wrote in news:Xns9A3331C064B4A****upropeeh@
207.14.116.130:

Only to science deniers..

I am a firm believer in Darwin's Weather Evolution principal.



Unfortunately, it matters not if oyu believe or not if the assholes around
you don't.


Bertie

Bertie the Bunyip wrote in news:Xns9A33978FFFC45****upropeeh@
207.14.116.130:

Unfortunately, it matters not if oyu believe or not if the assholes around
you don't.

It matters to me what I believe, just as it matters to you what you
believe...

Judah wrote in
:

Bertie the Bunyip wrote in
news:Xns9A33978FFFC45****upropeeh@ 207.14.116.130:

Unfortunately, it matters not if oyu believe or not if the assholes
around you don't.

It matters to me what I believe, just as it matters to you what you
believe...


Oh, I wasn't suggesting anything else.

But in fact, I don't go in for belief so much anyway..

I regard it as almost a neccesary evil until such time as I actually *do*
know it all.


Bertie