Thermal Spotting

Well, we didn't get much more thermal training in Spring 2006.

In the continuing pursuit of training, I am trying to evaluate the thermal character of various days at Nanakuli. I'm going to be experimenting with Kevin Ford's Thermal Index tool which can be found at http://www.soarforecast.com

Marty D. and Doug H. are supposed to be heading out to Nanakuli today at 2 pm. It looks overcast of the eastern side and peak of the Waianae range, but possibly clear west of that. NWS reports 5SSW at the inland Waianae sensor. So far, not bad. Here's the part of the Thermal Index Report based on the 2 pm sounding at Lihue:

Thermal Index Calculator
     by Kevin Ford

Reading files in the wxp text .uac format (one time per file)

Enter filename : lih2007021000.uac
Enter station : W91165

Enter forecast high temp (F) : 76
Enter maximum altitude to calculate TI : 10000
           Soaring report from W91165 upper air data.
   Forecast high: 76 F; est. base of any clouds: 4000 feet AGL.

                    === Raw Upper-Air Data ===
Feet MSL:      0    395   2580   2730   4907  10124  10695  11551  12151  12933
Pres mb:    1014   1000    925    920    850    700    685    663    648    629
Temp C:     21.0   20.0   13.6   13.6    9.6    1.2    0.0   -1.5    0.6    0.0
VirT C:     23.0   21.9   15.2   15.2   11.0    2.0    0.8   -1.2    0.7    0.0
DewPt C:    16.1   15.0   11.3   11.3    8.8   -1.2   -2.6  -15.5  -27.4  -39.0
Wdir@kts:         50  7         50 10 360  2 280 37                            

       === Interpolations (temps in deg. F, altitudes in feet MSL) ===
  MSL  *TI* Wdir@kts trig  VirT  1.3 degrees/division ("`": Dry Adiabatic)
-----  ---- -------- ---- . ---- -----------------------------------------
10000   5.7  280  37   86 | 36.0 `       :
 9500   5.1            85 | 37.6   `      :
 9000   4.5  290  35   84 | 39.1     `     :
 8500   3.8            83 | 40.7       `    :
 8000   3.2  300  27   82 | 42.3         `   :
 7500   2.6            81 | 43.8           `   :
 7000   2.0  310  17   79 | 45.4             `  :
 6500   1.4            78 | 46.9               ` :
 6000   0.7  315   8   77 | 48.5                 `:
 5500   0.1            76 | 50.0                   `:
 5000  -0.5  360   2   76 | 51.6                     :`
 4500  -1.1            75 | 53.3                      : `
 4000  -1.6   60   3   74 | 55.0                       :  `
 3500  -2.1            73 | 56.7                         :  `
 3000  -2.6   55   9   72 | 58.4                          :   `
 2500  -3.4   50  10   71 | 59.8                           :    `
 2000  -3.3   45  11   71 | 62.5                             :    `
 1500  -3.3            71 | 65.3                                :   `
 1000  -3.2   30  11   71 | 68.1                                  :   `
  500  -3.2   50   7   71 | 70.9                                    :    `


Additional wind data:

  H(ft)   dir   spd
 ------   ---   ---
  1000     30    11
  2000     45    11
  3000     55     9
  4000     60     3
  6000    315     8
  7000    310    17
  8000    300    27
  9000    290    35
 10000    280    37

In case the above doesn't show up properly (it's a text plot) I'll upload a picture of the text output.