Weekend Weather

[RobinHastings]

JUNE 13-15, 2014
This weekend looks mostly flyable at our foot-launched sites. Friday should have a slight chance of precipitation, and maybe early on Saturday as well. Sunday will be clear of rain. Temperatures on Friday and Sunday are forecast to be mid-90's, approaching 100 F, while Saturday should be around 100. Winds on Friday will be moderate to strong southwest; on Saturday, it looks like a blowout from the west and southwest. Sunday should be a lot gentler, with light to moderate winds still out of the southwest. My prediction is that Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Little Floridas and Lee's Lookout should work both Friday and Sunday. Saturday may be OK as well for those sites if you go real early; otherwise, stay indoors, watch the World Cup and make sure your batteries are charged. I'd like to fly on Sunday mid- to late afternoon, if anyone can join me, either at Dry Canyon or Magdalena Rim. Any takers? Be safe, whatever you do!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

JUNE 20-22, 2014
Well, the good news is, we might get some rain! Not much, though, and not a real good chance. The bad news is, the winds will be mostly north this weekend, though at least lighter than last, when Mike Ellsworth and I were blown out at Dry Canyon. (We packed up about 4:00 and rode back down with Jesse Cone, our driver, and my daughter Keighley.) If the winds are north, our only good option is the northwest launch at La Luz, and towing on Hadley's winch. Expect north, northwest, and northeast winds on Friday and Saturday, kind of light, and the same for most of Sunday. Towards Sunday evening we should get light west winds - but that's what I expected last weekend, and it was far too windy and rowdy to launch. So, as ever, we'll just have to wait and see. I'll be busy on Saturday, but keep in touch, and let's keep our options open for Sunday, late. Be safe, everyone!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

JUNE 27-29, 2014
It's not a perfect flying weekend, but it might do. Friday the winds will be fairly strong, out of the northwest. On Saturday the winds get milder, mostly west. On Sunday the winds get more northwesterly. No precipitation seems to be in the forecast. So, here's my take on it. If you want foot-launched flying on Friday, go to La Luz NW launch, and go there early. On Saturday Dry Canyon, La Luz, Agave Hill and Lee's Lookout should all be launchable. On Sunday, try La Luz NW launch again. PG training at the Sod Farm is probably going to be good all day on Saturday; Friday is likely to be a blowout. Me, I think I'd like to fly my hang glider at Dry Canyon on Saturday. Is there anyone else up for that? Let me know!
-Robin
575-541-5744

[RobinHastings]

JULY 4-6, 2014:
This weekend looks a little chancy for flying in our area. The rainy season is finally here, so precipitation is a possibility for our area, all three days. The winds will be fairly light. They should be south/southeast on Friday, southerly on Saturday, and more easterly on Sunday. I would say that your best chances for foot-launched flight will be on Friday and Saturday, and at Dry Canyon. Hadley can probably be towing people most of the day as well, at the Sod Farm and maybe out at Hwy 9; with an east wind, going XC down that road may be a good possibility. I had a fine flight at Dry Canyon today with John Boarini, a Hang 4 pilot moving from Florida to Las Vegas. We got up to 8000+ and had close to an hour each - it was John's first flight out here, and he loved it. Be safe this holiday weekend, in every way!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

JULY 11-13, 2014:
This looks like a typical summer weekend for Southern New Mexico. We might get thunderstorms in the afternoon. Winds should be anywhere from east to southeast throughout the weekend, not too strong. With Hadley out of town (no towing) it looks like flying at Dry Canyon, which can handle southeast winds, is about our only option. It should be flyable there on Saturday and Sunday - the winds look more easterly on Friday, so the odds are poorer that day. None of our other sites, which face west and southwest, are likely to be launchable. Does anyone want to fly on Saturday? I think I can get a driver for that day. Let me know! 575-541-5744.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

JULY 18-20, 2014
This should be a pretty good weekend for July. We might get thunderstorms, but late in the day if then. Winds on Friday will be light west/northwest, on Saturday light west and southwest, on Sunday light westerly. Temperatures should be in the 90's. All in all, a pretty good time for soaring. Friday should be OK for La Luz and for Agave Hill in El Paso, and maybe for Dry Canyon if the winds turn around to the west. On Saturday Dry Canyon, Little Floridas, La Luz, Agave Hill, Lee's Lookout and Magdalena Rim should all work well. On Sunday, look to Dry Canyon, La Luz and Agave Hill. Maybe the Rim, if there's more southwest to it. I'll be busy on Saturday up at Sunspot, but Sunday I'd be interested in some flying (maybe at the Rim?) if anyone wants to try it. Call me at 575-541-5744. Be safe, everyone!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

JULY 25-27, 2014
This is a flyable weekend for us. Our chances of precipitation in Southern New Mexico are pretty low for the next few days. On Friday winds will be light and variable, which would make Dry Canyon a possible launch site - it usually will funnel in the winds to the launch somehow, and you can get some good thermals in that situation. On Saturday the winds go to light west/southwest, which should make Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Lee's Lookout and the Little Floridas a good possibility. Towing at the Sod Farm should be good as well. On Sunday the winds are light again and more southerly, which is good for Dry Canyon and maybe Magdalena Rim. Good for the Sod Farm, too. Let me know if you want to fly - I might be free for some airtime! 575-541-5744.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

AUGUST 1-3, 2014
Welcome to the rainy season! Halleluiah! It's come at last! Of course, that means that we might not do much flying for a bit. The winds this weekend will be fairly light, and east (Saturday) and south/southeast (Sunday). That would lead me to guess that only Dry Canyon will work as a foot-launched site, but after the rains we've had, the road to launch should be treated with respect. It might be a bog right now, after the Thursday night rains. Let it pack down the way it should, and we'll have a highway to heaven out there; mess around with it, heading for launch, and it'll look like a war zone. But with more rain in the weekend's forecast, I'd say put off flying at Dry until it really is dry (maybe next weekend?) Since our other sites all face west and southwest, I don't think we'll have winds coming up the ramp anywhere for several days. There's always some training at the Sod Farm in Santa Teresa... Give me a call if you see some flying opportunities! 575-541-5744
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

AUG. 8-10, 2014
It's another Monsoon Season weekend, and despite the interruption of flights, I am really glad to see the rain. It doesn't look good for foot-launched flying this weekend. Winds on Friday will be mostly north, accompanied by rain. On Saturday and Sunday winds will be east primarily, except when they're north, and again with rain. If we get weather that looks like a south (or even south/southeast) modification to the forecast, and reasonably dry, then I'd be willing to try for a flight at Dry Canyon. Let me know what's happening in Alamogordo! I'm at 575-541-5744.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FORECAST FOR AUG. 15-17, 2014
How about this word? "Non-optimal." That might sum up the flying for this weekend, as we glory in the blessing of precipitation at last. It will be wet, all over the Southern New Mexico region, and I'm not going to voice any complaints about that - we've been denied our rightful share of rain for a decade. In addition to wet skies and wet roads to our launches, the winds look wrong as well. The forecasts show them mostly to be light to moderate out of the north, east, and even southeast. Not good for foot launching at our usual sites, though Hadley may do some morning tow training with PG's at the Sod Farm in Santa Teresa. My recommendation is to either join Hadley down there, or save up your flying credits for a better weekend. Keep in touch!
-Robin
575-541-5744