Weekend Weather

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 through SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2021:
Sometimes, the dice come up snake eyes, and you're out of the game. The Time of Winds is here! Dry, of course, all weekend, and our high temperatures, now in the low 70's, will drop to the 50's F by Saturday and Sunday. Winds? Friday is a blowout, with southwest winds in the 20+ mph range, out of the southwest - and that's the MILD day. Saturday and Sunday are forecast to get much windier. More westerly on Saturday, then southwest again on Sunday - but all of it in the 25+ mph range. Hang it up this weekend, folks; I don't foresee us getting flights like we had last Sunday. Just hunker down and watch Arizona going by outside your windows. Let's hope for better times next weekend - and as always, pray for rain.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MARCH 18 through SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2021:
Well, this is a MUCH better forecast than last weekend. We should have dry, reasonably warm conditions (high's around 70 F, I think) and much lighter winds. They're not always the right direction - but at least they're lighter. On Friday it looks like we get SSE winds over the whole area, about 8-10 mph. If anyone wants to tow at the Exit 116 site, this would be ideal - otherwise, I don't see a good option for foot-launched flying. Saturday gets better. The winds will shift to the south in some places, or even a bit southwest, still about 8-10. It looks like Magdalena Rim could be a good bet this day, and Dry Canyon if we could make it up that road. On Sunday we get a pretty nice forecast. In El Paso and Deming, we get winds from the west, 8-10 mph, which means that the Little Floridas, Agave Hill, and Nelson's Launch could all be good for some airtime. Additionally, we should get southwest winds, 10-12 mph, around Las Cruces and Alamogordo. Magdalena Rim should work well for hang gliders at least, as well as La Luz and Dry Canyon. I hope to be helping out a new pilot this weekend, but would certainly like to get some airtime, too - so I might be trying to fly La Luz on Sunday afternoon. Mag Rim is possible for Saturday, too. Give me a call if you're interested in a flight, and let's see what we can arrange.
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MARCH 26 through SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2021:
Looks like another flyable weekend, folks. And for a bonus, we finally got some precipitation today, Wednesday March 24. (Mark that day, who knows when we'll see rain again?) This weekend promises to be dry (no surprise) and warm, with high temperatures around 70 F (20 C). Winds will be a bit strong on Friday, but getting lighter as the weekend goes on. Mostly west and southwest, but on Sunday some east winds will sneak in at the south end of our area, around El Paso. On Friday, expect WSW winds, 10-15 mph in El Paso and Alamogordo, 15-20 in Las Cruces and Deming. Probably a little strong, unless you go early, but La Luz might be a good bet for hang gliders, and Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch might work. On Saturday, SW in Alamogordo, 10-12, W in El Paso, 8-10, and still 15-20 in Las Cruces and Deming. I'd say that again La Luz, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch are the places to be that day. On Sunday, gentler winds in Deming, LC and Alamogordo, coming from the west. Magdalena Rim might work that day, especially for PG's, and La Luz and the Little Floridas could be excellent. In El Paso the winds should be easterly, 10 to 12 mph, which makes both Anapra and Torrey Paso worth checking out. As in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," choose wisely. But at least you have choices! Let me know if you want to fly this weekend; I might be helping out a wannabe pilot, but otherwise I'd certainly enjoy some airtime.
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, APRIL 2 through SUNDAY, APRIL 4:
Do you want a pleasant weekend? Well, you have it! High temperatures around 80 degrees F (28 C), dry, and light winds, mostly from the east. Friday we get some light southeasterly winds around the area, except in Alamogordo where they are light and southerly. Saturday, similar - maybe more easterly. On Easter Sunday, though, we finally get some light south/southwesterly winds around the area (except Deming, where they'll still be easterly). It looks, then, like La Luz could be the place to go on Friday. On Saturday, Torrey Paso and Anapra might be OK for paragliders. On Sunday, though, you get some options: La Luz, Magdalena Rim, possibly Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch might all be worth a try. The light winds make it look as though this weekend a PG is the wing to fly. Watch out for bunnies laying eggs in the landing zones (did I really say that? Oh, my!) and enjoy this lovely kind of weather. I'm sure the Time of Winds will be with us soon enough, again.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, APRIL 16 through SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021:
This looks like an unsettled weekend for weather. Our current daily highs of 80+ degrees F (28 C) will be considerably cooler, in the 60 degree range. There's a slight chance of moisture on Sunday, too. Winds on Friday actually look pretty benign, especially for paragliders - light and westerly throughout our area, northwesterly in Alamogordo. Looks like La Luz, the Little Floridas, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch might all be good that day. On Saturday, though, things change rapidly. We will see south winds in Alamogordo, 10-15 mph, and strong ESE elsewhere in our area. Anapra might work if you catch it at the right moment, and Torrey Paso - but it might be blown out, too. The same is true for Sunday as well. So, though it might be flyable in the Great Southwest, especially on Friday, it's not likely to be one of those real good weekends we often take for granted. I am currently in no shape to be flying, but maybe next weekend things will be a little better all around. If you go out on this one, be safe and have some good times.
-Robin

[Bill Cummings]

Robin’s weekend forecast may not be posted today.
He is going to be in the Hospital for at least three days.

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY 14 through SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2021:
Once again, this is looking like an unflyable weekend. Winds too strong, or coming out of the wrong direction. The Little Floridas might be good for hang gliders on Friday. Maybe Mag Rim, too, in the late afternoon that day. Otherwise, it looks like a blowout for both Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will be quite warm, with highs about 90 degrees F (30 C) most days. There may be a bit of rain on Friday evening for our area, but don't bet the farm on it. Warm, dry and windy seems to define this upcoming weekend. So let's keep an eye out for the next one! And maybe folks will want to make a trip to the Guadalupes over Memorial Day weekend, if the weather cooperates and folks want to hold a gathering. (Dry Canyon launch is still inaccessible, though we can certainly get up to the La Luz launches.) I'll keep you posted on what the weather seems to be doing, as the end of the month comes closer. If you decide to try a flight this weekend, be safe!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY 21 through SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2021:
This weekend does not appear unflyable, as our last one did. It'll be hot and dry, with high temperatures in the high 80's and low 90's F (about 30-33 C). Winds will be mostly southwest, and south on Saturday. Friday's winds will be southwest, about 10-12 mph in Alamogordo and El Paso, stronger in Deming and Las Cruces. I'd recommend La Luz, Nelson's Launch and Agave Hill for that day. Saturday looks like a blowout everywhere. Sunday, though, looks promising. Mostly SW, 10 to 15 mph in Las Cruces but a little lighter elsewhere. La Luz, Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch, the Little Floridas and Magdalena Rim might all be worth investigating that day. I hope that someone gets some airtime this weekend! And if folks don't mind a drive and a campout, the weather at the Guadalupes, in the long-range forecast, seems to be promising. Fly safe, folks, and enjoy the good spring weather while it lasts.
-Robin

[Nate]

Do you know if anyone is planning on the Guads?

I'm not advocating for it though I would love to fly the Guads this time of year. If folks are there, I'll be there too! I hiked 31 miles of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in one day last weekend. It was good to see the Guadalupe Rim and the towering cummies that seemed to form on the ridgeline. It eventually blew up just south of Carlsbad in the evening.

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, JULY 2 through SUNDAY, JULY 4, 2021:
Hi, folks. Sorry for my long absences from this website. Cancer leaves me too weak to function, some days. Well! We have been BLESSED with unexpectedly early monsoons this year! This is interesting, by the way; "monsoon" is the name in India for the WINDS that bring the heavy downpours - not the downpour itself. And our forecasts show almost no winds. Friday they could be light easterly, then very light from the north on Saturday and very light west on Sunday. But, though Friday is the driest of the three days, there is rain in the forecast every day until next Thursday (July 8). Enjoy all that the rains may bring (like, saving the Southwest) but don't expect to do much flying for a while. Let's enjoy the rainbows, at least!
-Robin